Views on latest Oh Baby e-mail
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=39049
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Topic: Views on latest Oh Baby e-mail
Posted By: Nothing
Subject: Views on latest Oh Baby e-mail
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 12:16pm
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Okay so the latest e-mail from Oh Baby can be seen http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/admin/newsletter/v.aspx?n=374 - here just so you know what im talking about.
This is NOT about the immunisation debate as to wether you do or dont. I just want to know your view on wether you think its appropriate that Oh Baby has gone from being an impartial magazine to telling us parents what to do with our childrens lives. Im guessing that the MOH has paid them a bundle to send it out, but that doesnt excuse the fact that they are presenting a one sided story. I feel that its not appropriate, however if they had had a more balanced view then I might not be posting this. Please dont get into the vaccination debate, this is not the thread for it! Edit: And yes I have e-mailed Oh Baby to say my view. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: kirstyren
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 12:30pm
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I'm definitely not a fan of this email. I think parents need to be given balanced information so they can make informed decisions around the health of their children.
I think some of the information in the email was incorrect too ("most children can be immunised even if they have a mild illness like a cough or cold"). I was always told not to vax when my child is unwell. And another thing, weren't most of the kids who got whooping cough and measles vaccinated anyway? I don't think OhBaby should be telling parents what to do just because they get paid by an advertiser to do so. They are allowed to say no to advertisers if they want to. I don't think money should be more important than giving parents balanced, well researched information. |
Posted By: GuestGuest
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 12:39pm
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I agree, the email uses a lot of emotive language and tactics to try to drive home the point that immunisation is the only way to go.
eg: As parents, we go the extra mile to protect our children, right? Asking a rhetorical question to hook you into believing that whatever they are about to say you NEED to do. Getting your child immunised on time is something you can do to help protect them from diseases that can make them extremely sick. As if not doing it means that you child will get EXTREMELY sick. It's bordering on scaremongering. Totally biased and not the right thing to do at all in my opinion. |
Posted By: Kicker
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 12:48pm
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I actually didnt find the email offensive. They say that immunisation is something you can do to protect them, which is a true statement.
They never said that if your child is immunised that they wont get the disease. They also put a disclaimer in after the part about if your child is unwell, to see your health professional. They never said that you must immunise your child and you are a bad parent if you dont. I guess my take on it is that was national immunisation week therefore they gave information (which i thought was quite impartial) about immunisation. They also gave links for more information. I think that you could compare it to breastfeeding ads - do they go on to say about formula feeding?? -------------  
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Posted By: JadeC
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 12:49pm
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I have absolutley no problem with the email.
Whether or not you choose to follow the MOH suggestions regarding vaccinations, this presents people with the govt policy. There is a HUGE difference, IMO, between making the decision to vaccinate or not based on risk etc, vs not knowing about the percieved value of vaccinations. Oh Baby is just another source of NZ media to get the message out to as many families as possible. I don't see that receiving the MOH policy on vaccines from Oh Baby as them telling me how to parent my child. ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: crafty1
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 1:01pm
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Nope didn't have a problem with the email, didn't feel it was pushing the point but rather stating the facts that 1. immunisation can help protect your kids from diseases that can make them sick.
2. By having a high immunisation rate disease outbreaks are less common. It's up to you whether you choose to do it or not but i think the email wasn't too pushy. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: Kazper
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 1:51pm
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I don't think its inappropriate. I have seen plenty of advertising to immunise in other family mags.
------------- http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/545141" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: LouD
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 2:22pm
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I have no problem with that.......if i didnt want to immunise and had done my own research to support my decision (as I did so for my choice to immunise hence why starting late with immunisations) a simple straight forward letter wouldnt be offensive. But then again if the same letter told parents NOT to immunise with its reasons then I would probably find that upsetting.......
I suppose those who dont immunise might find it inappropriate, and those who do immunise will probably find it appropriate |
Posted By: Febgirl
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 2:25pm
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Isn't it National Immunisation Week?
I think OB is taking the responsible approach to highlight the frankly rather appalling non-immunisation rates that we currently have in New Zealand. ------------- Two little girls under 2! 
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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 2:47pm
Couldn't have said it better myself  -------------  
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Kicker wrote:Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 2:49pm
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I don't have a problem with it either. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 3:01pm
| It doesn't bother me, its just informing people, much like breastfeeding etc |
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 3:04pm
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It didn't bother me either ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 3:38pm
| Seems the same as all the pamphlets posters etc you see in every plunket and drs office. Just coming at you from a new angle. Some of the wording was a bit out (so i can see why it might upset people) but perhaps more due to poor phrasing then real intent. |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 4:57pm
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The MOH must have paid them because I went to a Parent's forum about 1.5 months ago on this exact topic and that was what they read to us. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 5:30pm
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Meh, it's just advertising. If you don't like it, just push delete. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: stefany3
Date Posted: 06 May 2011 at 10:06pm
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It DID bother me that OB sent it out. And I did push delete. Maybe OB could have edited the text they were supplied to make it not so emotive.(I assume MOH supplied it).
But as for the MOH - They are a bunch of scaremongers, and it could make some parents feel like a bad parent if they had put off, or not vaccinated their kids. ------------- 
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Posted By: MrsJMcD
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 12:17am
| Publications take editorial positions to support (or not support) particular issues or causes all the time, that's their perogative. I personally don't find the info offensive but if objectivity is a concern then I guess what is missing is that the piece isn't labelled as either opinion or an advertisment. |
Posted By: Kimnthekids
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 8:00am
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I personally didn't have a problem with it, but as soon as it was sent through and i realised what it was about, in my head i started thinking "uhoh....here's trouble"
It would be the same if they sent out a pro breastfeeding email, pro cloth nappy email etc etc.. it just leads to areas of debate and questions as people fight for what they believe in. But then i skimmed, clicked delete and it was completely out of my head, till reading this post. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 8:41am
Absolutely!! ------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D |
Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 9:01am
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I've always admired that OB has presented a balanced view but this isn't balanced. I suspect if they didn't present a pro-immunisation stance they risk losing valuable advertising dollars. It's a shame they didn't just send out an advert and make it clear that it was a MOH advert. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: nathansmummy
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 10:38pm
| I don't have an issue with it at all and think it's absolutely fine. I'm wondering if the people who are offended are perhaps those that disagree with immunising? |
Posted By: linda
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 11:56pm
No issue. Shame on MOH for being scaremongers. Heaven forbid they might be right about anything health related. Must remember to not take there advice. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Alex 6 and Harry 8 |
Posted By: bumblebee
Date Posted: 08 May 2011 at 2:23am
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I dont have a problem with it at all ------------- [URL=http://lilyslim.com][IMG]http://swlm.lilyslim.com/xSCep12.png][/URL] [URL=http://lilypie.com][IMG]http://lb1m.lilypie.com/yjadp12.png][/URL] |