Jet With Kids

I normally don’t blog about things like this. However, this morning on Twitter, I was blown away by the many, many parents who were upset over a new Motrin ad. I decided to check it out. http://motrin.com/

WOW. The ad basically states that moms wear their babies in slings as a fashion statement and to prove they are an “official mom”.

WOW.

Here is the response from mothers…
http://www.skimbacolifestyle.com/2008/11/motrin-giving-moms-headache.html

Was there no thought AT ALL when they produced this? Was there not one single parent (good parent) in the room who has held their child for any amount of time and hurt because it strains the body to NOT have a sling or carrier? I can see that there would be no reason to hold your child (with or without a sling) if you never saw your children or ignored them.

THIS is exactly why I started working with manufacturers and inventors. Many of them are so busy in their offices all day that they have very little experience with the consumer’s lifestyle. As a nurse, mother, frequent business/family traveler, and WAHM, I have experience that many of them will never have. Some companies are recognizing this and have been really wonderful to work with and open to product improvements or marketing ideas. I recently had an inventor thank me for pointing out a use for his product that he never had thought of – simply because I research this stuff and live it daily so I know what the needs are for the markets I cover.

Motrin – you screwed up. BIG time. Don’t piss off mothers. They are a lot more powerful than you think. Today’s mother is educated about the care of her child, concerned about the health and safety of her child, and powerful enough to do something about it. Moms make things happen. There is a whole world of educated, intelligent, professional moms who are individually influential and would be a fantastic spokesperson or consultant. (NOT for ads like Brooke Shields is doing either – those are idiotic and also insulting!)

I recommend at this point that Motrin apologizes, hires a team of women who also are mothers and influential – and then allow them to educate the company and PR Firm about their consumers’ needs. As a nurse I can tell you that Ibuprofen really does make a difference. As a mom I can tell you exactly when and where it could be useful. But I can guarantee you that wearing my baby in a supportive carrier like ERGObaby is NOT one of those times.

I even blogged about this exact thing long ago: http://www.jetwithkids.com/blog/traveling-with-kids-ergobaby-carrier

Here’s a tip I think everyone behind the Motrin ad needs to hear…

Call your mom.

Obviously there is not enough of this interaction in your life.