IBM gets burned by #HackAHairDryer campaign
IBM is apologizing for a tweet that suggested women pursue tech education by attempting to #HackAHairDryer. In response, some women engineers and scientists took to social media to tell IBM where to shove the hairdryer, calling the tweet sexist and degrading.
The IBM campaign, which began in October to little fanfare until it was retweeted last Friday, was meant to inspire women to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and careers. It also featured a number of YouTube videos, which have since been taken down.
A number of women let IBM know the work they're doing goes way beyond beauty appliances.
That's ok @IBM, I'd rather build satellites instead, but good luck with that whole #HackAHairDryer thing. https://t.co/n3vp0grbEP
— Stephanie Evans (@StephEvz43) December 7, 2015
IBM recently invited women to #HackAHairDryer and I confess, I may have got a bit carried away. #WomenInSTEM pic.twitter.com/hldC8Xypzm
— K (@Krissie_r) December 7, 2015
I leave hairdryer fixing to the men, I'm too busy making nanotech and treating cancer. https://t.co/fX7tDPsJXr
— Upulie Divisekera (@upulie) December 7, 2015
And quite a number of women had fun mocking the hashtag:
Huh, I guess I'm a lady engineer after all! #HackAHairDryer pic.twitter.com/fDjL5HZR3f
— Alice Goldfuss (@alicegoldfuss) December 7, 2015
Very confused. Been trying to #HackAHairDryer . Is this an @stevelord IOT trick? Where can I get hair related CYBER? Does hack come in pink?
— Laura Bell (@lady_nerd) December 7, 2015
@IBM shame I don't use a hairdryer. I guess that's the end of my career in STEM. Brb quitting my astrophysics PhD. #HackAHairDryer
— Jessica V (@ThatAstroKitten) December 7, 2015
"Let's get more women into science by playing up tired gender stereotypes!" -someone at @IBM #HackAHairDryer
— Kirthan Aujlay (@kirthanaujlay) December 7, 2015
Once the backlash began, the company acknowledged it had "missed the mark" and dropped the campaign immediately.
An IBM spokesperson tweeted this apology: "The videos were part of a larger campaign to promote STEM careers. It missed the mark for some and we apologise. It is being discontinued."