Monday, January 26, 2015

Similac makes fun of the "Mommy Wars" and it's pretty apalling



So, Similac, a company that stands to benefit from as few women breastfeeding (and breastfeeding women doing it as little as possible) has decided to position itself as the great peacemaker in the angry crossfire of deeply personal judgements of other peoples' parenting choices known as the "Mommy Wars."




I'm a big advocate of breastfeeding, when it works for the mother. But I also believe that women's bodies are theirs to do with as they choose. If they choose not to nurse, nobody gets to police them.

The problem I have with this ad is that by stereotyping the various conflicts between parent trends (including stay-at-home dads), then resolving with a message that none of it really matters, they are negating the very real and important discussions happening about these issues. The nursers feeling forced to cover up, working women with inadequate maternal leave or work flexibility, the challenges faced by lesbian moms? These are presented as no different than the arguments about diapers, baby wearing, and yoga for moms.

By positioning itself as the teller of this tale, Similac very sneakily invalidates lactivist criticisms of its product and marketing. Yeah, I saw what you did there!

But, you know, it's an American commercial. So the warring parties rally around a really bad example of parental neglect and hug it out.

H/T Adfreak

10 comments:

  1. Excellent. I think this is the best counter I have yet read -- boiled down, bare-bones, straight to the underlying issue. Thanks.

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  2. I have taken so much s#*t for my choices, I was—and still am—grateful for the Similac ad. There's absolutely a need for discussion about issues of public nursing, maternal leave and work flexibility (all painfully near and dear to me). But the ad is about the judgment, not the discussion. And the judgment is real, divisive, hurtful. Sure, the “resolution” is trite, but I still cried. Because I would have liked some resolution, however trite.

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    1. @Penina - the ad is about making more money.

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    2. Penina I think it is great that some women watch this ad and feel good about their choices(or lack of choices for some). I wish we had a better way to allow women their feelings than through capitalism. Our country needs some help. I think that the point is that this ad of course is trying to sell Americans on the idea that breastfeeding and formula feeding is equal. When the truth is it is not. This is not a judgement it is science. Many women that cannot breastfeed for whatever reason know this and offer the second best food to their babies, formula. Many formula feeding mamas are still appalled that this formula company is trying to profit from the emotion of feeling judged or the idea that breast feeding mamas are judging. Quite frankly the underlining division that this commercial lights up, just brings more division and judgement. It is a choice women have but formula for profit companies should have to stay far away from these topics because after all lets face it they are trying to get more customers, which means less babies are getting the medicine that there bodies deserve.

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  3. What you say is interesting, BUT I think you yourselves buy into the argument of the post, which is "all choices are equal (and if you think otherwise you are a bigot)"

    You say: "I'm a big advocate of breastfeeding," but only "when it works for the mother.". That is a BIG caveat and implies that more often that not it won't work for the mother.

    Then you say: "If they CHOOSE not to nurse", again, here you imply that breastfeeding is simply a matter of choice, and if you choose not to, no big deal.

    So what I get from your piece is that when you say: "By positioning itself as the teller of this tale, Similac very sneakily invalidates lactivist criticisms of its product and marketing" I agree, but you are pretty much doing the same thing. Both for Similac and yourself breastfeeding or not breastfeeding are equivalent options and you just choose what suits you best.

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  4. Hilarious end to this piece which has some great observations (specifically the one about the teller of the tale). Thank you!

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