Even hashtags with the best intentions can go wrong.
That's what IBM learned Monday when its #HackAHairDryer campaign, intended to get more girls and women involved in science in tech, became the subject of criticism and ridicule.
One video produced by IBM, which has since been removed, pitched #HackAHairDryer seemingly as an opportunity to transform an everyday item into something novel.
"Hack heat. Reroute air flow. Reinvent sound," the narrator said. "And imagine a future where the most brilliant minds are solving the world’s biggest problems — regardless of your gender. Join our experiment to start reengineering what matters in science."
#HackAHairDryer: An experiment in reengineering what matters in science. Have a look and try it yourself https://t.co/zxiIkxJlAw #womenatibm— Andrea Martin (@amartin171) December 3, 2015
A source familiar with the initiative told Mashable that it was developed by a group of women.
You've heard the myths. Now it's time to blast away the bias. Join us at https://t.co/M4zsVYxrO0. #WomenInTech #HackAHairdryer— Laura Marulanda (@LauraJMarulanda) December 4, 2015
Yet plenty of women online felt the video and hashtag played into sexist stereotypes — and the idea that women aren't interested in science unless beauty and femininity is somehow involved.
Several women in tech skewered the campaign with tweets about their coding, hacking and engineering skills, making light of IBM's focus on a simple hair dryer.
I like makeup and hair care. I also like building robots. Guess which one I'd like to see @ibm promoting to women? #HackAHairDryer— Randi Lee Harper (@randileeharper) 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 code. But it's to mess around with salamander DNA sequences, not hair dryers. Minor details. #HackAHairDryer— Cathy Newman (@cenewman0) December 7, 2015
#HackAHairDryer seems neat except for the parts where I don't own a hairdryer and I have actual fun things to hack on like lasers— Eva Kloiber (@aeva_io) December 7, 2015
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
And since when did @IBM start making hair dryers? Why don't they ask women hackers to break into their server instead? #HackAHairDryer— Judy Melinek M.D. (@drjudymelinek) December 7, 2015
By Monday, IBM had scrapped the campaign.
"The videos were part of a larger campaign to promote STEM careers," the company said in a statement. "It missed the mark for some and we apologize. It is being discontinued."
Thanks for the feedback on our campaign. We heard you and we apologize for missing the mark. We promise to do better in the future.— IBM (@IBM) December 7, 2015
The misstep may be particularly embarrassing for IBM as the company advocates for greater diversity, celebrates its female engineers and inventors and bills itself as "the best place for women in technology to work."