Page 1 of Well done Woolies

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Well done Woolies

Ivan Dobsky (Elite) posted this on Friday, 1st February 2008, 23:19

Don`t know how many of you have seen this, but it made me chuckle:

From:http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080201/tuk-woolies-pulls-lolita-bed-after-prote-45dbed5.html

Quote:
Woolworths has landed itself in trouble over the suggestive naming of a bedroom set aimed at young girls.

The `Lolita` name has been withdrawn after an internet row erupted with mothers who objected to the branding.

Lolita is the title of the Vladimir Nabokov`s famous novel, about a middle-aged man who became sexually obsessed with his 12-year-old step-daughter.

But staff at Woolworths were not aware of the connection.

"What seems to have happened is the staff who run the website had never heard of Lolita," said a Woolworths spokesman..

"To be honest, no one else here had either - we had to look it up on Wikipedia."


The bed set, which included a pull-out desk and cupboard, was intended for girls aged six years old, and sold for £395.

The campaign was sparked after a mother noticed the product on Woolworths`s website and posted a message on the raisingkids.co.uk website.

"Am I being particularly sensitive, or does anyone else out there think it`s bad taste for Woolies to have a kiddy bed range named `Lolita`?" she asked



The bit that gets me is the line (in the middle there) "To be honest, no one else here had [heard of Lolita] either"!
Really?
Nobody in the Woolworths head office (even in just the bit that would have named the range, sorted out the POS, etc.) was aware of the connotations of using that name?

RE: Well done Woolies

UNNR (Elite) posted this on Friday, 1st February 2008, 23:33

Saw a bit about it on the news tonight. It beggars belief that no one involved in Woolies realised the implications of calling kids bedroom furniture the Lolita range. >:(

Sp00ky

RE: Well done Woolies

Sue Davies (Elite) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 10:59

well it was a film from the 1950s and a set text in GCSE no doubt-its unlikely that the average person does know about it unless they are a) into films b) educated and that counts out most of Woolworths.

However someone mentioned it is a popular girls name in Spain,probably Mexico so there wsa unlikely to be any evil intent. Just a genuine mistake and unlikely that anyone buying it would have seen a problem either.

RE: Well done Woolies

Jitendar Canth (Reviewer) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 12:12

And adult sensibilities are protected once more. Let`s hear it for common sense prevailing. :p

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RE: Well done Woolies

Pete-MK (Elite Donator) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 13:41

Quote:
And adult sensibilities are protected once more. Let`s hear it for common sense prevailing

Yes, heaven forbid we, as parents, should have to even gaze upon a simple word, and feel morally obligated to explain the seedy undertones thrust on the name to our as-yet-oblivious children..

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RE: Well done Woolies

Mikeonfreeserve (Elite) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 14:14

Oh well, ........s`pose that`s curtains for the My Little Pony Codpiece too :/

RE: Well done Woolies

Sue Brown (Elite Donator) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 14:16

I have to say thatif I`d had a daughter, there`s no way I`d buy her anything in a "Lolita" range! :o

But then, I wouldn`t let her buy Playboy clothes, jewellery and accessories, either!!! And that seems to be one of the biggest selling ranges for 10 year olds these days... :/ (And probably younger, for all I know)

RE: Well done Woolies

Pete-MK (Elite Donator) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 14:34

A very good point indeed, Sue. If parents are up in arms about a name that supposedly sexualises children, what the hell are they doing letting their kids wear clothing with a name synonimous with overt sexuality (normally spread over the buttock area, drawing attention to that part of their body)?

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RE: Well done Woolies

mistah-wedding-deejay (Competent) posted this on Saturday, 2nd February 2008, 23:40

ikea for pedos m8 imo too right they were taken off off the shelves

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