Motrin Moms: Social Media Hysteria : Moms Talk Network

Motrin Moms: Social Media Hysteria

November 16, 2008 by Kelly

I must be the hardest to offend mom on earth because I just can’t find the big hairy deal with this commercial.

When I read the first few comments about the ‘anti-baby wearing’ commercial being run by Motrin I clicked through ready to be sufficiently outraged – only to discover that there was nothing at all there to get riled up about.

A lot of the things said with an obvious tongue in cheek tone is expressing the true perspective of a lot of moms I know.

Some moms do feel back pain when wearing a baby sling – and sure, maybe they did wear it wrong but come on – give them a break.

Some moms who don’t embrace baby wearing and other attached mama habits do feel like they’ve been denied the ‘official mom’ label by those who do. And you know it’s true!

Some moms do feel tired and crazy a lot of the time. Goodness, it woudn’t be at all hard to create a quick blog and twitter tour to prove that.

Why – if all this is so obvious – have so many gotten all up in arms about the commercial saying so?

In my opinion, the text of the commercial seems to been taken purposefully out of context and amplified unfairly. Motrin hasn’t attacked baby wearing in any way.

Poor Motrin… victim of social media hysteria.

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About this Author

Kelly McCausey is a blogger, podcaster, WAHM business coach and proud owner of the Mom's Talk Network family of websites.

Comments

Angie

Oh the drama about this ad. I agree with you, I just don't see the issue. AND I had the same thoughts as Patty as far as some doing it for their own personal benefit. This got out of hand, time to let it go really.

littlebytes

I have to agree as well. I am glad to see there are other moms who are not so easily offended by a simple ad. Give me a break, it's just an ad, it's not saying all moms are crazy or wear carriers to be trend setters...they are showing some compassion in stating they feel your pain. As moms, the late nights, the carrying, the lifting, the fatigue can especially get to you in the first few months. I know I used a baby carrier with both my sons when I could and when they would refuse to calm down on their own for a nap, so that I could have my hands free. Both enjoyed it or learned to relax and sleep in the carrier, but overall neither enjoyed it for very long or lengthy periods. And yes you can get back pain when carrying and lifting a baby all day, especially one that is at least 7-8lbs both of mine were close to 9lbs so I did not choose baby carrying/wearing for long periods. My husband would carry them in a hiking backpack for hikes, they seemed to enjoy this much more as they got older. Either way, I don't think Motrin was trying to offend anyone nor did they offend me. I am also inclined to believe some moms might be using this attack on a company for their own personal benefit by exploiting a company for their own commercial gain??

Jill C.

THANK YOU! I thought I was the only one just "not getting" the hysteria. I do not think the ad is condescending at all and have watched it several times to see what I am missing. I just don't get what others are apparently seeing. Maybe not the best ad they have come up with, but to me does not show it demeaning women....if only we can use these energies for more beneficial purposes than try and prove the "power of mom" we can really help so many others who really need it!

Tammy Munson

Ya know when all this reared its ugly head on Twitter ... I couldn't understand what everyone was so up in arms about. Initially I thought, I must be misssing something here. I mean I haven't thought of babywearing (back then it was called carrying your baby) in at least 7 years. I didn't think it was offensive to moms that do currently do. I don't know .. Am I a bit out of touch since it has been so long?

The thing that struck a chord with me was the "official mom" label! I do see some babywearing moms look down on non-babywearing moms for not wearing their child. Maybe they can't, maybe they "bond" in other ways, maybe the child can't be put in a sling,etc for medical reasons, maybe they don't want to.. the list can go on and on. As a society, we are so quick to judge others based on first impressions and whether they agree with what we do.

This "discussion" is just like the sahm vs wahm vs wohm discussion we've been having for years. It's a PERSONAL choice that each mom makes and ALL of us need to respect that choice. We are all moms and we all have a hard job being Moms... why do we have to make it more difficult???

OK I went off on a bit of a tangent... but you get my point! :)

LaTara - The Unplugged Mom

Kelly,

I am with you. I am still saying "HUH"!

casual friday everyday

It was very condensing towards Mom's who wear their babies. The tone in the voice, the words they chose ... it was all offensive to me and it takes a good bit to offend me as well.

Jennifer Knox

Kelly,

I agree...I'm trying (pretty hard, actually) to figure out what the big deal is. I think hysteria is the right word....I wrote about it on my site and basically asked my readers who are upset about the Motrin ad to consider that their good fortune of having a positive babywearing experience does not mean all of us were as successful. This "mom against mom" thing is getting pretty old....ughh....it's an ad for a pain reliever, so if you are in pain you are their target market...if you are lucky not to be, then sorry...you really aren't.

Oh the drama.....

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Motrin Moms: Social Media Hysteria

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