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Breast Is Best Campaign  

post #1 of 13
2/7/08 at 10:37pm
Thread Starter 
Why is the Breast is Best Campaign driven by formula companies? If it's a campaign to increase breastfeeding in the United States, then why is it that I only hear this slogan alongside the formula coupon that came in the mail?

Why is it that Immunizations are pushed as a public health message, but breastfeeding isn't?
post #2 of 13
2/7/08 at 10:53pm
I think it's becaused "Breast is Best" implies that breastfeeding is "better than average" and formula is "normal" and "good enough."

I can't think of an easy slogan that implies that breastfeeding is "how you feed babies" but we're glad that formula exists so that babies who can't be BF exclusively can still get adequate nutrition, without putting any judgement on moms who honestly need to use formula.
post #3 of 13
2/8/08 at 9:38am
"Babies were born to be breastfed" is a good slogan, but it doesn't address the genuine need for alternatives...
post #4 of 13
2/8/08 at 10:22am
See the link in my siggie for the political reasons for the campaign. Sad.
post #5 of 13
2/8/08 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by menomena View Post
"Babies were born to be breastfed" is a good slogan, but it doesn't address the genuine need for alternatives...
i dont think it needs to address that. everyone who has entered a super market knows formula is widely available if you need it, we dont need more "education" on formula, we need more education and most importantly in our consumer driven age, we need more PROMOTION of breastfeeding, ads if you will.
post #6 of 13
2/8/08 at 7:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by menomena View Post
"Babies were born to be breastfed" is a good slogan, but it doesn't address the genuine need for alternatives...
Actually, "babies were born to be breastfed" is a pretty weak message. "Babies are born to breastfeed" is much stronger.
post #7 of 13
2/8/08 at 8:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by arismama! View Post
i dont think it needs to address that. everyone who has entered a super market knows formula is widely available if you need it, we dont need more "education" on formula, we need more education and most importantly in our consumer driven age, we need more PROMOTION of breastfeeding, ads if you will.
i was aiming that response at ruthla. i think we can hammer home the importance of breastfeeding as a birthright without offending formula feeders. i mean, if you HAVE to feed formula then you have to, and that's that. theoretically, no guilt.

Quote:
Actually, "babies were born to be breastfed" is a pretty weak message. "Babies are born to breastfeed" is much stronger.
yes, yes. i was nak while trying to put undies back on my 2yo after she went potty. i.e. i wasn't 100% paying attention to what i was writing.
post #8 of 13
2/8/08 at 10:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by menomena View Post
yes, yes. i was nak while trying to put undies back on my 2yo after she went potty. i.e. i wasn't 100% paying attention to what i was writing.
Oh, I was NAK too Sorry! I didn't mean you... The campaign slogan really is "Babies were born to be breastfed".
http://www.4women.gov/breastfeeding/...?page=Campaign

It's no better than "breast is best", IMO.
post #9 of 13
2/9/08 at 6:02am
I love that "Watch Your Language" article, MaryJaneLouise.
post #10 of 13
2/9/08 at 8:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pantufla View Post
Oh, I was NAK too Sorry! I didn't mean you... The campaign slogan really is "Babies were born to be breastfed".
http://www.4women.gov/breastfeeding/...?page=Campaign

It's no better than "breast is best", IMO.
Oh dear. It is? I think you're right that using the present tense is way more powerful than past.

I like slogans that assure nursing as the birthright for all babies. All babies deserve a chance to be breastfed. I do understand that there are extenuating circumstances, but I wish every mom would at least try (baring serious contraindications e.g. certain meds).
post #11 of 13
2/9/08 at 2:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by menomena View Post
i think we can hammer home the importance of breastfeeding as a birthright without offending formula feeders. i mean, if you HAVE to feed formula then you have to, and that's that. theoretically, no guilt.
Theoretically yes. The Breast is Best is a campaign that is used not to offend formula feeders. And I believe that it is effective in doing that, not offending. But how effective is it really at encouraging more women to breastfeed? Like the Watch Your Language article, this slogan implies that formula is good enough and who in this world isn't willing to be good enough rather than best?

When you flip around this slogan and say that Formula is Worst and offer reasons why, you offend. So, how are you able to encourage new mommas to breastfeed without offending those who HAVE to formula feed. Because they feel the guilt and lots of it because they are not able to do what is termed BEST for their child. A formula feeder doesn't want to hear the increased risks that their child has for a variety of health issues.
post #12 of 13
2/9/08 at 10:09pm
What better slogan for formula companies to hide under? If they say "Breast is Best" then it softens their public image and people are less likely to criticize them for alterior motives.
post #13 of 13
2/10/08 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by angelpie545 View Post
What better slogan for formula companies to hide under? If they say "Breast is Best" then it softens their public image and people are less likely to criticize them for alterior motives.
Like the tobacco company's publications that help smoker's quit. "You can quit anytime" is the message. Not, "tobacco is addictive and deadly."
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