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Apple Pie in the Face

Apple Pie AwardMothers & More is presenting its second Apple Pie in the Face Award to Euro RSCG Worldwide, a marketing communications agency, for its misguided and irresponsible "new categories of modern-day moms."

Why Should Mothers Be Infuriated?

Click here to read Euro RSCG Worldwide's press release that made them "worthy" of Mothers & More's Apple Pie in the Face Award: "The New Moms: As America Celebrates Mother's Day, Euro RSCG Worldwide Releases Findings on Five New Categories of Modern-Day Moms."

We try to teach our kids about stereotypes and why they are bad, but who is correcting the advertising industry when they invent and then try to sell negative stereotypes?

Euro RSCG's "study" on moms claims that they have discovered "five new categories" of mothers that can be marketed to. They are suggesting that perhaps their clients could sell more cars, candy, computers and a long list of other consumer goods if they tapped into these new categories.

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RESPONSES TO OUR ACTIONS

Click here to see some responses from Euro RSCG Clients, the media and other mothers’ organizations.

Read our letter to the company for the details:

Dear Euro RSCG Worldwide:

Congratulations! Your firm is the recipient of Mothers & More's Apple Pie in the Face Award, which calls attention to acts that divide mothers or trivialize the struggles mothers face in balancing caregiving with their other needs and responsibilities.

Mothers & More is... [letter continues]

Click here for full letter

LET EURO RSCG KNOW THAT YOU'RE FED UP WITH THE MANIPULATION OF MOTHERS THROUGH ADVERTISING AND THE MEDIA!

Here are some things you can do:

  • Send Euro RSCG Worldwide an e-mail. Cut and paste the sample below, or compose your own response.
  • Send a letter to Euro RSCG Worldwide's clients. Cut and paste the sample below, or compose your own response.
  • Help us "present" our Apple Pie in the Face Award to Euro RSCG by sending an apple pie to them.
  • Take our Apple Pie Survey to let us know you feel about Euro RSCG Worldwide's Worldwide's categories and what options you've picked to respond to their "findings." You can also see how others have responded! Click here to go to the survey. (Members Only)
  • Advertising Watch. Concerned about the way mothers are portrayed in the media? Take a look at Mothers & More's Moms Media Reality Check Guide (PDF Format) that was created for the 2004 Mother's Day Campaign. Find out the categories Mothers & More identified for the campaign and help us bust negative sterotypes by not playing into the hands of advertising that hurts or manipulates mothers. If you'd like to share an example of positive advertising or share a recent negative ad example you've seen with Mothers & More, e-mail publicrelations@mothersandmore.org to let us know!

Note to the Media

Click here to read Mothers & More's press release in response to Euro RSCG Worldwide's "new categories of moms."

Click here to go to the Press Room.

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Sample Email to Send to Euro RSCG:

Highlight the letter below and copy it to an e-mail to hilary.heard@eurorscg.com.

Dear Euro RSCG:

As a consumer, mother and primary decision-maker for my family's purchases, I was shocked to read Euro RSCG Worldwide's press release about your new categories of mothers.

Not only do I not resemble any of these categories, I do not know anyone that even comes close! I found all the categories negative and highly offensive. I am at a loss for understanding why your company feels it necessary to not only invent and tout these categories to your clients, but then to issue a press release about them like they are respectable scientific findings.

I, for one, will not respond to manipulative marketing that attempts to create insecurity about what I do for my family and pits mothers against each other. I hope your clients will have the foresight not to use such reprehensible categories as a basis for their marketing. And I hope Euro RSCG Worldwide will step back from this flawed analysis and see these "new categories" for what they really are - fiction.

Sincerely,

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Sample Email to Send to Euro RSCG Clients:

Highlight the letter below and copy it to an e-mail to the client of your choice:
Polaroid - colcors@polaroid.com
Nestle - laurie.macdonald@us.nestle.com
MCI - news-mci@mci.com
Volvo - rormishe@volvocars.com

 

I have been a faithful fan and customer of your products for as long as I can remember. I think your company enhances all our lives through your products.

Because I feel such a close connection with your company, I feel compelled to make you aware of the anti-mother actions of a company with which you are affiliated. Euro RSCG Worldwide lists your company as one of it's clients. It distributed a press release dated May 4, 2004 titled "The New Moms: As America Celebrates Mother's Day, Euro RSCG Worldwide Releases Five New Categories of Modern Day Moms." The press release goes on to describe these categories, each description riddled with outrageous negative stereotypes.

As a loyal customer, I implore you to ignore this company's offensive "findings" and strongly encourage you to re-examine your relationship with a communications company that not only has the arrogance to invent such fiction, but then the nerve to brag about it to the media, touting their clients as a method for gaining respectability for their actions. I, for one, will not respond to manipulative marketing that attempts to create insecurity about what I do for my family and pits mothers against each other. I hope your company will have the foresight not to try such reprehensible tactics.

Sincerely,

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Send your apple pies to:

Euro RSCG Worldwide - New York
350 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014

Here's an online option for sending a pie to the above address. Go to:
www.littlepiecompany.com.

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