My letter to hulu

[TopHat]

So I was watching hulu when an advertisement for Similac's "Advance Early Shield" formula came on. I wrote up and sent them an email. I thought I'd share it here because I always need help with wording letters and thought people might benefit from seeing one. Of course, if you have suggestions for things to add, let me know- I'm sure this won't be the last company I write to about breastfeeding advertisements!

My husband and I are longtime watchers of hulu. We don't have cable or satellite so hulu is our main source for television. I think it is great that you offer a way for television shows and movies to be watched with minimal advertising. We don't normally mind watching the 30 second commericials before and during our show. Today, however, I did find one advertisement in poor taste: An advertisement for Similac formula. Not once in the advertisement did it mention that breastmilk is the superior infant food.

Our country is really struggling with breastfeeding rates- lack of breastfeeding costs the country billions of dollars (http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/FANRR13/). We are pitifully behind the goal to achieve an initial breastfeeding rate of 75%, and 50% at 6 months as outlined here: http://www.healthypeople.gov/documen...ives/16-19.htm.

The advertising of breastmilk substitutes has been found by the United Nation's World Health Organization to be so detrimental to breastfeeding rates that they created what is known as the "International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes" and can be found here: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publica...de_english.pdf.

The advertising of breastmilk substitutes undermines the health of the American population. Please consider the impact on this nation's health in your decision to run these ads. I really enjoy the television your site offers, but I am definitely reconsidering whether or not I continue to frequent your site.

I wanted to keep the letter short and to the point, so I didn't mention the specifics of what I found upsetting about the ad (use of baby in the advertisement, no mention that "Breastmilk is the superior infant food", advertising leading people to believe the formula has disease-fighting abilities). I was afraid if I went into that direction, I'd be rambling.

Comments? Concerns? Obscenities?

[leaveit2beeker]

I've never seen an actual tv ad for formula, and I'm very surprised to see one run on 'internet tv'. Good for you for writing! I think it sounds fine.

Long ago I wanted to write to ABC/Extreme Makeover Home Edition/Ty Pennington about his endorsement of the mentioned Similac, but I lost steam. My ds was itty bitty then...

I also find it mighty interesting that their 'tv' ads don't mention breastmilk is superior but print ads do...hmmm...

[TopHat]

I was really surprised, too! Maybe saying "Breastmilk is the best food for babies" is too much in 30 seconds.

[lness]

My guess is: They don't mention because they don't have to. Internet ads (and other content) are far less regulated than print & TV.
That said, your letter puts your point across pretty well to me, although personally I would have gone ahead with some of the details you said you left out.

[TopHat]

I left out the details because I figured hulu is just unaware of the public health issue of formula advertising. They didn't make the ad themselves- just aired it. I just wanted to bring the issue to their attention. Similac is the one responsible for the bad advertisement, not hulu. I tried to see hulu as a middle party who is being duped by the company just like we are.

[GoestoShow]

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Edited by GoestoShow - 12/13/10 at 10:13am

[TopHat]

I'm sorry- bad choice of words and not enough explanation. For the most part, I don't think people consider the affects of marketing on public health. I don't think most people see ads like that and think, "Wow. Imagine what that ad will do to the resolve of women trying to breastfeed! How awful!" I think most people just go, "Oh look, another ad." We see ads all the time and don't consider the social effects. I'm guessing hulu saw Similac's request for ad space and said, "Ok... Another company who wants to pay us to show their ads, great!" instead of thinking, "Hmm... This ad might have detrimental effects on the health of America, let's think about this..." A lot of times we just see ads that way and don't think, "Wait. This can hurt people!" "Wait- that's offensive to ____" "Wait. That's prejudiced!" A lot of the time we just accept advertising as not really harmful, no big deal. The entire marketing industry gives off that vibe and we accept it. That's what I meant by "duped." Advertising can be harmful: prejudiced, undermining of our confidences, and in this case can have negative affects on health, but we don't recognize or see it because we're conditioned not to.

And I do think advertising is that powerful- I don't think the WHO would have created the Code of Marketing Breast-milk substitutes if there wasn't a real reason to- marketing DOES have an effect. Studies have shown that this does undermine the resolve to breastfeed.

[weliveintheforest]

It's a good letter, but I might switch the middle two paragraphs around, and be sure to mention the formula company is not following the WHO code.

[Youngfrankenstein]

[QUOTE=GoestoShow;14366001
I also want to add that I believe that advertising is not all that powerful.[/QUOTE]

If their methods didn't work, they wouldn't spend money using them. I agree with you in part that I don't salivate and run after anything I see on TV, but ads DO work.

[Bea]

Originally Posted by GoestoShow

*Ahem.* I happen to use that formula, and I don't consider myself to be "duped" in the least.

That said, I think your letter is fine.

I also want to add that I believe that advertising is not all that powerful. I see ads for Macy's on tv all the time. But I never shop there. I see ads for SUVs constantly. I don't own one. I see ads for cord blood banking. We didn't bank any. I just don't believe that advertising in of itself is the problem.

I respectfully disagree. Advertising isn't going to make you run and buy something you have no use or need of like an SUV but if you're in the market for a new car, for example, you bet your butt you sit up and watch those commercials. You ogle the shiny vehicles, note the MPG, crash test ratings, interior set up and space etc. Same with Macy's when they're having a one day sale on bedding and you need new sheets...with an extra 10% off before 12pm!!

The infant formula commercials, whether type media or electronic, are misleading in their content and designed to make formula feeding appear to be equal to breastfeeding. If a pregnant women (or expectant father, grandparents etc) are watching, and believe their hype (and hey, it said it on TV/internet/magazine, it must be true) it undermines nursing from all sorts of angles. From a lack of family support ('just give him a bottle of formula, it's like breast milk') to it calling Mom's name from a supermarket shelf after 2 weeks with a newborn and 10 minutes sleep + cracked nipples ('Buy me, I'm the closest formula to breast milk').

It's one of the reasons you don't see cigarette advertising on tv, so as not to glamorise it and promote a unhealthy product.

[alacrity]

Did you get a response from hulu?

I did when I wrote them about it and all they said was that some of their advertising will offend some viewers and that is how it goes.

[anj_rn]

I wrote a similar letter two weeks ago, with no reply as of yet. I did receive an acknowledgement that the letter was received. I actually find it slightly ironic that the only time I watch hulu is while I am pumping at 3 am. I stuck to the basics, and emphasized that the formula company was not following WHO guidelines, which might open hulu up to liability.

[proudmomof4]

Originally Posted by Bea

I respectfully disagree. Advertising isn't going to make you run and buy something you have no use or need of like an SUV but if you're in the market for a new car, for example, you bet your butt you sit up and watch those commercials. You ogle the shiny vehicles, note the MPG, crash test ratings, interior set up and space etc. Same with Macy's when they're having a one day sale on bedding and you need new sheets...with an extra 10% off before 12pm!!

The infant formula commercials, whether type media or electronic, are misleading in their content and designed to make formula feeding appear to be equal to breastfeeding. If a pregnant women (or expectant father, grandparents etc) are watching, and believe their hype (and hey, it said it on TV/internet/magazine, it must be true) it undermines nursing from all sorts of angles. From a lack of family support ('just give him a bottle of formula, it's like breast milk') to it calling Mom's name from a supermarket shelf after 2 weeks with a newborn and 10 minutes sleep + cracked nipples ('Buy me, I'm the closest formula to breast milk').

It's one of the reasons you don't see cigarette advertising on tv, so as not to glamorise it and promote a unhealthy product.

'Nuff said!

[AXEius]

when i was a teenager I was certain that people were "to smart" to be controlled by the media and advertising. That violent video games had no affect on people other than improving their hand eye coordination (During the mortal kombat era of video games). Then i started to look around me and the other high school kid who as soon as Mtv told them what their hair should look like and what clothes they should wear, the lack of respect for other people, girls shaving their vulvas because hair was "gross down their" When just 5 years earlier it was perfectly ok to have pubic hair even in Play boy. Girls who admittedly only acted "bi-sexual" because mtv told them that was what boys liked. Boys who thought that women with natural perky breasts were gross because they weren't as perky as stripper implants. These are all extremes but just think of the many small things in life that people could easily be persuaded to do and buy.I will be thirty early next year and i have seen very little of others that shows me they are not much more than teenagers who are 10 years older with full time jobs and now have the "inconvenience" of children. I have no doubt that if you replaced all the mcdonalds commercials that are on t.v. starting today, with breastfeeding commercials that supported breast feeding to 1 year minimum, in 5 years breast feeding to 1 year would go up over 300 percent. The food industry spends Billions of dollars per year on advertising, probably enough to FEED the world instead of advertise to them. They don't spend that money because advertising doesn't work. IT Does. There is no money to be made in breast feeding, so in a capitalistic / consumerist society there is no reason to advertise breastfeeding.