Abortion Advocates Fume Over Dry Cleaner's Pro-Life Coat Hangers: 'Worst Marketing Decision Ever

A pro-choice blogger is calling a dry cleaner out for the business' pro-life messaging. Why, you ask? Because the anti-abortion advertising is being placed on wire coat-hangers. The blogger, Robin Marty, posted her thoughts on the RH Reality Check web site, an outlet devoted to upholding abortion rights, calling the action the "worst marketing decision ever."

The decision by Springdale Drycleaners in Cincinnati, Ohio, to place the words "Choose Life" on the coat hangers is apparently nothing new. Marty describes the ad campaign in detail:

Springdale Drycleaners of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been etching "Choose Life"ads on wire coat hangers used to hang dry-cleaning.

What's worse is that this seems to be an ongoing effort. Reports of the "choose life" coat hangers already were on the internet back in March of 2011, when Joe.My.God posted a picture of the hanger then. And before that on Regretsy in 2010. So despite over two years of attention, the business continues to think this is an excellent cross-advertising campaign. In fact, the practice was losing them customers as far back as August of 2010, but still the dry-cleaner continues to use hangers as a place to offer inappropriate propaganda.

As NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin said on Facebook, it's a reminder of why we will never let them make us go back.

Photo Credit: LifeHacksImmediately (YouTube)/imgur

Obviously, some find the choice of venue for the advertising problematic, considering that self-induced abortions have purportedly been undertaken, particularly when the practice was not legal in the United States, using wire hangers. Despite the furor, Springdale Cleaners is sticking by its decision.

"I think it’s the perfect place to advertise a pro-life message," owner Paul Dehler said in an interview with The Huffington Post.

Despite defending the action, he noted that he has no vested interest in the abortion debate -- and that he placed the ads for his sister, who is a pro-life advocate. Dehler began publishing the ads six years ago when his granddaughter was a baby. While some customers dislike the hangers, that hasn't swayed the owner's actions.

A Yelp review from a customer who is less-than-content with the hanger design

"Some customers have said they don’t like the hangers, and in some cases I’ve lost their business," Dehler admitted. "But I’d like to think that I’ve gained more customers with these hangers than I’ve lost."

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section, below.

--

(H/T: Huffington Post)