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Swehl wants to be known for more than recent events.<\/p>\n
Over the last few weeks, the lifestyle brand, which provides tools and resources for breastfeeding, was embroiled in the latest example of the double standard in depictions of women\u2019s bodies in advertising after a campaign image of cook and recipe developer Molly Baz holding lactation cookies over her bra with the tagline, \u201cJust add milk,\u201d was pulled by Clear Channel, the company powering the billboard. (The ad eventually returned to Times Square after the probiotics brand Seed donated a portion of its billboard to Swehl.)<\/p>\n
In response to the controversy, one marketer wrote in Adweek that \u201cadvertisements from brands like Skims and Michael Kors routinely showcase women\u2019s bodies in a decidedly sexual context\u201d in Times Square, and Baz herself took to Instagram to write that it\u2019s okay to \u201cbring on the lingerie so long as it satiates the male gaze.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elizabeth Myer, co-founder of Swehl, told us that she and her co-founder Betsy Riley \u201cdidn\u2019t want Swehl to become something that was overshadowed by this narrative of lactation cookies or controversy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, she wants to capitalize on the momentum to bring attention to topics like breastfeeding education, parental community building, and women\u2019s rights issues like bodily autonomy and paid federal leave\u2014something that she said feels doable based on the outpouring of support the brand has received since the original ad was taken down.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s really transpired since then feels, to us, like more of a movement almost,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting for us to get to see breastfeeding become part of the national zeitgeist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though Swehl is just a year old, this isn\u2019t the first time it has faced these types of challenges. Myer told us that the brand, which counts just her and Riley as its only full-time employees, has run into issues on platforms like Instagram before it was categorized as a breastfeeding brand\u2014an experience that other brands, like Frida, have also reported.<\/p>\n
In the case of the Baz ad, Myer said that they tried to think through every detail so that the image wouldn\u2019t be flagged as inappropriate, including making Baz\u2019s rhinestone bra visible to avoid a potential nudity clause violation.<\/p>\n
While it wasn\u2019t enough to keep the original billboard up, Myer told us that she and Riley \u201cdon\u2019t think that this is reflective of [Clear Channel\u2019s] ethos at large,\u201d adding that \u201cmen and women from everywhere have ultimately been really supportive\u2026in pointing out the hypocrisy.\u201d Clear Channel did not respond to Marketing Brew\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n
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To date, Swehl has spent zero dollars on ad placements, Myer said. The original Times Square ad featuring Baz was free as part of an agreement with financial service company Brex, she said, and the replacement was a gift from Seed. Since then, Myer said the brand has been gifted even more OOH ad space by \u201clots of parents\u201d in Philadelphia, LA, and NYC, broadening the reach of what was originally supposed to be a quick Mother\u2019s Day campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Seed] really spearheaded this ultimate gesture for us,\u201d Myer said. \u201cWe had so many brands and people come and reach out to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ara Katz, co-founder and co-CEO of Seed, told us that the brand saw a lot of support from other brands when it stepped in to offer its billboard spot, which to her was a sign of \u201chow much we all really want to see these messages amplified in the world\u201d in terms of women\u2019s representation in ads.<\/p>\n
Myer said that Swehl has seen an increase in the number of brand partners interested in working with it in recent weeks, and has also tracked growth in traffic and in DTC sales. Both Myer and Katz said Swehl and Seed, respectively, have received a lot of earned media attention as a result.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething that we were thinking of a lot after [the ad] was taken down is that a controversy of this nature would typically also come with a wave of negative press,\u201d Myer said. \u201cAnd it didn\u2019t for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s next for Swehl as the controversy dies down? Myer said the brand plans to start putting paid spend behind its marketing as it gets ready to release its \u201cnext few SKUs,\u201d as well as a new subscription series. Swehl is also getting ready to make its first full-time hire as it continues to host events (like \u201chot mom walks\u201d) around the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel like the events of the past several weeks just solidify that we have a message and product that not only resonates but is really needed by this generation of parents,\u201d Myer said. \u201cWe feel really emboldened on our mission.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n