Most ads geared toward new moms tend to show the same kinds of images — a loving mother cuddling or fawning over her newborn baby, who coos gently and smiles back as she changes their diaper, gives them a bottle, or lays them down for a nap. In other words, the imagery tends to be motherhood lite, cutting out the messy parts of what really goes down in the days and weeks after giving birth. It was precisely this picture-perfect image that the brand Frida Mom was looking to shatter with its latest commercial — but company officials were shocked when it was rejected from airing during Sunday night's Academy Awards ceremony.
In case you're unfamiliar with it, Frida Mom is the sister brand of Fridababy (aka the company with those super awesome snot suckers moms love).
Although Fridababy is known and loved for its wide range of baby-focused products (in addition to the snot sucker, it also sells a gas passer, a booger wiper, and more for babies), Frida Mom is geared toward … you guessed it: moms.
When it launched last year, Frida Mom billed itself as the postpartum recovery line moms everywhere have been waiting for.
Frida Mom's wide range of postpartum products range from squirt bottles to clean your va-jay to high-waisted mesh underwear.
You know, the kinds of things you definitely need after delivering but may not know to pack in advance. Although these items may be provided by your hospital after your baby has arrived, the truth is the supplies aren't guaranteed and may need to be used long after your hospital stay.
That is why Frida Mom is so long overdue.
This week, however, the brand shared some disappointing news after an ad for its products was rejected from being aired during the Oscars.
Getting a commercial spot during the coveted awards show is a major plus for any brand, particularly because it means that millions of viewers will be tuned in. The folks at Frida likely expected a lot of moms or moms-to-be might be watching, which would work well with the company's demo.
But it seems any hopes they had of that happening have now been dashed.
The ad, which lasts just 1 minute and 35 seconds, shows a new mom at home, just days after giving birth.
She is visibly tired as she lifts herself from bed, and winces as she puts her feet to the ground. As her baby cries in the background, she manages to hobble over to the bathroom, clad in mesh underwear, and sits down to go to the bathroom.
Once there, we see a montage of her in one of her most private moments — going to the bathroom, using a perineal bottle, replacing the pad inside her mesh underwear — and we feel every bit of pain right along with her.
These are the new mom moments they don't tell you about -- the ones that make caring for a newborn even harder, as you struggle to care for yourself.
According to the American College of Gynecology and Obstetrics, vaginal tearing during childbirth is more common than we realize. In fact, it happens in 53 to 79% of vaginal births in the US. Talking about this honestly is decidedly less common, because for some reason it makes us all uncomfortable. Or at least, that's what we're left to wonder after Frida Mom's ad got denied.
On Wednesday, the brand decided to share the commercial on its social channels.
"The ad you’re about to watch was rejected by ABC & the Oscars from airing during this year’s award show," a message at the start of the commercial explained. "It's not 'violent, political' or sexual in nature. Our ad is not 'religious or lewd' and does not portray 'guns or ammunition'. 'Feminine hygiene & hemorrhoid relief' are also banned subjects.
"It’s just a new mom, home with her baby and her new body for the first time," the messaging continued. "Yet it was rejected. And we wonder why new moms feel unprepared. We make products that help women prepare for postpartum recovery. We’re Frida Mom."
The folks at Frida Mom aren't the only ones left confused about what was so "wrong" with the ad.
Plenty of commenters left messages of support for the commercial, and they expressed frustration that it wasn't being aired.
"Thank you for sharing the truth about postpartum recovery," wrote one mom on Facebook. "I'm saddened to hear that ABC and the Oscars rejected this ad. Not only will I be sharing this with my friends AND not watching the Oscars but, I will be sure to make a complaint to ABC & the Oscars about their poor judgment."
"This is SO important," added another mom. "No one tells you about post-delivery! No book covers this! THANK YOU Frida! I've loved you since 2011 with my first and Nose Frida!"
Indeed, the topic of postpartum recovery has stayed a quiet discussion to be held behind closed doors for far too long.
Although ABC has yet to respond over the controversy, Mashable reported that Frida Mom did receive somewhat of an explanation: In a rejection letter, the spot was deemed "too graphic with partial nudity and product demonstration."
"[The letter] also cited ABC's rules against running ads about political candidates and positions, religious or faith-based messages and positions, guns, gun shows, ammunition, feminine hygiene products, adult diapers, condoms, or hemorrhoid remedies during the broadcast," the outlet shared.
Still, it all seems just a bit drastic to us.
As for the "partial nudity," the viewer barely sees anything more than if the mom was wearing a bathing suit, particularly because the entire commercial is shot in low lighting. At the end of the day, it's just showing the realness of the situation. Although that may not be pretty, it certainly isn't lewd.
One thing's for sure: Now that the rejected video is starting to go viral, it's possible that it'll reach the eyeballs it needs in the long run, even if it never makes it to air Sunday. And maybe in some ways, that's even better.
