A letter from Motrin to the public:
Nov 20th
So…it’s been almost 4 days since I apologized here for our Motrin advertising. What an unbelievable 4 days it’s been. Believe me when I say we’ve been taking our own headache medicine here lately!
Btw - if you’re confused by this - we removed our Motrin ad campaign from the marketplace on Sunday because we realized through your feedback that we had missed the mark and insulted many moms. We didn’t mean to…but we did. We’ve been able to get most of the ads out of circulation, but those in magazines will, unfortunately, be out there for a while.
We are listening to you, and we know that’s the best place to start as we move ahead. More to come on that.
In the end, we have been reminded of age-old lessons that are tried and true:
When you make a mistake - own up to it, and say you’re sorry.
Learn from that mistake.
That’s all… for now.
Sincerely,
Kathy Widmer
VP Marketing
McNeil Consumer Healthcare
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What if this Motrin thing was just a huge PR stunt? For years we have said over and over that all press is good press. Increasing brand awareness and name recognition are the initial goal of every marketing campaign and in this case it is safe to assume that Motrin is now on our minds. At the end of this little eruption we will all remember to think of Motrin when we need to get rid of a headache. Lets look at the facts.
The Motrin Mom ads released online were not too expensive to produce and up until the Twitter blow up, had only been viewed a little over 8,000 times. Those numbers are barely a ripple in the pond compared to even the most unsuccessful campaigns. This says a lot about what Motrin’s plan really could have been when launching these ads. Were they really trying to reach out to moms stressing themselves out by wearing babies as fashion accessories? Or were they simply trying to create a buzz so they could win back consumer consideration?
We should also note that Motrin has also been running print ads in 18-34 demo mags such as Nylon, and has also been hitting trendy neighborhoods in NYC with similar outdoor creative. The online mom ad is obviously an extension of that campaign. So how could this be a stunt?
In the new an exciting world of cyberspace, marketing is a whole new beast. Some brands get lucky by creating a good viral piece that is passed around by co-workers and friends. Usually those pieces are restricted to YouTube and other similar sites. In addition to video sites there is a whole world out there made of social networks, blogging communities, chat rooms, and media rooms. In the case of the Motrin Mom ad this is where all the attention came from. One post on Twitter targeting a small specific group of vocal people, created a huge reaction which caused Motrin to take a giant step and not only just issue an apology, but they pulled the whole campaign. That, in turn, was a story picked up by CNN, The New York Times, Ad Age and more. Once those media outlets put the story into print, BAM! Millions of eyes on Motrin at no extra cost. All from a single post on an online social forum. Genius. If this was the initial design, kudos to the agency for demonstrating a job well done in this new digital marketplace. If not, well you are welcome for the idea on how to do it again.
It warms our hearts when companies encourage community service and ambition in young children. Kraft Foods is doing just that by holding a contest to promote their new “Cheddar Explosion”-flavored macaroni and cheese. The contestant (ages 9-12) who sends in the best essay about his or her positive impact on the community will win the grand prize: a chance to…blow sh*t up, as one might say.
