Motrin Hurts So Good

Okay, so a Motrin ad made moms mad. (beat) Awesome. That should make Motrin's day, right? Any brand that can elicit a heartfelt response from consumers is a success in my book. Because, after all, this online thing, this interactive thing, it's a conversation, not a monologue. So...serve, and volley. Motrin's turn. And it better be good.

Motrin should and may already be doing some creative thinking and communicating with moms to make the pain go away and to make their brand more relevant than ever. If not, here are some idea starters:

1. Build the Motrin Mom's Advisory Board – a group of mom opinion leaders, including some from Motrin's own mom ranks...maybe doctors, scientists (non-marketers) to capture and act on what moms are thinking and feeling when it comes to pain management.

2. Own the idea of "mommy ergonomics". Post a guide for how to properly fit a sling, how to choose a stroller that best fits you, how to carry your baby without hurting your body in the process. Show moms how to avoid pain before Motrin becomes necessary.

3. Co-brand with a baby sling manufacturer and send out free, and branded, baby slings to all the offended twittermoms, with an invitation to join the Motrin Mom's Forum.

4. In hindsight: when the site was pulled down, there should have been a page simply saying: Ouch! We heard you, mom. We're working to make you feel better soon. (At the very least, it could have reverted to the site without the offending ad.)

I'm looking forward to seeing how this all plays out. If Motrin does the right thing (for moms and for their brand), this could be the best thing that's happened to them all year. Don't just say you're sorry. The door is open. Start the conversation. Thousands of moms now known by Motrin are asking for it. That's headache any brand would welcome.