Copyranter cowers:
The ad, part of the Louisville mayor's Healthy Hometown initiative, aims to—not scare the living crap out of African-American moms—but to boost breastfeeding among them. If it achieves that goal, I will eat my words (washed down with cow's milk). Sometimes with this job, the only thing to say is: What were people thinking?
Especially since the ad addresses a real problem:
According to the Centers for Disease Control, African American women initiated breastfeeding at much lower rates than Caucasian women and other women of color.
Only 60% of African American babies have even been given breast milk, compared to 77% for Caucasians, 81% for Latinos, and 83% for Asian Americans. This gap between African American mothers and other ethnic groups widens even more as babies get older. At six months, only 28% of African Americans were exclusively breastfeeding compared to 45% of Caucasians, 46% of Latinos and 56% of Asian Americans. …
Research shows definitive benefits for infants who breastfed. Compared to their formula-fed peers, children who are breastfed have fewer incidents of upper respiratory infections, diarrhea, sudden infant death syndrome, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood leukemia. Additionally, women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.
Update from a reader, who is also creeped out:
It's the TEETH.
The photoshopped talking mouth has a full set of TEETH. Anybody who has breastfed a baby knows that it's easier before the teeth come in. The idea of a little cutie with a full set of adult choppers is truly creepy.
The Dish 