What would a hypothetical TV advert for breastmilk be?

[FrozenNorthPole]

Having just muted out out an irritating follow-on milk (1 year +) advert on the TV, I began wondering what a TV ad for breastmilk would involve? I realise that no-one's ever going to make an advert like this because, frankly, there's no money to be made out of it and that is the entire point of advertising. However, for the sake of idle curiosity, how would YOU choose to advertise breastmilk if you had the chance?

PS
This is intended as a light-hearted thread and if it starts to go down a predictable BF vs FF road I shall be forced to stick my head in a snowbank, just FYI.

Angelina jolie bf her twins.

Or something from the food of love by Kate Evans

A shot of my shoe wardrobe with the caption 'this is what a year's formula buys you. Breast feeding, for mummies who shop'.

A parody of the stupid ad with laughing babies who obviously are only happy because of the formula they drink. That one really annoys me.

Something similar to WMMC's, but with 2 years' worth of the extra calories needed, shown in the form of Dairy Milk.

'Breast feeding - you know you want to'

(Apolgies, WMMC... :))

It would be , makes me teary every time I watch it :)

Great idea! To expound on those already suggested, a parody of a postnatal fitness video advert, women working out in various exercises to lose their baby fat and then cut to a woman breastfeeding on the sofa, feet up relaxed with some chocolate and wine and the caption, 'How would YOU rather lose it?'

Sorry everyone, but I am one of those women who put weight on when BFing whilst sitting on sofa with cake. Got back to my pre-birth 40 week weight by the time DS2 was 6 months old (ie put on a stone) so not sure the advertising standards would let you do this. The shoes though well thats not contentious.

Sick baby in hospital with tummy bug, voice over, if only my mum had BF me.

having bf'ed one baby, and ff'ed the other, I would be keen to promote the convenience for night feeds.

"Can't be bothered to make, and cool, a bottle at 4am? Use Breastmilk - the Ultimate baby ready meal"

MumNWLondon, well maybe you could do a shot of the chocolate you could buy for the cost of a year's supply of formula. :)

Brilliant ideas so far! I think that you might get the cake and chocolate thing through advertising standards since on average BFing women do burn more calories. It doesn't have to be true for everyone - I think an average is enough as long as you don't offer a guarantee.

[Opening question] Why do you breastfeed?

[Besuited business-woman walking through an office] Because I don't want to pay £X per year for an inferior product.

[Busy mother of 3-4 children trying to get them all in the car in the morning.] Because I want a good night's sleep after a hard day.

[Woman about to go out hiking with a baby in a carrier on her back] Because I want to travel light.

[Final slogan] If you can do it, do it. Go to xxxxx.gov.uk to learn more about breastfeeding for an easier life.

Brilliant idea tog
Can I add another one
[picture of mother breastfeeding her toddler while dad holds a newborn] "Because I want to do my best for all my children"
(just a note - dad is not feeding the newborn a bottle :))

ooh yes, good idea
Maybe all in bed and the mum could say "because I like our time all cuddled up together"

My problem was that I was constantly STARVING when breastfeeding, hence me putting on weight. I am sure that I spend more on food for me than the formula would have cost. i did try to diet/control what i was eating but found it impossible to have willpower when i was so hungry. i was much hungrier when breastfeeding than when pregnant.

These might be inappropriate but how about:

child bottom of class in test - "i wish i'd been breastfeed"

child covered in eczema - "i wish i'd been breastfeed"

mother already pregnant with small baby "i wish i was still breastfeeding"

How about life-style ones. I.e. daddy playing and bathing baby so that mother can get some lovely sleep, as the 'perfect daddy' knows how important mothers milk is and takes up the supporting role etc.

TBH I'd just rip the past FF ads to shreds by mimicking them. I'd do one with voice overs that say 'do I look unhealthy to you?' giggle giggle (subtitle ff babies suffer with 8 times as many ear infections etc.)

Also, I wouldn't do adverts selling bfing, I'd do public health information ads, highlighing the cons of FF.

what about a mom who formula feeds going out? Shows her getting ready, the bottle, measuring the formula, sterilizing the bottle etc. Gets to car, realizes she forgot bottle or whatever. Voice over: 'breastfeeding. Because life is complicated enough...'

You know, I wish we had adverts that gave useful, practical information about how to breastfeed rather than just promoting it. I think most people realise that breastfeeding is the best option, but loads of people struggle because of all the bloody myths and misinformation about how you actually do it. And it's important that the dads, grandmas etc are educated too.

So my ideal ad would go something like this:

[Shot of ticking clock] Grandma: I really wanted to breastfeed my baby, but they told me I should feed her by the clock, never more than every 4 hours. So my milk dried up.

[Shot of BF baby displaying feeding cues] Mum: Now I know that if I give my baby a feed whenever he asks for one, I'll always make enough milk for him.

Or something along those lines. Maybe a whole series of ads covering different stuff. The ones on latching would be interesting - wonder if they'd let them on before the watershed?

Thet do have adverts encouraging bfing where I am (NZ). They focus on how you can support someone bfing e.g. in one a dad is taking his older kids out to the park as the mum wants a bit of peace and quiet while bfing.

In another the bfing mum is talking to her mum about problems with bfing and the mum is encouraging her and telling her some of the benefits. NOt problems as in "Oh bfing is awful", just kind of "Oh it's a bit hard at first"

There are some others too, just trying to remember them...not sure how needed they are as bf seems very accepted here,though I suppose they are always trying to increase bf rates...

Or how about just showing the wonderful world as I'm pretty sure my dd sees it?picture a land with big boobs for the hilly landscape, with orange monkeys with big smiley faces hanging from the felt trees. Babies riding on the back of bright green and red giraffes galloping across the boobie landscape?
Baby utopia!

theboobmeister - yup my mum wanted to BF me (1974) was told 4 hourly and to limit to 15 mins on each side. By 6 weeks she didn't have enough milk.

With my younger siblings she decided to ignore the HCPs and BF of demand and manage to feed my younger siblings without a problem.

Togarama - that is excellent

There is a great cartoon in "The food of love", the one where you have the ff mum putting together all of her bits for bottle feeding whilst out, and a bfing mum putting her bra on with the caption "Just packing your lunch!".

Definitely something along those lines!

I didn't lose weight when bfing but I reckon that is because I was eating 5,000 extra calories instead of 500

there is one here in NI, can't remember how good it is. all i remember is that the mum is wearing a really dull grey polo neck top. and taht put me off it (the ad, not breastfeeding)

i will try and find it and link.

NI breastfeeding ad

i have no sound so can't hear it but it mustn't be great if i can't remember what it says.

OMG - they are wearing matching t-ahirts

Actually I think it was a sweet advert :)