Here's my 2 cents worth - as a past sales/marketing person.

In my experience - in advertising & sales, perception is more important than
reality.

Ie.  It doesn't matter what the ad exactly said, what is important is what
people THINK the ad said (ie, what they came away with, after seeing the
ad).

The fact that many people think the ad said that breastfeeding makes the
breasts flat, is what is important, not the actual words that are said.

This outcome may the result of the ad's visuals, and the text, combined with
our current culture.  A person's cultural experience will alter the way they
understand the ad.  The fact is, right now, probably the majority of people
are aware of the belief that breastfeeding ruins your breasts, so many
people may "read" the ad in that way.

I have no idea whether Suave intended this effect or not, and I also have no
idea whether this is good for breastfeeding advocacy or not.  Yes, the
visual images of breastfeeding seem to be good.

The fact that this commercial may have gotten people talking about
breastfeeding - is in itself, good for breastfeeding advocacy.  Because, in
the end, we have truth on our side, and in the end the world WILL return to
a breastfeeding society, because it is "RIGHT".


Janice Reynolds
Canada
(former sales and marketing professional, now SAHM)

(this discussion reminds me of the formula ads, that said that they now had
an ingredient (DHA) that was also in breastmilk - and many moms were then
saying that the new formulas - had breastmilk IN THEM.  I don't care if the
ad didn't exactly say that - if enough moms are coming away from the ads
saying that - then that should be reported to the FDA as deceptive
marketing, even if the ad didn't say that).

(Smart companies will always test their ads to see the ACTUAL effect the ad
had on the consumer, they don't just rely on what they wrote in the ad.
They don't assume that the consumer will take that information in, just the
way it was written)

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