EndGame Public Relations, LLC

Motrin Ad Irks Baby Mamas

The social media world is on fire today with debate over this ad from the makers of pain reliever Motrin:

As a guy, this doesn’t get me in any kind of uproar.  However, judging by the anger coming from female baby-carrying users of Twitter, YouTube, and various blogs … it’s a big problem for Motrin.  The complaint coming from those users is that the ad is condescending.  Motrin has pulled the ad after this backlash, and issued an apology on the front page of the Motrin website.  If you’re looking at this after they remove the apology, try this direct link to an image.

As I said, the ad doesn’t bother me, but the fact of the matter is that you simply can’t just come up with what you think is a clever idea and run with it … at least not anymore.  I’m sure 20 years ago there were ads that irritated people as well, but back then they couldn’t sent a Tweet out to hundreds or even thousands of people at once, they couldn’t blog about it, and they certainly couldn’t record a video and broadcast it to anyone who cares to view it (like this one).  There are too many ways for people to mount a counterattack to a real or even perceived threat.

It’s absolutely necessary to get multiple opinions over a broad spectrum of potential audiences *before* rolling out a national advertising campaign.  It’s painfully obvious that at the very least, Motrin didn’t get the opinions of those who are passionate about constant close contact with their babies.  Shocking, given the content of the ads, but apparently true.

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