Mothers, a manufacturer of aftermarket, do-it-yourself car care products, has angered high-ranking officials in the carwash industry with a print advertisement that implies automatic carwashes are made by the devil. The ad asks whether drive-through carwashes are a “modern convenience” or a “gateway to hell” and includes a picture of outdated equipment.
The ad copy also takes shots at carwash use of reclaimed water and chemicals, which it describes as a “gloppy coat of God knows what.” “Be warned, friends,” the copy says. “Inside, evil in its purest form awaits.”
“We are calling on Mothers to issue an apology to the professional car care industry and a correction to this ad through the same publications where it was placed,” said Eric Wulf, executive director of the International Carwash Association. “This ad is insulting and, more importantly, without merit.”
Calling the ad a “cheap shot,” Wulf said the company “should apologize to their customers and our industry — and correctly explain in new ads the benefits and safety of professional car care.”
Mothers makes car polishes, waxes and cleaners, including an at-home carwash solution. The company released a statement via e-mail explaining that the ad was meant to be humorous.
“We regret that some members of the professional car washing community have taken offense to our advertisement. It was created as a part of a humorous, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek ad campaign,” Mothers officials said. “We promote products for people who prefer to manage their car care at home and did not intend to upset those in the professional car wash industry. We apologize to those who misinterpreted our intent.”
In its online detailing guide, the company also criticizes automatic carwash equipment and the use of reclaimed water. “While filters can catch small particulates, they can’t filter out the dissolved salt from winter use, or all those hoards of other nasty chemicals,” reads a portion of copy in a section of Frequently Asked Questions.
“The current Mother’s advertisement running in several consumer automotive publications contains some of the most defaming and fallacious information about the carwash industry that I have seen published in my 40 years in the industry,” asserted R.L. “Bud” Abraham, executive director of the International Detailing Association.
Abraham also called the ad “a personal insult to the many professional operators who have worked hard to build a positive image for the carwash industry.”
Professional detailers do not necessarily agree with Mothers’ depiction of professional carwashes, Abraham said.
“While few detail operations in the USA utilize automatic carwashes in their businesses, the detail industry has always attempted to cooperate and work with the carwash industry to educate the consumer on proper car care, as many of our customers utilize professional automatic carwashes after having their vehicles professionally detailed,” he explained.
“This advertisement is an affront to both industries, and we for one will contact Mothers to discontinue publication of this advertisement and issue a retraction advertisement as soon as possible,” Abraham continued.
The ad also angered the Western Carwash Association, which has prepared letters for Mothers CEO Dennis Holloway and the editors of the magazines that have run the advertisement. The ad is currently running in the June issues of Car & Driver and Motor Trend.
In his letter to Holloway, WCA President Jerry Nix asks for an apology, a withdrawal of the ad from further publication and a published retraction of what he characterizes as “discreditable language” that “inaccurately stereotypes the car wash industry.”
“We find no ‘humor’ in this ad and the end result of your ‘tongue-in-cheek’ language is misleading and offensive,” Nix wrote.
Inquiries to Mothers for additional information regarding the ad campaign have not been returned.