Just a quick heads up on a new and insidious marketing tactic being employed by Nestle, owner of the Gerber brand of formula. The wonderful Blacktating blog informed us on May 14 of a new type of formula marketing tactic employed by Nestle/Gerber, the House Party. House Party is an internet based mechanism to entice people to host a party for a particular product brand, in this case Gerber formula. Prospective hosts apply on-line at the House Party website, HouseParty.com, and if selected, the host receives free products for themselves and product samples to distribute to their friends, family, and neighbors that they invite to this party (reminiscent of Tupperware parties). Essentially, Nestle/Gerber recruits salespeople who are not hired employees but peers of the targeted market. Guests at this party receive a Gerber insulated backpack filled with numerous coupons and samples of Gerber products. The host receives a box of gifts for herself and samples including infant formula to display for all participants. Hosts are encouraged to take photos of the party and provide (glowing) comments on how much fun they had and how people gushed over Good Start formula. Who has breastfeeding parties?!!!


This is a clever way to put into practice what a growing body of research is showing about how people process information when making decisions, including health decisions for themselves and their family. Research has shown evidence regarding the striking persuasive power of anecdotal comments from friends and family. Even a weakly offhand positive comment about an inferior product has proven more powerful than research-based evidence and statistics. Mothers are putting more stock in what their friends say about formula than they are in what we say about breastfeeding.


This may make it more important for us to consider alternative interventions to mitigate the effect of powerful anecdotal biases. Anecdotal manipulation of health decisions is a powerful marketing tactic for both infant formula manufacturers and for us to consider when helping mothers make infant feeding decisions. Some health providers ask mothers to "think like a scientist" when presented with information on the differences between health outcomes when using infant formula or breastmilk. In other words, the mother is oriented to think in a different manner to make her judgement and decision. Decision aids are also helpful (videos of mothers talking about breastfeeding, visual aids, etc). Counterarguments to formula feeding also include asking mothers to engage in an exercise to orient their thinking to and write down reasons why the reliability of certain types of information might be called into question. Perhaps we need to direct mothers' thinking in a different manner when talking about breastfeeding, supplementation, and the use of infant formula.


It is so frustrating to me to work with mothers and see them make inferior choices based on what their friends tell them. These house parties represent yet another perfect example of marketing research at its finest. It makes me wonder if we need to really take a closer look at changing the way we approach how we present information to mothers regarding infant feeding. The hours we spend talking about the health benefits can be completely undone at a house party where other mothers gush over how great formula has been to their life. To read the entire blog on house parties see:http://www.blacktating.com/2010/05/new-nestle-who-code-violation.html


Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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