The story of The Boob Life
The multi-channel campaign was designed to demystify the realities of feeding for new and prospective mums. It hit headlines when it was banned from Facebook for allegedly violating its policies, a decision Tommee Tippee described as “outrageous and hugely offensive”.
Manifest had been tasked by the brand with launching two new products, Tommee Tippee’s breast pads and double breast pumps, as well as raising brand awareness and building brand love.
“We were able to create a response that centred around the problem, not just the solution,” said Chelin. They started with consumer data analysis then conducted more than 400 interviews with parents in the UK, USA and Australia.
“It unearthed a well-known, but unspoken real-world truth – every day, parents are judged for making their preferred choice when it comes to infant feeding.” For the first time ever in the sector, she said, the ideation process was firmly on the mother.
From this, Manifest started work on the campaign messaging and architecture, creative ideation, playbook and execution, enlisting The Gate for TVC and social assets. The final integrated campaign ran in all three countries, showcasing parents’ real stories and creating “a narrative that resonated and gained cut-through with parents, consumers, culture and media everywhere.”
Manifest’s research found that 90% of mothers felt breastfeeding needed to be spoken about more widely, while half cited the stigma of breastfeeding as damaging their mental health.
“We saw real opportunity to change that,” said Chelin, who said the agency wanted to provide a feeling of greater support to mums through the challenges of parenthood.
She said: “The Boob Life started a public conversation to break down stigmas with open and honest views of infant feeding, and encouraged women to make their own choices. The huge response on social, cut-through in the media, and the advert’s shareability among influencers created a positive movement.
“More so, it forced advertising bodies in the three lead markets to review their controversial policies as they cited this important film as ‘indecent due to adult content and excess nudity’. In reality, it just showed breastfeeding mums.”
Results of the groundbreaking campaign
The sector within which The Boob Life ran is one that is usually sanitised, “full of white linens and calming scenes,” said Bec. This is what made the campaign stand out so much, and set it apart from the competition.
She added: “Tommee Tippee challenged the status quo of other brands depicting a ‘perfect’ and unattainable view of parenting. Encouraging more positive cultural and societal views around parenting, The Boob Life was a real turning point for the industry”.
Ultimately, the campaign achieved attention from titles including Marie Claire, Mamamia, Grazia and Adweek, reaching readers numbering more than 16 million. Its results were also striking – driving an increase of 400% in social media engagement for Tommee Tippee.
Chelin said: “Moreover, it started a global conversation. Even now, major advertising bodies are reviewing their policies due to the controversy around the original film being banned online – and it’s all down to The Boob Life.”
When it came down to it, The Boob Life was a worthy winner at the Champions Awards, and Bec said they were “buzzing” to win the award. “The achievement isn’t just a huge testament to the creative team behind this campaign, but the mums who told their raw, uncut stories and helped us drive positive change for parents across the world.”
What advice would Manifest and The Gate Films give other companies hoping to win industry awards for bold and compelling creative? They say it’s about taking judges on a journey, going beyond vanity metrics, and displaying empathy. “If it makes a difference to consumers’ lives – you’ve probably nailed it.”
The Prolific North Champions Awards will be presented at Old Trafford on May 26th. Entries are open until March 17th – see the list of categories and click here to make a submission.
