Woolworths pulls advert after backlash

RETAIL giant Woolworths has pulled its Valentine’s Day advert after a social-media backlash over gender stereotyping.

This was despite some finding humour in the posters, which featured messages – one from a man’s perspective and another from a woman’s – before going on a date.

The accounts detailed things that drive a couple mad about each other, before finishing with the line “love always wins”.

Woolworths said its intention was “a light-hearted reference to clichéd idiosyncrasies within so many relationships, rather than any gender stereotyping”.

“This is not how the campaign has landed with everyone, and because our last intention would ever be to cause offence, we apologise and are taking down the campaign messaging.”

One social-media user said she saw nothing wrong with the campaign: “People are apparently outraged at Woolworths’ Valentine’s Day campaign. Seriously? What happened to light-hearted fun? Mocking ourselves for silly stereotypes? Some people need to be bubble-wrapped and shipped to a deserted island where all that can offend them is a coconut.”

Another said she felt the had missed the mark.

“My sense was that they were trying something, humour or sarcasm, and just didn’t get it right. I can see where they’re trying to go, I think. The ads could have been funny if they didn’t just drag out old, overdone stereotypes. If they’d been more loving.”

Woolworths recently had to pull baby carriers after Ubuntu Baba baby carrier creator Shannon McLaughlin accused the retailer of stealing her design, noting stark similarities.

The retailer has since met McLaughlin and apologised before announcing that it would be removing the remaining carriers from its stores and donating them to needy mothers.

The retailer and McLaughlin are in discussions on possible compensation.

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