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

What the hell is in this baby formula?

Copy says, "New! A natural solution that keeps your facial skin revitalized. A better sleep for your baby with Materna's Good Night infant formula."

Does it have Benadryl in it? Gravol? Morphine? According to this source, the secret ingredient is "special composition of carbohydrates, giving the baby a longer feeling of fullness."

What a terrible idea. Babies wake up and cry because they aren't really supposed to be left alone. (Think about it — in a state of nature, they'd be eaten by wolves.)

I understand that not everyone can or wants to breastfeed or cosleep. But an ad promoting a formula that keeps your inconvenient baby quiet so you can get your beauty sleep really irks me. It's playing to selfishness and vanity.

By JWT, Tel Aviv, Israel

Via Ads of The World

Chinese formula ads make an unintentional dead baby joke

Years ago, when my son was an infant, we used him as a model for an ad. We needed to make it look like he, at 4 months old, had fallen asleep while reading a book on Quantum Mechanics. (It was an economic development ad to attract new high tech companies to Ottawa, with the headline "start smarter".)

I recall that the photographer, Tony Fouhse, was concerned that we would not be able to get an infant to sleep through a photoshoot in the middle of the day. Julia, my wife, knew better. She breastfed the boy on set, and like clockwork he pooped, then passed out.

But then, when we looked at the photos, we were presented with another problem. Babies sleep like the dead. Literally. It's hard to tell the difference. That's why new parents are always freaking out and putting an ear to their baby's lips, listening for the breathing...

Why am I telling you all of this now? Because I just caught this campaign, for Heinze "Golden Sleep" baby formula, on I Believe in Advertising:

It's a Chinese ad, from Invisible Advertising in Guangzhou, China. Yes, China. Where at least 6 babies died and at least 300,000 were sickened by tainted milk powder in 2008. Three more died, and 36 other more became ill just this year as a result of milk tampering.

Are you sure you want this imagery associated with Chinese formula?

"CUT!"

"It's a wrap!"

You think I'm just being morbid? Check out this Portuguese social marketing campaign on drowsy driving from Osocio:

*shudders*

Sleep tight!