WATCH: After its recent back-to-school campaign ignited the internet with criticism, Mic Mac Mall says it has pulled the ads and apologized. Brett Ruskin looks at why they caused such a stir.
HALIFAX – A Halifax mall says it never meant to offend anyone with a series of back-to-school ads that are being denounced by some as being sexist.
The Mic Mac Mall apologized Thursday as it pulled the ads that drew a strong reaction on social media and grabbed the attention of the popular U-S website BuzzFeed.
Rebecca Logan, the mall’s marketing director, says the shopping centre is listening to its customers by pulling the ads.
The ad campaign ran for a week on radio, television, billboards and online.
It featured illustrations of young girls with lines like – quote – “My favourite class? Shop!” and “Mixing patterns – now that’s a science!”
The campaign generated a fierce response from people who said it reinforced gender stereotypes of young women only interested in shopping and not education.
Logan says the mall plans on donating five-thousand dollars to a local organization that focuses on empowering girls.
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