However, Working Mother Magazine is not a 501c3 looking for funding, it’s a profit making business dependent on advertising. Period. To unveil this list year after year after year as if Working Mother Magazine is providing is solely as a community service when in fact their own pockets are being heavily lined by advertising dollars from those on the list just smells bad. Some of the companies on this list aren’t so stellar when upon closer examination. They aren’t holding up under the glass. Frankly, this stinks too.
The magazine should address issues regarding how companies get on the list, survey employees of these companies and disclose the warts in the history of these companies. Why is it not disclosed the list includes companies sued for big money in multi-million sex discrimination cases…AND LOST their cases? Not settled em, lost em!
Mothers are women too! If a company discriminates against women, then how can that same company then be included on a list for being *best* for mothers? Of course people make mistakes, and even big businesses deserve a do-0ver, but don’t sell us something that stinks like poo and tell us it’s all rosy.
Hey! How about something like this for next year, Working Mother Magazine presents a list of companies without any connection to advertising; no money changing hands from the honorees back to the magazine? How about if companies on that list make a charitable donation, in honor of the magazine, directly to non-profit programs supporting families?
We believe that kind of list would smell much better. What do you think?
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It would certainly lend more credibility to the magazine–and the companies.
Frankly, even as a “working” mother I don’t find those magazines appealing. I don’t ever feel like they speak to the issues I face as a working out of the house mom.
Great post.
This one is always on my mind. And excellent picture, too!
This isn’t icky to me at all. It’s actually very, very common. These contests are everywhere in the magazine industry. All the tech and biz pubs have them, especially the niche tech pubs that focus on particular industries or particular business challenges (risk, customer intelligence, etc).
From my experience, advertisers do not receive special treatment. Instead, what happens is that winners are notified of their place on the list, and then they choose to place an add in that same magazine. It makes sense from the perspective of the winner. If you’re going to be mentioned in the magazine & you want to make sure readers understand your product after they’ve noticed your company name, buying an ad is a smart strategy.
Alison,
We do not disagree with you. It makes sense for the companies to advertise in the magazine. This is much like them sponsoring the list year after year. We just believe while those, such as yourself, who are in The Industry and familiar with how these awards and recognitions work, many of the readers outside of The Industry are unaware of what is commonplace and thus equate the Working Mother’s list the same way they would equate a product review from Consumer Report. Independently surveyed, etc. (Not that CR hasn’t had difficulties, lord knows they have, so not saying they are without sin!) We get what you are saying, but think Working Mother and the companies on the list owe it to everyone to just fully disclose their selection practice. Doing so, in our opinion, would make it a win/win.
Keep commenting! It’s a good conversation to have and you brought up excellent points!
I didn’t know about any of this but had wondered how these lists came together. Thanks for posting this!
Thanks for the links. I’ll be writing more about this year’s list on my blog. Wading through the hundreds of press releases as we speak …
I think you’ve got a fantastic idea! I’ve always thought even regular charity events are a major hypocrisy. Honestly, spending tens of thousands of dollars on the glitz and glamour of an event to raise money for charity? Wouldn’t it make more sense to forgo the glitz and glamour and just give it all to the needy? The trouble is, people want to get something for their money. Charity (the kind that gives simply for the karma of having helped someone less fortunate) doesn’t seem to exist any more. It’s certainly not in the media and most definitely not in business.
Fantastic idea!
Two months ago the same magazine came out with an article on the 50 best law firms for women. They basically just listed the 50 largest law firms in the country. Are those the best for women? Maybe a few. But my only thought was “Seriously? SERIOUSLY????”
I really like your idea of the no-ad list. And I think there should be some kind of employee-verification check (also known as a reality check) so the companies’ PR people don’t make stuff up.
Susan at Working Moms Against Guilt
Wow! I had no idea, and this coming from somebody who writes for magazines (though not WM) and probably should have been a little more jaded!