Ingham County Health Department

Breastfeeding can be a fraught topic and a difficult challenge for many families. Further, misinformation and misperceptions can hinder, rather than support, new moms in their breastfeeding efforts. So it was important that our campaign for the Ingham County Health Department both empower families to start and continue breastfeeding, as well as change community perception.

We talked to a lot of moms, and (no surprise) they hated being judged for their feeding choices—breast or bottle. It was also apparent that much of the existing breastfeeding messaging felt aspirational and artificial. Our campaign message took a more down-to-earth tone to better reflect the realities of breastfeeding. Clever headlines also reinforcing to the casual viewer that breastfeeding in public is legal, healthy, and normal.

Photography of nursing families in our community added an authenticity stock photos could never achieve, and brought real-life advocates and role models to the conversation. And wow, was there conversation. Billboards sparked a public debate that immediately spread throughout social media and garnered earned media. Better yet, inquiries for breastfeeding support increased for the client immediately, which means more women and families are getting the support they need to successfully breastfeed. Win!