Underhand tactics - formula companies

[Wobbles]

On the subject of advertising, it's not as straightforward as a veggie wanting to eat a burger - it's all about product placement and brand awareness. Before I became pregnant if you'd asked me who made infant formular I would have said SMA or Aptimil, and when we decided to combo feed guess what we used...

We started on SMA but it wasn't because of the TV advert, I knew it had been around for years used by many members of the family and known of by the grandparents, etc. and all that did was sway my decision on which brand not my decision of which method in the first place.

Again not gullible that I listened to an advert to 'how' I was going to feed my children. I walked into having my first child changing my mind through my whole pregnancy again nothing but me was the cause of that.

x

That's the reason I chose SMA.. My mum fed me it and OH's mum fed him it. My mum fed my brother C&G but he was milk intolerant but had a bad reaction to it so didn't want to give her that incase she reacted. But yeah the main reason I chose the brand I did was because it's well known on both sides of the family

Brand loyalty built up over years of advertising?

Oh come on, is there need to nit-pick at everything we all hear of something through someone this was just MY family, MY reason, nothing unhealthy or hard to understand. I do believe SMA was the original formula milk in that case that would be why? Although I could be wrong it does seems SMA was more known (if not the only known) back in the day (which my family tree goes back too obviously).

Wasn't SMA around before the television was launched?! Could be wrong but from my understanding SMA specifically has been around for 90 years and (after now searching for it) the TV in the UK was introduced 1929+.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_introduction_of_television_in_countries
Good advertising scandal

Although I have no idea about other brand names of formula milk (when they were manufactured) and didn't care much to look.

 

[Wobbles]

I may be wrong, so please correct me if so, but I think one of the main objections to my suggestion that this kind of advertisement should be banned is that many feel that SMA (and other companies) should be allowed to advertise their first milk? And, of course, you're entitled to your opinion. FWIW, I also think they should be able to advertise it with a similar disclaimer.."Although breastfeeding is recommended for your baby for first six months of life, we have developed a formula milk for when this is not possible. Please consult your health professional before you use our product." Or something similar. (Having said that, the ad should be information focussed and not make out that FF is easier or more convenient than BF - just that it is an alternative).

I'm only really replying back because you quoted me or I'd have seen it as a general comment to the thread.

I have shortened the quoted post as you see to actually confirm I don't disagree. I think there's a lot in this thread that makes sense ...just because I did formula feed my children doesn't mean I'm against the importance of breast milk, in fact BabyandBump has taught me a lot and maybe if the forum was as big as it is now it could have changed the method I did (one of the two), apart from here I was definitely clueless but that was no fault of an advert. Focus should be on providing more information on both options not just one and allowing the parent to make an informed decision but instead the whole world (not just one company) makes the divide.

 

[smokey]

On the subject of advertising, it's not as straightforward as a veggie wanting to eat a burger - it's all about product placement and brand awareness. Before I became pregnant if you'd asked me who made infant formular I would have said SMA or Aptimil, and when we decided to combo feed guess what we used...

We started on SMA but it wasn't because of the TV advert, I knew it had been around for years used by many members of the family and known of by the grandparents, etc. and all that did was sway my decision on which brand not my decision of which method in the first place.

Again not gullible that I listened to an advert to 'how' I was going to feed my children. I walked into having my first child changing my mind through my whole pregnancy again nothing but me was the cause of that.

x

That's the reason I chose SMA.. My mum fed me it and OH's mum fed him it. My mum fed my brother C&G but he was milk intolerant but had a bad reaction to it so didn't want to give her that incase she reacted. But yeah the main reason I chose the brand I did was because it's well known on both sides of the family

Brand loyalty built up over years of advertising?

Oh come on, is there need to nit-pick at everything we all hear of something through someone this was just MY family, MY reason, nothing unhealthy or hard to understand. I do believe SMA was the original formula milk in that case that would be why? Although I could be wrong it does seems SMA was more known (if not the only known) back in the day (which my family tree goes back too obviously).

Wasn't SMA around before the television was launched?! Could be wrong but from my understanding SMA specifically has been around for 90 years and (after now searching for it) the TV in the UK was introduced 1929+.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_introduction_of_television_in_countries
Good advertising scandal

Although I have no idea about other brand names of formula milk (when they were manufactured) and didn't care much to look.

Didnt you know wobbles, tv was invented to advertise (well thats what it feels like somtimes)

 

[Rach27]

Absolutely agree Wobbles, which was I why I made the post in the first place. More support across the board is what's needed.

 

[Wobbles]

Haha I wonder what year adverts started if not immediately. I took a curious approach to it is all because of the 'brand awareness passed down', everything starts somewhere SMA has been known for years I can't help that. Like you said on the other page ..passed down from personal exerience nobody who used SMA is going to say "I moved onto cow and gate" especially if it didn't exist (?) I think most of my family BF tbh my Mums side of girls definitely did and SMA was the follow-on.

 

[Eve]

Unless you read a lot of baby magazines or watch a lot of baby programmes on the TV there really isn't that many formula ads on the scale of things. I can only think of 2 (that horrible Aptamil ad and the laughing baby... and you don't see them that often)Your family using something or seeing your friends using something and them liking it is far more convincing then some ad.

You should watch tv here... I'm bombarded! I'm watching make room for multiples right now and every commercial in between is about formula, diapers etc... this one is on like 10 times a day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1druswHrqo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Cro1mho_Y

There is another one for enfamil with a "doctor" going on about how good it is etc... with no mentions of breasmilk/breastfeeding. It's crazy here!

 

[Wobbles]

Absolutely agree Wobbles, which was I why I made the post in the first place. More support across the board is what's needed.

We're always open to suggestions (assuming you mean BabyandBump when you the board).

 

[Wobbles]

You should watch tv here... I'm bombarded! I'm watching make room for multiples right now and every commercial in between is about formula, diapers etc... this one is on like 10 times a day!

There is another one for enfamil with a "doctor" going on about how good it is etc... with no mentions of breasmilk/breastfeeding. It's crazy here!

Are the laws different to the UK on this topic of advertising?

 

[Wobbles]

Haha I wonder what year adverts started if not immediately. I took a curious approach to it is all because of the 'brand awareness passed down', everything starts somewhere SMA has been known for years I can't help that. Like you said on the other page ..passed down from personal exerience nobody who used SMA is going to say "I moved onto cow and gate" especially if it didn't exist (?) I think most of my family BF tbh my Mums side of girls definitely did and SMA was the follow-on.

The USA's first television advertisement was broadcast July 1, 1941. The watchmaker Bulova paid $4 for a placement on New York station WNBT before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. The 10-second spot displayed a picture of a clock superimposed on a map of the United States, accompanied by the voice-over "America runs on Bulova time."

The first TV ad broadcast in the UK was on ITV on 21 September 1955, advertising Gibbs S.R Toothpaste.

I found the answer ...I'm sure of no interest but I was curious!

$4 though, wonder how much the same advert would cost now

 

[Eve]

You should watch tv here... I'm bombarded! I'm watching make room for multiples right now and every commercial in between is about formula, diapers etc... this one is on like 10 times a day!

There is another one for enfamil with a "doctor" going on about how good it is etc... with no mentions of breasmilk/breastfeeding. It's crazy here!

Are the laws different to the UK on this topic of advertising?

Obviously here, the advertising isn't banned on infant formula at all. It's funny though as they don't even mention being a substitute for breastmilk... I don't think adverts should be banned... but truthful and honest yes... and this one makes it seem just as good as breastmilk, which isn't true.

 

[Wobbles]

I think I knew that but wanted to confirm, I guess this is one of the reasons this subject can be a bit upsy down when you mix in UK and US/CA on the same thread.

Gone alright though this one, we should have a BabyandBump records list

 

[Tiff]

I'm in Canada too and I've never seen a Formula advertisement that didn't have any sort of disclaimer that Breastmilk is the better choice between the two.

But as I mentioned before, even having that disclaimer has upset/irritated women who couldn't breastfeed and felt that it was being "rubbed in their faces" and having the company "mock" them for being unable to BF. Again, there is no way that both sides of this situation for everyone to be happy.

 

[Eve]

Isn't that the truth... no matter what, someone will be unhappy about things.

 

[MissBroody]

I know this thread isn't talking about the original topic anymore but I just wanted to add an observation!! I just turned on the TV and funny enough there was an SMA advert on - advertising their toddler milk. At the end of the advert I noticed a way they've tried getting around the law to advertise the baby's milk. They show a chalk drawing of a maths sum and say ''SMA, We've got the formula'' Totally irrelevant to toddler milk, but a veiled reminder that they also make FORMULA. Without this thread I would never have noticed - so not the power of advertising for me, the power of BnB
xx

Toddler milk is Formula? It comes in the same tubs and is powder that still has to be mixed the same as 0-1yr formula.

Ok to be more clear then, the formula for young babies that they're not allowed to advertise

Whats with the I was only saying that the toddler milk is formula so it is not totally irrelevant to what they are advertising.

I forgot to add that the irrelevant bit is the maths. What has a maths equation got to do with toddler milk? It was just a sneaky way of getting the word formula in there and reminding the audience that they also make formula for under 1's.

 

[Rach27]

Absolutely agree Wobbles, which was I why I made the post in the first place. More support across the board is what's needed.

We're always open to suggestions (assuming you mean BabyandBump when you the board).

LOL I wasn't. I was being generic! I think the support here is fantastic (outside of the BF vs FF debates!)

 

[BlackBerry25]

I am in Canada, and I only see one formula commercial and it is on an American channel. *shrug*

I am the same as you Tiff. I wasn't swayed by an ad in a baby booklet or the free stuff. I took it and gave it to the food bank.

 

[smokey]

Absolutely agree Wobbles, which was I why I made the post in the first place. More support across the board is what's needed.

We're always open to suggestions (assuming you mean BabyandBump when you the board).

LOL I wasn't. I was being generic! I think the support here is fantastic (outside of the BF vs FF debates!)

To be fair though I dont think there is much problem with our bf v ff debates in themselves, I think its when people start to try to get sly digs in or delibratly try to upset people that it can go a bit pair shape on bothsides.

I think as long as people stick to ideas of "think before you type" and "have an oppinion but dont force it on people" then all can go rather well.
Everyones entittled to an oppinion but its how you present it that counts.

 

[smokey]

I am in Canada, and I only see one formula commercial and it is on an American channel. *shrug*

I am the same as you Tiff. I wasn't swayed by an ad in a baby booklet or the free stuff. I took it and gave it to the food bank.

On that note somthing I learnt the other day is apparently its also illegal to send formula to third world countries, its covered under the same promoting of breast milk laws.
Now that I dothink is silly seen as most of these babies have lost their mothers or the mothers are too malnurished to be able to bf isnt it more important to feed them and keep them alive.

 

[Tiff]

I am in Canada, and I only see one formula commercial and it is on an American channel. *shrug*

I am the same as you Tiff. I wasn't swayed by an ad in a baby booklet or the free stuff. I took it and gave it to the food bank.

On that note somthing I learnt the other day is apparently its also illegal to send formula to third world countries, its covered under the same promoting of breast milk laws.
Now that I dothink is silly seen as most of these babies have lost their mothers or the mothers are too malnurished to be able to bf isnt it more important to feed them and keep them alive.

Something that I learned while researching formula is that in many of the 3rd world countries clean water is an issue. So breastfeeding is even more encouraged there as the LOs can get very sick if the formula was mixed with contaminated water.

So sad though. I imagine orphanages get formula... or maybe they do wet nurses? I'm not sure... either way I feel horrible for the conditions that they live in over there.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

Smokey - i wonder if that's because of the nestle 'issue'

Wobbles - i love the idea of a record book for babyandbump! There was a thread the other day about who has had the biggest baby ever on bnb. Would be awesome