A rash of rashes: Alerting clothing customers to potential skin irritation. Sewn-in clothing tags carry essential information about size and garment care, but no matter where they are located inside a garment, they seem to have a knack for poking and scratching. Pestered consumers consequently welcomed the switch by many clothing makers to tagless labels, in which information is printed directly on the fabric, and no physical tag is sewn into the garment. Carter’s, one of the leading manufacturers and retailers of children’s clothing, is one of those companies. Unfortunately, a small number of parents have contacted Carter’s to complain that their children have developed rashes where their skin came in contact with a tagless label.

Your task: Write an announcement for Carter’s website, explaining that the company has heard some reports of babies whose skin appeared to be irritated by the tagless labels. Cover the following points: (1) the situation applies only to clothes from the fall 2007 product line, in which the tagless label has a solid white printed background on which the label text is printed (as opposed to newer and older garments, in which the label text is printed directly on the fabric, without the solid background); (2) of the 100 million garments sold in the fall 2007 line, the company has received only 400 complaints of rashes; (3) based on a thorough analysis by the company, its suppliers, and several independent doctors and other specialists, Carter’s has found that the labels contain no known skin irritants or abrasive chemicals, and the problem seems to affect only a very small number of children with sensitive skin; (4) because the problem is so limited in scope and the skin rashes are not serious, after discussions with the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, the company has opted not to recall the clothes but is instead advising parents of affected children to switch to other garments; and (5) as is always the case with Carter’s clothes, consumers can return unsatisfactory products for a full refund. You will be able to show two comparative photos on the website to help consumers identify the garments in question, one showing clothes from the fall 2007 line, with the solid-background labels, and one showing a newer line of clothes that have a different label style.

I. Plan

A. Analyze the Situation

1. What is your general purpose?

2. What is your specific purpose?

3. Exactly what do you want your audience to think, feel or believe after receiving your message?

4. Who is your primary audience?

5. What is their background?

6. How are its members different from one another?

7. How are its members similar to one another?

8. What are their reactions likely to be to your message?

B. Gather Information

1. What information do your readers need to receive?

2. What facts must you gather in order to create an effective message?

C. Select the Right Medium

1. What medium were you told to use in the explanation of the task at the end of your resume or case?

2. If you used a different medium, why did you?

D. Organize the Information

1. What is your main idea or career focus?

2. Will you use the direct or indirect approach?

3. Why are you using the approach you chose?

II. Write

A. Adapt to Your Audience

1. How will you show sensitivity to your audience's needs?

2. How much credibility do you already have with your audience?

3. How will you establish the additional credibility you need?

4. Will your tone be informal or more formal?

B. Compose the Message

• You DO NOT have to attach your first draft.

III. Complete

A. Revise the Message or Resume

List three or more changes you made between your first draft and final draft suggested by the prompts in that checklist:

1. First change?

2. Second change?

3. Third change?

4. Additional changes?

B. Produce the Message or Resume

Use effective design and layout for a clean, professional appearance. Proofread the Message or Resume.

Review for errors in layout, spelling, punctuation and other mechanics.

• You DO NOT have to list typos and mechanical errors.

C. Distribute the Message or Resume.