New app lets you surgically birth "Frozen" Anna's baby

Remember that bizarre "Plastic Surgery Barbie" App that came out last year? Well, here's another opportunity for girls to learn about the magical worlds of surgery and copyright violation.

Buzzfeed's Daniel Kibblesmith talks readers through the game, which shows Frozen's 18-year-old  Princess Anna ready to give birth to Kristoff's baby (after they get married, of course!)

The app guides the user through a sanitized Caesarian birth, apparently not clarifying whether Anna is suffering from a complication that prevents vaginal delivery, or whether she's just "too posh to push." (It also implies that a woman is put under a general anaesthetic for the procedure, which is not typical.)

I'll leave the WTFing to Jezebel's Rebecca Rose:

Sure, maybe games or apps that talk about pregnancy can be a good teaching tool for parents who want to get their kids familiar with various aspects of childbirth. But unless you are a being on the planet Mikloap Alpha 7, there is no purple glowing orb that magically emerges from your womb because someone waves a special sparkle wand over it. No. Despite what they are trying to teach in Texas high school's sex education classes, this is not what happens during childbirth. 

After the baby is born, you have to use the scalpel to cut the umbilical cord (SO MUCH GODDAMN NOPE HERE) and weigh the baby.

Not exactly a welcome addition to the world of childbirth apps.

Provocative Nunavut FASD posters have a Russian connection

Via Storify

Last week on Osocio, I reviewed an anti-FASD campaign that ran at LCBO stores, and took some heat for my claim that its potentially shaming approach to any drinking in pregnancy wasn't helpful. But that campaign was pretty mild when compared to the new ads by the government of Nunavut:

Via CBC

According to the CBC, these posters are "provoking a strong reaction from residents" — both positive and negative.  They were designed by Atiigo Media Inc., a communications company in Iqaluit that specializes in northern issues.

The ads certainly are intended to provide shock value, showing the fetus literally drowning in alcohol. That's not exactly biologically accurate, but some locals apparently feel the strong messaging is justified by the high rates of alcohol abuse in the north, which has prompted some communities to ban alcohol entirely.

I still object to the unnecessary shaming or scaring pregnant women, even as I have to admit that I am culturally isolated from the communities for which this campaign was created.

Notably, while trying to find a better image of the campaign, I stumbled upon this Russian campaign from 2012:

While it is not uncommon for PSA campaigns to share creative ideas for public good, I wonder if this was a partnership or plain old plunder...

What if boys got pregnant:? A concept as old as I am

That's the question implied by Chicago's new anti-teen-pregnancy campaign.

“The point was to get people’s attention and get conversation started about teen pregnancy and teen births, and how they really affect a community,” Chicago Department of Health spokesperson Brian Richardson told the Daily News.

The ads are running on transit and near high schools with high rates of teen pregnancy.

While attention-getting, I'm not sure the ads really get the full value of the message across. I'm not sure any ad campaign can get boys to be more responsible, but imagine targeting these to girls and saying "If it was him who could get pregnant, don't you think he'd want to use a condom?" or something like that.

But at least these ads, while presenting teen pregnancy as an unwanted consequence of teen sex, don't try to heap shame on teen parents the way New York City did with their campaign. Even if the concept behind the Chicago campaign is as old as I am:

Yep, that's the famous "pregnant man" ad by Jeremy Sinclair of Cramer Saatchi (Predecessor of Saatchi & Saatchi) circa 1970 (via Creative Review). If you're going to borrow creative ideas, they might as well be this classic.

Candie's Foundation gets spanked by activist moms #NoTeenShame

The Candie's Foundation recently launched an anti-teen-pregnancy campaign in which a who's sho of Millennial celebrities  — Hayden Panettiere, Carly Rae Jepson, Hillary Duff, Lea Michelle, Fergie, Vanessa Minillo, Ciara, Teddy Geiger and the band Fall Out Boy — tell teens how much parenthood sucks.

According to Feministing, the campaign has really offended the Strong Families Movement for its shaming approach towards teen pregnancy. Allied blogger Natasha Vianna puts it plainly:

At the age of 17, I gave birth to a little girl. When the Candie's Foundation launched a teen pregnancy prevention campaign with the tagline "You're supposed to be changing the world... not diapers," I was outraged by their attempts to shame young parents. Although I was changing diapers at age 17, I am changing the world – and so are Lisette, Consuela, Jasmin, Gloria, Marylouise, Christina, and so many other young parents like us across the country. Our activism has been shaped by our experiences as young moms; we are working to change the world because we are young parents.

The organization has launched a petition to Candie's and encourages the use of a hashtag, #NoTeenShame, to draw eyes to the cause.

This controversy is similar to what happened when NYC's Human Resources Administration put up ads  in which young children shamed their teen parents about getting pregnant.

The problem lies in the strategy of shame. This is an organization that previously used wealthy teen mom (and born-again abstinence advocate) Bristol Palin as a spokesperson for what a burden young parenthood is. They describe themselves as " a non-profit organization that works to shape the way youth in America think about teen pregnancy and parenthood." 

And sex:

Research has shown that teen girls who have been exposed to the foundation and its messages are more likely to view teen pregnancy and parenthood as stressful and negative, and they are more likely to be skeptical of the media's portrayal of teen pregnancy and parenting. They also think teens should wait longer to have sex than girls who are not aware of the foundation and its messages.

But where does that leave the teens (especially girls) who have become pregnant? Ashamed, if the campaign has its way with them. But even if their own feelings of self-worth are not important to you, do you actually think that teens are unaware of the fact that unplanned pregnancy is a big deal? 

It would be really refreshing to see someone pony up for a pleasure-positive, choice-positive teen sexuality campaign that helped young people get and use contraception without vilifying those who do not, and who decide to have a baby. The Candie's Foundation's pro-abstinence stance reflects a conservative culture of sexual shaming, in which people who consensually give in to their natural curiosities and pleasures are seen as morally weak. (And the shaming can affect victims of rape as well.)

As much as I don't want to be a grandparent too soon, neither would I want to raise my young son to believe that teen parents are lesser people than him. Not only for their sake, but possibly for his own. 

Jessica Simpson remains as Weight Watchers' spokesperson, even though she can no longer follow the plan

It's a new year, so let's talk about babies.

Business Insider reports that Weight Watchers has had to change course with its promotion of Jessica Simpson's post-natal weight loss. Because it turns out that she's having another.

The company prepared for this contingency by filming two almost identical New Year's ads. The first, released on December 19, hides her early signs of pregnancy but doesn't mention the news:

The second, released after her Christmas public announcement, adds an extra bit:

It's a smart move by Weight Watchers. They don't advertise to pregnant women, but they also don't want to lose the post-partum market they've been courting with Ms. Simpson.

Personally, I hate the obsession with women celebrities' post-baby bodies. It puts way too much pressure on them, not to mention all the moms who can't afford a full-time personal trainer. But as marketers, Weight Watchers could have done much worse. In November, TMZ reported that Price is Right spokesmodel Brandi Cochran was awarded over $7 million in punitive damages after she claimed was fired from the show because she got pregnant.

2013 Pirelli calendar features clothed models, one of whom is pregnant

Well, that's a surprise.

The Pirelli calendar, a high-end promotional item since 1964, has also become known for its "arty" erotic nude photos of supermodels by a-list photographers. But as Buzzfeed's Amy Odell reports, 2013 photographer Steve McCurry elected not to photograph any of the models naked. The Associated Press adds that the calendar also includes non-models such as actress Sonia Braga and singer Marisa Monte, "chosen not only for their looks but also for their commitment to worthy causes".

Of course, the calendar still manages to eroticize some of its subjects, including then-pregnant Brazilian model Adriana Lima (above). However, it also features street scenes from the shoot location in Rio de Janiero.

Interesting development.

Artist makes statement about "babies having babies" with pregnant baby doll

From Darren Cullen, the mind behind "Topless Mayan Advent Calendar" and "The Meat Planet" comes..

From Dangerous Minds:

Baby’s First Baby toy doll by artist Darren Cullen is—I’m assuming here—some kind of statement about glamorizing teen pregnancies on shows like MTV’s 16 and Pregnant. 

If you notice, even the fetus is pregnant! 

Of course, America should gut funding for Planned Parenthood…

Yeah, that is weird. But I like it when stuff makes me think about stuff.

Great POP condom advertising

It may not address STIs, but it is awesome.

Via Buzzfeed

An ode to Mad Men's "Fat Betty"

As the current season of Mad Men was being filmed, January Jones (who plays Betty) was having a baby. Instead of ignoring the pregnancy or writing it into the plot, the writers put Ms. Jones into a fat suit and had Betty's weight gain become a rather dramatic plot element.

In the meantime some guys at SOUTH Music & Sound Design decided to commemorate the development with a song:



Yes, it is rather mean. But I choose to see it as a send-up on the show's dramatic excesses rather than a put-down of overweight people in the real world.

What do you think?

At least they didn't make fun of her placentophagy...

Woman seeks metal babydaddy on Craigslist #FdAdFriday

This is either pathetic or hilarious. Personally, I think it's fake. But it's Friday, so your mileage may vary.


FUSE reports that this post (since flagged for removal) recently appeared on Chicago Craigslist:

Did we hook up at the Megadeth/Motorhead concert? - w4m - 28 (Aragon Ballroom)
Me: Blue hair, silver tube top, fishnets, Knee high black biker boots.You: Red mohawk, black pentagram gauges, viper piercings.
I was grinding on you in the pit, then we went to the bathroom, and got f***ed up. You had a nice c**k and I was wasted so I let [you] raw dog it in the stall. You were really good and you had to gag me so I would make too much noise. 
Anyway I'm pregnant. It's yours. contact me if you want to be part of your child's life.
c9kpp-2948959310@pers.craigslist.org

FUSE does not disclose whether the words "fucked" and "cock" were censored in the original post, or if they wussed out.

Anyway, c9kpp-2948959310@pers.craigslist.org, if you are in fact real I wish you and your metal baby all the best whether red mohawk boy re-enters the picture or not.

The most beautiful pregnancy video you will see today

Ivan from Ads of The World shared this beautiful video on Google+:



It's been done before, but some things never get old.

How not to get people to look at your hats #FdAdFriday

Fashionista asked Welsh milliner Robyn Coles why she premiered her new hat collection at London Fashion Week using nude models (including a pregnant woman).

The response was refreshing:

"It’s a basic, honest publicity scam! As a new designer I want to get people to see my work and now. I hope that people who look at the show like the light-hearted choice of nudity, appreciate the different forms of the human body and above all – like my work. It was about getting as many people there as possible."

Although her claim that nude pregnant models is something you never see on the catwalk is a little off. Has she never seen Prêt-à-Porter?

You can see all the models, male and female, at the Fashionista link.

(As a straight man, I feel honour bound to add a naked penis warning to my fellow uptight lads.)

F'd Ad Fridays: Thanks to these posters, my expectations are very low

I already don't like the "what to expect" series of maternal micromanagement books. These dumb posters for the upcoming movie that look and read like hackneyed internet memes aren't exactly helping me want to see the damn thing.

Via BuzzSugar

F'd Ad Fridays: Sunblock is ineffective as spermicide

(originally seen on Adland.TV, but the image is linked from Copyranter)

F'd Ad Fridays: P.O.P. signs of the times

(click to enlarge and read)

Via Buzzfeed

How not to do an anti-pregnant-smoking PSA

Save Your Child from ParkhausPictures on Vimeo.

#1  Do not be too obvious (the "mysterious" coughing was not exactly a teaser)

#2  Do not try to guilt people into action (the melodrama, the "consequences")

#3  Do not overstate your case (it's like you're smoking your baby!)

These are really standard social marketing mistakes, and yet people keep making them. The last thing a pregnant woman addicted to cigarettes needs is shame and blame. She needs hope and help.

And this is not helping.

The problem with this kind of advertising is that it takes the perspective of people who do not do this kind of thing, and can't understand why anyone would. So they express their concern in a dramatic and damning fashion.

Meanwhile, the person who is smoking while pregnant feels assaulted and isolated, and rebels by hardening her resolve against those who clearly do not understand what she is going through. (Instead, she'll rely on anecdotes from likeminded friends whose babies were "just fine.")

And if she does the research for herself, she will find out that smoking is bad for the baby, but not to the extent that it is portrayed in the ad. At which point, she will have totally dismissed the message, and will blissfully continue smoking in denial of the real risks.

Advertiser: Save Your Child (Denmark)
Via Illegal Advertising

"Mamma drinks, baby drinks"

That's what this Italian ad (via the Telegraph) says to le donne incinte of the northeast region of Veneto.

According to news site Cronica (article is in Italian), 1 in 100 babies in Europe are born with some sort of fetal alcohol effects. However, it also states that 60% — 65%, according to the Telegraph — of Italian women consume some alcohol during pregnancy!

The advertiser is "Unita' Locale Socio Sanitaria N. 9" (Local Health Unit #9) in Treviso. Their site has an ad with body copy:



It says: "Drinking alcohol during pregnancy and nursing can damage the physical and mental development of your baby" and it leads to a campaign site, mammabevebimbobeve.it

The Telegraph reports that critics complain the campaign — which appears on buses, billboards and in women’s restrooms — is in very poor taste. Even the governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia, said it ran the risk of giving a “distorted image of women and in particular expecting mothers.” Italian media in general are calling it a "shock campaign".

It reminds me of the smoking fetus ads of the '80s.

What do you think? Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a tragedy for affected children. Many international health authorities, including Health Canada, recommend no alcohol intake whatsoever during pregnancy, because a safe minimum consumption has never been established.

Some authorities, such as the UK's Department of Health, are a little less extreme:

"As a general rule, pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. If they do choose to drink, to protect the baby they should not drink more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk."

I would never recommend to anyone that they drink during pregnancy, because it is an additional risk factor (like eating sushi). However, I have to admit that my wife, and a few of our peers had the occasional glass of wine while pregnant. And this is why shock is a bad idea for this issue. I think this Italian campaign makes the mistake of trying to scare women into compliance with a "zero tolerance" message. Especially in a culture where moderate daily alcohol consumption is considered a quality of life issue.

Like shame-based ads that tell young people not to drink or do drugs, they overstate the case and risk having an opposite effect. After all, when 60-65% of their pregnant peers are drinking regularly and only 1% have babies with symptoms, will some tune out the ads and just assume their public health authority is full of merda?

All things considered, they might have been better off with a positive message of "the less you drink, the better."