“Ladies, this ad is for you!” It is with this somewhat clumsy assertion that Nivarox, a member of the Swatch group, wants to attract female residents of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, for jobs in a watchmaking workshop. The recruiting campaign specifically targets mothers, claiming that the jobs are “expressly designed” for women who have interrupted their careers to raise their children. The ad has raised the ire of feminists since its publication. Christiane Layaz-Rochat, a member of the central committee for the Swiss women’s rights association, considers the tone “terribly paternalistic.“
In response to critics, Nivarox spokesperson Béatrice Howald said, “We are targeting women because the work requires a lot of dexterity involving tiny parts. Nature has made women better at this type of work than men. We meant the ad as a gesture of openness.“