On Sun, 7 Dec 2003 05:51:07 EST, Valerie W, McClain <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

 I have never seen an ad by a particular
>infant formula company that compares itself against another infant
formula.  I
>don't watch alot of TV so I may have missed that media.  But in print
media, I
>have never read an ad by an infant formula company that specifically states
>that their product is better than another infant formula company's.  If
you could
>point me in the direction of the ads you have seen where this is done, I'd
>like to see them.

Nestle ABMs have a TV ad (usually during Discovery/TLC's channel's and
Discovery Health Channels  "Baby Story" or "Birthday" or "Maternity Ward"
shows, of course) which talk about their "comfort proteins" and how
other "standard formulas" are not "broken down into comfort proteins." (I
usually get so upset watching these shows,and the way the laboring mamas
are treated, and the LACK of breastfeeding on ALL these Nestle sponsored
shows, along with the commercials, that I have to turn it off before I blow
a gasket!)  They used to say "Breast is best." with no details, but in the
short version of the commercial, they don't even do this.


>val also said:
>>How do you fight industries that makes billions of dollars?

THAT is the billion dollar question. I wish we had the money that these
companies (along with the dairy industry with which they are aligned) to do
the same type of promotions. As well the clout to influence not only news
stories, but TV shows like the ones listed above. All of which are
decidedly anti-breastfeeding. I have talked to several women who were on
these shows and almost all of them were discouraged against breastfeeding
on camera. With "we don't want you embarrassed" as the reason. (You just
had about 5 pelvics filmed and had your birth talked about and filmed, how
could BF now be "embarressing" now?) The few who DID BF for the camera
never saw that footage on the final cut. This is the DESIGN of these shows,
believe me!

Val, you also said you thought the companies were not in competition with
each other. I think they are. They do fight for rights to exclusively stock
nurseries in hospitals, and they send out MORE free ABM to moms who fill
out their forms saying they will BF, as they know mothers who previously
BF, and switch to formula will be more brand loyal and also more likely to
use ABM for the entire first year. I do think they are in competition with
each other, but also in competition with BF.

Still fuming and trying to calm down. (At the ABM companies, not at you :))

Mary Jozwiak IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, AAPL
Private Practice

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