MOTHER'S DEFAMING AD in AUTOMOTIVE CONSUMER MAGS

[soapy]

Mother's car wax sucks

In the June 2009 Car and Driver magazine Mother's waxes has a full page add calling drive through rollover carwashes the purest form of evil. Goes on to say that the devil put in some serious overtime inventing these. It is a complete ad dissing our industry. I don't know why anyone in our industry would ever use or recommend this product again.

 

[Renato]

I never liked and will never do! I prefer above everything else 3m products, expensive than other yes, but even better than other
. Besides if this company has the nerve to talk about rollover car washes like this, will not make any sense to buy or recommend their products.
saludos
Renato
from Mexico

 

[bcwang]

Hopefully that was just a sarcastic statement.

Mothers does make some pretty good OTC products, it's one of the better brands you'll generally find in the car care section of your local store.

 

[DavidM]

Mother's may make good products but having seen the ad, I agree with Soapy, the company sucks.

 

[DavidM]

Here is the full text of the ad:

Modern Convenience? or Gateway to Hell?
The drive-thru car wash.
On the surface it certainly seems alluring. Inexpensive. Time saving.
Mess free. But be warned, friends.
Inside, evil in its purest form awaits. Cycles 1
through 666. Recycled minivan runoff.
A gloppy coat of God know what.
And those massive scrubber
things? Yeah, we're sure those are made
of 100% pure cotton. The devil sure put
some serious overtime in on this one.
Curse the darkness.

Cars deserve better. Mothers.com

 

[Waxman]

The company sounds desperate with an ad like this.

I have used and loved Mothers for years. I am conflicted!

 

[bcwang]

What exactly were they advertising with that? I can't really tell.

 

[soapy]

I heard today that the ICA and some of the regionals are getting involved in this disparaging ad. I think they will be writing to Mothers about this ad.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Go to the local food store and get July issue of Street rodder mag. look at ad on page 26, Mother's does look like they are a friend of car washs(very old wash in photo)

 

[buda]

By now many of you automatic car wash operators may have heard about the current advertisment that Mothers, manufacturers of "high-end" consumer car care products like polishes and waxes, etc. has been running in magainzes like Car & Driver and others.

If you have not, you need to find the May issue and read the ad, it is full of defaming and misleading statements about automatic carwashes to the point of calling automatic car washes, "evil."

The International Carwash Association is drafting a letter to Mothers, along with other regional associations.

In my 40 years in the business this is one of the worst attacks against our industry that I have seen.

What is worse they show a photo of an old European roller over carwash system using plastic brushes.

Would suggest that every automatic carwash ower, especially those of you in the conveyor business write a letter or email to Mother's condemning the advertisment and asking them to cancel the advertisement immediately and to run a retraction letter/ad.

Here are some names, addresses, phone numbers and emails you can use:

Mr Dennis Holloway
CEO
Mothers Products
5456 Industrial Drive
Huntington Beach, California92649-1519
714 891 3364

Mr Ken Holland
Director of Marketing

J Dvorak
Director of Public Relations
Jdvorak@mothers.com

If the industry as a whole floods the company with emails and letters I am sure it will get their attention. This is something that should not be allowed to go unnoticed.

Regards
BudAbraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS

 

[Waxman]

Thank you Bud for being proactive.

I emailed to the address you gave. I agree with you.

Everyone needs to jump on this as well if we are to create the change that is just here.

 

[buda]

Mothers Defaming Advertisement

Waxman, thanks for your post and kind words. However, it was Jack Barrett on another forum who brought this to the industry's attention and I have just followed along like you to insure that Mother's is aware of the our dissatisfaction with this defaming ad.

The ICA, WCA and IDA has, I know, all sent letters to Mother's about the advertisment.

Would suggest you write a letter directly to the CEO, Mr Dennis Holloway where it will get, or should get, much more attention.

Regards
Bud Abraham

 

[Waxman]

Okay . I will do that tomorrow as you suggest. Thanks!

 

[Red Baron]

Dunno, a lot of comments from their competitors might just tell them that they've hit their target. If the ads are misleading and defamatory, everyone kick in $100 and sue them. That will get their attention faster than anything.

 

[soapy]

Actually this forum had been talking about this 10 days before it was raised on another forum. This is the place for cutting edge.

 

[rph9168]

Response to Complaint

Here is the response to an e-mail I sent to Mother's

We regret that some members of the professional car washing community have taken offense to our advertisement. It was created as a part of a humorous, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek ad campaign. We promote products for people who prefer to manage their car care at home and did not intend to upset those in the professional car wash industry. We apologize to those who misinterpreted our intent.


Sincerely,

Shane Christman


PRETTY WEAK I'D SAY.

 

[jprb]

This is NOT an appology or a retraction!

PC&D contacted Mothers, which issued this response: “We regret that some members of the professional carwashing community have taken offense to our advertisement. It was created as a part of a humorous, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek ad campaign. We promote products for people who prefer to manage their car care at home and did not intend to upset those in the professional carwash industry. We apologize to those who misinterpreted our intent.”

 

[Waxman]

I got the same response.

 

[bigleo48]

I have addressed the "humorous, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek ad campaign" in my letter as unacceptable and requested a retraction/apology. I have also pulled all my mother's stuff and will no longer buy or suggest their products.

I have also copied the Canadian Car Wash Association's president.

BigLeo

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Hit them where it counts.
DO NOT ORDER ANY MOTHERS PRODUCTS FOR USE OR RESALE.
I placed my hugh chemical order from KR with all the products for my vending machines and decided for the first time not to order any Mothers products.
It's just a very small protest on my part but if all the car washes and detail shops around the country boycotted Mothers just maybe they would get the message.