Truworths’ Mother’s Day ad . Picture: Supplied
An irate Amanda Cooke said she “wouldn’t want my kid to give me undies!”
Robin Eckard imagined writing her mother a note saying “Mom‚ thank u for your hours of labour bringing me into this world‚ for loving and caring‚ raising my brother and I to becoming the adults we are today…” before adding: “Ps‚ what is your bra size?”
Nick Jackson‚ however‚ said he would support the retailer: “I’m going to buy my mom’s gift from Truworths this year just because of the silly over-reation to this post. She’s a model‚ they’re generally quite pretty people‚ and can be very good mothers too‚ just like non-models.”
Opinion was split in the comments made under a post on Truworths Fashions’ Facebook page featuring a model in underwear for its Mother’s Day promotion.
Angelique Steenkamp said “this is the most ridiculous add I have ever seen!!!!! I really feel that Truworths owe all moms an apology…if they can’t see what is wrong with this add then they need to fire their marketing personel”.
“It makes me feel guilty that I can’t look like this anymore for my husband because I sacrificed my body for my children‚” her rant continued. “It makes me feel guilty that I don’t have time to work harder on my body. It makes me feel guilty that I don’t feel or look sexy anymore.”
Natasha de Smidt took a swipe at what she seemed to suggest were jealous people: “Wow really people. Because you don’t look like the girl in the ad… Don’t judge”.
She pointed out the ads were targeting “dads”.
“If you believe that the kids actually pays for your mother’s day gift you might as well believe in the tooth fairy‚” De Smidt posted.
Pamela Turner took a similar tack: “Wow‚ why can’t mom’s be sexy? Do they stop being women the moment a kid pops out? How sad”.
Robin Levey took a more balanced view and noted that “unfortunately they have chosen that one pic to be displayed on the security beepers outside the shop even though the rest of the campaign is not so bad they should’ve chosen a more appropriate photo”.
“I think the point some ladies are making is not that you can’t be sexy as a mom it’s inappropriate because she is so young there’s nothing there that promotes the warmth and love a mommy has for her children‚”she wrote.
Malindy Khumalo saw some humour furore‚ saying “Lol maybe they should have said its for Valentines day maybe”‚ as did Christine Poole who described it simply as “A storm in a C cup”.
Truworths marketing executive Peter Shackleton told TMG Digital: “We have received both compliments and criticism for the campaign‚ and feel that all customers have a right to their own opinion on our campaigns.
“Our intention is never to offend anyone‚” he stressed‚ “but rather to present fashionable and aspirational product which is then supported by appropriate marketing to our customers.
“It is a reality that many of our lingerie and sleepwear items are given as gifts on Mother’s Day. We are firmly of the view that mothers should feel youthful and attractive if they wish to do so and our role is to provide them with the fashion‚ cosmetics and fragrances to support their intention to do so.”
Shackleton did concede the model “was selected for her glamorous appearance – rather than as a representation of all customers who are mothers” and said Truworths “will of course take into account the social media comments when we next run a similar campaign”.
Shackleton also addressed those who commented on the model’s age by noting “actually she is in her mid-twenties”.
The post Compliments and criticism for Truworths’ Mother’s Day campaign appeared first on HeraldLIVE.