The Campaign

Results from the Health Promotion Board’s National Breastfeeding Survey 2011 in Singapore showed that nine out of 10 mothers know that breastfeeding is the best form of nourishment for new-borns but just 50 per cent continue to breastfeed exclusively after being discharged from the hospital. Some challenges faced were the misconceptions about breastfeeding among women in Singapore which act as psychological barriers to adopting it for their babies. Key to helping mothers overcome belief barriers surrounding breastfeeding is tapping on lactation experts, doctors, nurses and mothers who have experienced breastfeeding, to influence the decision to breastfeed early on in pregnancy and encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies after delivery in the hospital. Leveraging Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August, Philips AVENT undertook a series of activities in Singapore to engage with these influencers and acknowledge the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) – a global initiative by WHO and UNICEF that is being adopted in Singapore.

The Brief

The aim of the campaign was to educate mothers and mothers-to-be on the benefits of breastfeeding, positioning Philips AVENT as a key advocate of breastfeeding and a brand that cares about the health and well-being of mothers and children. Philips AVENT also wanted to deepen its engagement with its panel of mother-and-child healthcare experts and the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group (BMSG). In addition, target audiences of the campaign also included healthcare professionals and institutions in recognition of their influence as caregivers who will be able to back up Philips AVENT’s claim for the need for better education about breastfeeding.

Results

The public seminar on breastfeeding organised by Philips was attended by over 200 mothers alongside their husbands, was the largest turn-out since the annual event commenced in 2009. The Nurses Drop reached 1,685 O&G nurses in Singapore to encourage them in spreading the message of breastfeeding in Singapore hospitals cemented Philips AVENT’s relationship with the hospitals. The Philips AVENT advertisement in the weekly health supplement of the top daily newspaper, The Straits Times – Mind Your Body, in August garnered an impression among 367,200 daily readers of the newspaper. It also carried the endorsement of two leading hospitals in Singapore signalling the healthcare institutions’ trust in Philips AVENT’s advancement of the breastfeeding cause. The 938LIVE radio interview brought the message of breastfeeding through radio. Interest was gathered amongst fathers, with several calls made during the program requesting more information about how they can help their wives on the breastfeeding journey.

Execution

Coinciding with Singapore Nurses’ Day, Philips AVENT gifted the O&G nurses across the top five birthing hospitals, whilst providing them with information kits highlighting the importance of breastfeeding. A photo and story competition was conducted to engage directly with mothers and mothers-to-be. Winning entries of mothers’ personal anecdotes of their breastfeeding journey were selected and compiled into a breastfeeding journal in celebration of mothers’ unconditional love and gift to their little ones for their best start in life. Philips AVENT also conducted its annual breastfeeding seminar, providing a platform for mothers and mothers-to-be to exchange information and experiences. An interview was placed in Singapore’s only radio health program, 938LIVE’s Body & Soul, where one of Philips AVENT’s panel of experts shared her insights on breastfeeding. An advertisement thanking the Philips AVENT panel of experts, alongside mentions of key hospitals, was also placed to raise further awareness for its breastfeeding advocacy.

The Situation

The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to six months. According to the Health Promotion Board’s National Breastfeeding Survey, mothers in Singapore are not aware of the benefits of giving their children the benefits of breast milk. Philips AVENT carries mother & childcare products and is today the number one brand recommended by mothers worldwide. It believes breastfeeding is the preeminent method of nutrition for babies and that women should be given as much information and education as possible. Philips AVENT saw the importance and opportunity to step up breastfeeding advocacy efforts.

The Strategy

To raise awareness for breastfeeding, a concerted outreach to various stakeholders was conducted. Leveraging the timeliness of the Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August, Philips AVENT carried out a series of activations targeted at key healthcare professionals, mothers and mothers-to-be, and media. This is also in coincidence with the government’s introduction of the Baby Friend Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a global initiative by WHO and UNICEF. The campaign used various tough points to reach mothers and mothers-to-be, beginning with the engagement of key influencers, the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) nurses. In constant contact with and looked up to for their medical knowledge, the O&G staff were identified as key opinion leaders mothers and mothers-to-be take heed from, hence, the importance converting them into breastfeeding advocates. Recognizing that direct engagement with mothers and mothers-to-be is also essential, Philips AVENT carried out a user-generated consumer focused competition, themed around the celebration of breastfeeding.