Still being subjected to the cow and gate ad.

[LookingForwardToSummer]

Grrrrr. It's so annoying! Is there nothing we can do?

Well, it's nothing more than you deserve

I like the way you presume that people here arent dedicating their time on battling the beasts that are Nestle and Wyeth.

hf, why isn't this part of the campaign?

MN has thousands of readers.

Why wouldn't we be posting?

Am i right in thinking that you are now saying that you do care...and that essentially you are on our side?

go figure...

oops lots of erroneous punctuation marks there

It isn't part of a real campaign because it is a forum - some of which can be directed towards the wrong audience.

For a campaign to be successful you have to win over the hearts and minds of those at the heart of the operation.

That is where your efforts must be directed.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

ElfontheShelf

Earlier on you said that you did not have the believability gene to be persuaded by advertisments, such as Formula ads - implying you got your information from another source and let the advertisements wash over you.

Later on you have equated information with advertisements. How can it be both ways? Scoffing at those who are taken in by adverts and saying it is unlikely to happen and then defending the formula milk advertisements because you say they provide information.

hf - raising awareness on parenting sites is part of the action. I am also aware that many of us here are active in other ways too. There are a number of posts here which describe the action individuals have taken.

Read the thread properly, why doncha? And stop making assumptions that threads on mumsnet is the only place posters are active.

forums (or fora for the dedicated pedants) are excellent places to start campaigns - a perfect arena for discussion of the issues, sharing information and knowledge so that others who were previously in ignorance of the important issues are more informed and can choose to take action, that they otherwise might not have realised was necessary.

Or they could sit on their bums and remain informed but do nothing else about it.

Or they could just whinge at other people on the forum/discussion/chat thread.

Choices, choices.

"It isn't part of a real campaign because it is a forum - some of which can be directed towards the wrong audience"

Who counts as the 'wrong audience' then?

"For a campaign to be successful you have to win over the hearts and minds of those at the heart of the operation."

No you don't. Nobody ever won over the hearts and minds of formula executives. Public anger over their appalling marketing strategies in developing countries (and here) and the legal action that followed forced them to change their behaviour. Unfortunately there's still a way to go, partly because consumers and health professionals have become complacent over this issue. Alerting ordinary mums to the dishonest behaviour of these companies is absolutely crucial - this is about raising awareness in the general population, and boards like this are a great place to start.

Incidentally, I have been contacted by Belinda Phipps, the CEO of the NCT, who is attending a big meeting with representatives of the formula industry at the Food Standards Agency this week. She has promised to raise this issue at the meeting.

Good post, sabire. Incredibly naive to think that the shareholders of these massive corporations will permit a voluntary restriction on marketing because we have somehow won over their hearts and minds....it is a waste of time trying to persuade companies to change their marketing practices and the only thing that has been shown to work in these instances is legislation.

were it not for MN, i would not have bf for more than 2 wks as the 'help' from HV and MW was rubbish.

were it not for MN I would still be blithely unaware of Infant feeding and its political, and economic dimensions.

were it not for MN I would not have trained as a mother supporter with a bfing charity.

were it not for MN I could also look completely ignorant and spout utter tripe and be breathtakingly proud to do so.

hf223598745812§1138

You have no idea what most of us do or don't do.

Just because we also post on here, does not mean that we don't do other things.

Have you read Hunker's blog?

Have you seen my thread about the Breastfeeding Picnic?

Have you heard of Nursing Matters?

Have you seen the massive amounts of support that Tiktok gives to anyone who needs it?

My what?

Yes to all 4.

Gosh...you've heard of Nursing Matters? Terribly impressed now (not many people have - it was a bit of a trick question!)

Hunker - we still on for next Wed?

then what, exactly is your beef here hf?

why are you so determined to tell us that we are all unintilligent, misguided uncomprehending idiots?

you say (I think) that you care about the issues regarding formula marketing. What are you doing about it?

Or have you pencilled in tea and a cosy chat with the MD of C&G for next Thursday to win over his heart and mind?

Instead of telling us we are all stupid, add something reasoned and sensible to the debate....or do as others have already suggested.

hf have you seen the threads on here where ffing mothers are angry at Heinz over the Farley's issue and are venting about the rational etc about the price hike?

hf, still not clear what you think we ought to be doing? And why we ought to do those things instead of posting about it on here?

UD, yep, can still do next Wed

I agree with youngbutnotdumb. Its the same everytime with a ff vs bf thread. Same old, same old...

IT'S NOT FF VS BF!

It's about information and support, so that people can make a properly informed choice.

It's a discussion of the ethics of advertising and how bf is still seen by some to be less than normal.

I've learnt lots and have also found out somethings that I can do.

I'm a bit of a radio 4 addict and don't remember hearing anything on 'Woman's Hour' or 'You and Yours' about bf and UKs low rates . I'm tempted to email and suggest it as a topic. Is that a good idea?

carmenelectra, if you have nothing positive to add.........

and has has already been pointed out....this is NOT FF vs BF ffs...read the bloody thread

LFTS....I'm sure they've talked about BFing in the past, but perhaps not the advertising controversy, it;s worht a shot.

As an aside, I caught the last minute of the One Show on the beeb last night and they seemed to be winding up a conversation about BFing...the lady presenter mentioned something about being a worrywort about BFing, and one of the guests (Esther Rantzen, no less) said BFing gives you warts ...then they cut to the credits. I was only half listening so not sure what it was about but I was truly gobsmacked at her comment.

"Same old, same old... "

The 'same old, same old...." is your reaction to an intelligent debate about formula marketing.

No i havent got anything intelligent to add. Its just boring. Same people saying the same thing.

Thank you for coming on and making it more interesting, then, carmen.

Good job we have you to show us the error of our ways, isn't it