Extremely Annoyed with a provider copying my ad

[luvmykids]

Has anyone else experienced this?

It took me a while to put my ad together, to word it properly to get the word out about what type of services I offered.

I logged on today to find out that another provider copied my ad verbatim. Not sure if she doesn't know how to speak proper English, it looked like she attempted to change a few things.

Would this upset you, I am a little annoyed.

[mimi]

Of course Just think though, you have the intelligence to create an ad, this provider is obviously is lazy, stupid or both. She is probably just a facsimilie of a provider and you are the real deal. Create a new ad.

[Wonderwiper]

Yes, I would be annoyed too! You could email ad and ask them to please not copy you. I am also very annoyed with people who take down my flyers from mailboxes, community centers etc. I would never do that!!!

[fruitloop]

Yes, this would annoy me too and I would email them and tell them to take down their ad and make their own.

[treeholm]

I once designed a full-page marketing brochure for the continuing education department at my university. 9 months later, the local community college published my brochure VERBATIM except for putting in the name of the college where I had the name of the university. I was beyond livid! They were our competitors, and may have gotten clients because of the brochure that I put heart and soul into. I guess it was a compliment that they stole it and copied it word for word.... Our VP took it to their VP, and I eventually received a letter of "apology for the inadvertent plagiarism". Inadvertent.. yup, we accidentally re-typed your entire brochure and printed it on glossy paper and distributed thousands of copies without knowing it wasn't our work....

[luvmykids]

Thanks ladies. I did email her but have yet to hear a response. Just irritates me that someone could be so lazy and lack the intelligence to create their own ad, she obviously lacks creativity. This is a quality that a good daycare provider should possess.

[Inspired by Reggio]

It amazes me how many people think this is acceptable - personally I would contact the person and professionally notify them they've been caught, you have proof it is your ad as you will have posted it first and they cache everything online with date stamps - if she does not change her ad you will be forced to take legal action - IME that is enough to scare them into compliance!

I had my entire website stolen word for word including my name in several places - and yes English was not their first language but IMO that's no excuse! I told her I was flattered she was so inspired by my words she felt the need to copy them however that work is mine and as a professional I did not want there to every be issues over who owned my words and since plagerism is illegal and that if you quote someone word for word you must give credit or change the words to your own to the point it no longer resembles anyone else's! She added my credentials and a note of thanks for the inspiration to the site and slowly changed some of the wording - however heard brough grapevine the changes were copy and pastes from other providers instead

I do not get it - 99% of a client choosing us is GUT INSTRINCT ... if you steal someone's ad and use thier words and the parents are drawn to that when they come to tour the words you use han will not be the same cause the ad was not authentic to you ... parents than sense a incongruity can't place it but that gut instinct makes the person seem off - so they struggle to fill spaces ... be authentic to yourself cause starting a relationship with a lie never ends well!

[luvmykids]

Must husband told me to do exactly that. Thanks for your input...and wow, your entire website...I would have been PISSED!!!

[kidlove]

yes, I would be a little "perterbed" however keep in mind: copying is the most sincerest form of flattery. You obviously have a nice ad, otherwise she wouldn't have wasted her time taking it!

[Sandbox Sally]

I had this happen to me last year. It was a woman in my very own small neighbourhood in Toronto who was the perpetrator. I totally emailed her, but instead of reaming her and asking her to take it down, I told her that I thought it was cool that there was another provider nearby that had such a similar mindset to my own, and hey, maybe we should get together sometime at playgroup with the dck's. I felt like this would let her know that I noticed.

Months later, I met her IRL and we actually became friends. I never said anything to her in a negative way, and I'm glad I didn't because she turned out to be pretty cool, even if she did poach my intellectual property.