The Motrin Story: When Marketing Goes Horribly Wrong

In case you hadn't already heard, this week Motrin (the pain medication) released a new commercial. Days later they had already pulled it and issued a public apology.

Before we go into too much detail, let's start by watching the video in question, and then we'll try to figure out what all the fuss is about:

After the release of the commercial, the online buzz started. "Mommy bloggers" the internet over were incensed with the ad, and demanded a public apology. Twitter was, as they say atwitter, with requests for boycotts and plenty of other commentary on the matter. One letter, from the President of Babywearing International Inc (a non-profit promoting the benefits of wearing your baby) reads: 

We are deeply troubled by this campaign for the following reasons:

- It disparages babywearing mothers by portraying them as victims of a painful fashion trend;

- It falsely states that baby carriers "put a ton of strain" on the wearer's back, neck, and shoulders;

- It falsely implies that mothers who wear their babies "cry more" than those who don't;

- It portrays the research-proven benefits of babywearing as rumor or speculation subject to doubt;

- It disparagingly implies that babywearing mothers look "tired and crazy;" and

- It was timed to run during International Babywearing Week, November 12-18, 2008, when nonprofit babywearing groups all over the world are celebrating babywearing, and thousands of volunteers are working to publicize the benefits of babywearing and to encourage the practice of babywearing.

Just as we are working to create community support for this beneficial practice so that no parent will ever again be harassed or ridiculed for babywearing, McNeil is perpetuating an image of babywearing parents as silly people who make irrational choices to be in fashion. Your "mom-alogue" could hardly be more ill-timed, off-base, or damaging to babywearing parents or to parents who have yet to reap the benefits of babywearing.

That should help clear up why moms responded so passionately, but the real question is, "What was Motrin thinking?" 

Maybe it's the fact that I'm a dad who occasionally finds himself wearing just such a carrier, or maybe it's just the marketer in me, but I have to side with the baby wearers on this one. If Motrin had meant to target moms with their ad, then they had to have known it would be a dismal failure. The ad drips with sarcasm and flippancy, and offers very little in the way of empathy for moms at all.

A common response to the mommy blogger backlash has been to dismiss their response as hyper-sensitive, and I'm sure there are bloggers out there that fit that stereotype. But here's a newsflash: every parent I've met is sensitive in one way or another about their child-rearing practices, so a room full of ad agency-types should have known they should tread lightly around such a touchy subject. 

There's been plenty of discussion about it here in the office as well. James has already published his thoughts on the Adhack blog, linking to spoof vids that have already found their way to the web. Since he has already said what i intended to, I'll just reference him:

Perhaps Motrin will commission their next ad from their customers. They’ve proven able to create compelling ads. They’ve proven passionate about the products. They’ve proven they can connect and direct attention.

So, instead of guessing what they want, why not work with them and let them say what they want?

Now that sounds like it provides some pain relief.

Well said. I would go even further and say that since Motrin's brand has suffered such a huge blow, that they have no choice but to reconnect with that most influential demographic as quickly as possible, and only a sincere effort to listen will heal the wounds. 

Marketers, remember first and foremost that your customers now have a voice too, and you should never speak about them as if they're not listening. Instead, engage them at every opportunity and adapt to their feedback. Not just in a reactive way just when things go bad, but all the time. Their stories are more powerful than the ones written by your agency anyhow. 

Oh and Motrin...If you're listening, we'd be happy to provide the software platform that lets you bring these stories to light, and even lets the public or a panel of judges tell you which ones are the best ;)