BOOBS! Is that still how advertising gets your attention?
BOOBS! Got your attention. Isn’t that still too often the issue in advertising and media portrayals of women?
Thankfully this is changing and World Breast Feeding Week feels as good a time as any to look at positive portrayals of boobs in advertising.
So, let’s start with Tommy Tippy and their work to break taboos about breast feeding.
The brand carried out research with over 750 women and found that many first-time mothers feel under-prepared for the realities of feeding. 74% of the women surveyed globally said they feel society overlooks breastfeeding challenges, with half admitting to feeling pressured to breastfeed, even if they struggle to do so. And 56% of women revealed that breastfeeding affected their mental wellness.
The brand created a campaign to empower women to be more confident about feeding and deliver an honest message about its realities.
We applaud the diversity of body types shown and that the brand did not shy away from the ‘unspoken’ harsh realities and difficulties of feeding. This was quite refreshing vs the usual idyllic images of smiling and blissfully content nursing mums and babies. However, while the ad more truthfully mirrored the realities of breast feeding – did it actually present a way to help with the key issue? Obviously legislation around breastfeeding and alternatives is tight but we would have liked to see Tommy Tippy addressing the issues their insight uncovered. How do you actually support women struggling, feeling under pressure or whose mental health is being impacted by breastfeeding. It didn’t feel like the ad attempted to address or ‘normalise’ those taboo feelings – focus was on what is physically happening and for anyone in the thick of it, they don’t particularly need a reminder on any of that! Still good, positive work, celebratory boob work.
An example of a campaign that has sought to drive positive change both in terms of supporting women and positive portrayal is 'Art for Cancer's' quite frankly stunning book and campaign boobsthebook. It praises and honours all types of women and their boobs to raise awareness and money for breast cancer. They describe it best…
"This book is about what boobs symbolize. As an icon, these fascinating, visually striking, biological wonders of cultural importance transcend language, yet throughout history they have often been misunderstood and mishandled. Boobs are the basic symbols of life, freedom, prosperity, joy, safety, sex, independence – not to mention food – and they tirelessly bear the promise of a brighter future. After you finish reading this
book, you may ask yourself, why, is there anything a boob can’t do?"
The book and video use art from over 80 international artists. It feels uplifting and powerful. It’s an answer not a question around the true power of boobs and how and why we should protect, celebrate them and feel great about them.
See the advert below and buy the book here: https://boobsthebook.com/
Finally we wanted to raise awareness of the work of brand Lonely Label, “Lingerie, for women who wear lingerie as a love letter to themselves.”
The brand is built around the insight that women most often buy and wear ‘nice’ lingerie thinking about how a partner or potential partner will want to see their body. Lonely’s belief is that women should buy and wear nice underwear for themselves and it actively targets single women on that basis. Everything about the brand is refreshing and derived from a female perspective and female gaze. The products are both beautiful, comfortable and fit/work well. The photography on the website and in the brand’s advertising celebrates women’s bodies of all types and ages and is done in a unique non sexualised way.
Click on the link to their site below - it’s worth a look!
We would love to hear about other brands doing positive things in this space. Please comment and share work you have seen and liked.
