Comments on: Can breastfeeding promotion learn something from drunk-driving ads?

By: anne leonard

anne leonard — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:28:20 +0000

Hey! – weve been saying “thank you for driving sober” for years (cause most people do!) – in several of our PSAs including our most recent and two other released earlier this year -in fact – we consciously avoid saying “don’t” and rather use a “how to”.. and btw – (in the spirit of participating in the conversation) I successfully breastfed two of my three children and had two “v-backs” and YES! it was lots of work to get thje right diet, sleep patterns, etc. Good luck to everyone working on this…

By: Ginger Baker

Ginger Baker — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:34:37 +0000

I really love the ads you developed there. I especially like how the text breaks down ways to get support.

By: Artemnesia

Artemnesia — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:44:32 +0000

Great post. The “Why To” is meaningless without the “How To.”

In terms of promotion– I think the most effective approach in general is to get pregnant women into the company of happy nursing mothers and let them see just how much it means to us. Too much emphasis has been placed on the product (the milk) and not enough emphasis has been placed on the process (nursing) and the irreplaceable experience it creates. I wouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed if I couldn’t breastfeed a future child– I would feel devastated. I would feel robbed. The loss wouldn’t be measured in medical risks. It would be truly incalculable.

By: My Picks for Best Breastfeeding Blogs and Posts | PhD in Parenting

My Picks for Best Breastfeeding Blogs and Posts | PhD in Parenting — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:55:26 +0000

[...] Can breastfeeding promotion learn something from drunk-driving ads? [...]

By: Fearless Formula Feeder

Fearless Formula Feeder — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:20:37 +0000

This is an excellent post. FYI, there is a new PSA coming out for drunk driving using positivity (I recently auditioned for it; that’s the only reason I know – hope I’m not releasing anything top secret!!) to enforce the message. The script was hilarious and hopefully will be effective.

I’ve been studying the NHS campaign you speak of, and also a different one used by WIC which focused on how familial support is essential to successful breastfeeding. The WIC campaign portrayed breastfeeding as an empowering, bonding act between mother and baby – and I think this is such a wonderful message to send. Scare tactics have been shown to have a boomerang effect if they come on too strongly – a little fear is good, too much is bad. But women these days are far more media saavy, and I think even subtle fear pisses us off. I believe it would be better for everyone if we stuck to the positive message rather than portraying formula as poison or formula feeders as the devil.

Anyway. Great post!

By: julia

julia — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:57:43 +0000

This is really the germ of it and well said:

Aiming breastfeeding promotion ads at the five to ten percent of the population that do not want to breastfeed may make a small dent in breastfeeding rates, but figuring out how to battle the systemic barriers to successful breastfeeding is more important, more difficult and more likely to make a real difference.

Keep up the powerful thinking…

By: Information about Breastfeeding

Information about Breastfeeding — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:08:08 +0000

[...] Can breastfeeding promotion learn something from drunk-driving ads … [...]

By: Arrive Alive Ontario

Arrive Alive Ontario — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:05:40 +0000

I’d like to clarify that the Party Smart ad above is part of a campaign run by Arrive Alive Drive Sober. We are an Ontario based charity focused on spreading awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. Check us out at arrivealive.org and thank you for helping spread the message. =D

By: Breastfeeding: Remove the Booby Traps with Best for Babes | PhD in Parenting

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:35:58 +0000

[...] their breastfeeding goals. The Best for Babes Foundation recognizes, as I explained in my post Can breastfeeding promotion learn something from drunk driving ads? , that scaring women into breastfeeding isn’t the right approach. Best for Babes Co-Founders [...]

By: Johanne

Johanne — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:39:11 +0000

Very true. Love the parallel.
One of my cousin recently gave birth, and was debating whether to breastfeed or formula feed. She decided, before going into labour, that she would formula feed after all. I don’t know all the details behind that decision, but I think it’s unfortunate. My mom felt obliged to defend her in her choice when I mentioned it, to which I reply: “I’m not judging her. She was probably misinformed. We need to change society’s perception of breastfeeding, and explain that there ARE resources around if you need them. Only then will women be able to make informed choices.”

Obviously, easier said than done.