Funny thing happened when I announced I was quitting advertising to focus on Mommy Shorts full time— I got a call from a company asking me to do their advertising.
Not freelancing for an agency creating the advertising, actually working directly with the company. Kind of like Mommy Shorts was the agency.
Did I want to do that? Initially, I wasn’t sure.
But then… I really liked the brand (it’s a much needed line of over-the-counter remedies designed specifically for pregnant women called healthy mama)… AND I figured out a way to include all of you guys!
Here’s the deal.
I created three healthy mama print ads (they’ll be running in magazines like Fit Pregnancy and Pregnancy & Newborn starting in April) and now…
They’re offering up $750 to the Mommy Shorts reader who comes up with the next headline in the campaign.
I told healthy mama my readers are smarter and funnier than I am, so don’t disappoint!
Here’s the brief (that’s what we call it in the ad world)…
THE BRAND: HEALTHY MAMA
Remember when you were pregnant and got that crazy back ache in the beginning of your third trimester? You googled “what can I take for a back ache while pregnant” but that sent you to a community board on Baby Center with random unqualified people giving varying misinformation about drug ingredients you couldn’t even pronounce, right?
Well, healthy mama is trying to change all that. They’re on a mission to create a prenatal category you can easily find on one shelf. They’ve just launched a new line of over-the-counter remedies specifically designed to be the safest* for pregnant and nursing women. The products tackle common pregnancy symptoms like heartburn, lack of sleep, pain relief, nausea and constipation— but with fun names like “Tame the Flame”, “Move it Along” and “Shake that Ache”.
Because even if the sight of salmon makes you want to hurl on your cankles, this is still a happy time, right???
Healthy mama is backed by the American Pregnancy Association, FDA accepted and made in the USA. It’s currently being sold at babiesrus.com, Buy Buy Baby, healthymamabrand.com and coming soon to Drugstore.com.
THE MESSAGE:
Pregnancy might be beautiful but it is definitely not without it’s unfavorable side effects. From exhaustion to stretch marks to nosy comments from strangers. The healthy mama campaign aims to open up an honest dialogue about what women go through while they are expecting, giving moms-to-be a reason to laugh at their circumstances together.
(I wrote that myself. Don’t I sound official?)
THE ADS:
THE ASSIGNMENT:
I am reaching out to all my readers to come up with the next headline in the healthy mama campaign. Please follow the structure of the headlines already created (i.e. “We can’t ______________________ but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”)
Use your personal experience and go as far out there as you would like. We want the headlines to be funny, honest, and relatable.
As an example, here’s a fourth headline I REALLY want healthy mama to run:
THE RULES:
1) You must be a healthy mama facebook fan to enter. You can “like” their page by clicking here.
2) Leave your healthy mama headline in the comment section below. You can enter a maximum of three times.
If you’d like to promote on twitter, facebook, pinterest or instagram, it won’t help your chances but we’d appreciate it! Please use #healthymamaheadlines.
I’ll be posting some of my favorite headlines next week and the winners will be announced on April 2, 2014. You must enter by April 1, 2014 at 6pm ET. The winners will be selected by both myself and healthy mama based on which headline we would like to use in the ad campaign.
For the official contest rules and regulations, click here.
THE PRIZES!
GRAND PRIZE:
• $750 Visa Gift Card plus the chance to have your headline appear in a nationally run print and digital campaign
• healthy mama products valued at $100
2ND PLACE:
• 1 Diono RadianRXT Car Seat ($350)
• $100 Visa Gift Card
• healthy mama products valued at $75
3RD PLACE:
• $50 Visa Gift Card
• healthy mama products valued at $50
Thanks to everyone for being part of my advertising team. And a big thanks to healthy mama for trusting me to do this!
GOOD LUCK!!!
——————————————-
This post was sponsored by healthy mama. That was pretty obvious, I think. I’m very excited to be working with them!
* No medication is considered 100% safe during pregnancy and nursing.
We can’t stop you losing your voice from dry heaving, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t stop all of pregnancies little surprises (picture of an ultra sound showing twins), but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop people from asking “no baby yet?” But we can help with just about everything else
Correction: We can’t turn your sparkling water into wine…
We can’t help you pick out a name but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t pop your belly button back in, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the awkward comments/advice from strangers, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t stop your family from calling to ask if the baby is here yet, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
Ooh, I like that one! 🙂
We can’t keep people from saying you must be having a girl “since you’re carrying so wide,” but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
we cant help you pay for their college tuition, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We Can’t Guarantee You Won’t Cry During the Next Commercial, But We Can Help You With Just About Everything Else.
We Can’t Stop Aunt Dagmar From Requesting You Carry On Her Name, But We Can Help You With Just About Everything Else.
We can’t make your skinny jeans fit, but we can help you deal with everything else.
We can’t promise that your mood swings and hormonal changes will snap back into pre-pregnancy levels immediately after delivery, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t paint your toes for you but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t convince your boss that lactation time doesn’t have to equal your lunch hour, but we can help you deal with almost everything else
We cant stop you from eating a dozen donuts, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t get the foot out of your ribcage at 3am, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t settle the baby name debate…..
We can’t promise your old shoes will fit again…
We can’t stop the feeling the baby is going to reach out and give you a high-five when you wipe….
We can’t keep people from asking if you “know what causes that”, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t give you the duct tape to stave off unsolicited “when the baby gets here” parenting advice, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t keep your world from smelling like garbage, but we can help you deal with almost anything else.
We can’t keep your milk from leaking through your shirt while you’re chatting with your father-in-law, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop your toddler from treating your belly like bongos, but we can help with almost everything else.
You will soon have a little person to care for
but until then let’s take care of you!
“We can’t stop mommy brain from setting in, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t prevent people from buying you useless baby gear, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop moms from telling you labor horror stories, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t stop the “you’re about to pop” comments but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t unsquish your stomach but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from overspending on baby clothes, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t get rid of your Shrek foot but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
*I wish I could post a picture with this. In my 3rd trimester, I started to swell – bad – and only on my left side. I had one normal foot and one huge Shrek foot. I was wearing my flats on one foot and my husband’s slippers on the other for like 2 weeks! My brother considered making Shrek foot its own Facebook page.
We can’t make your husband read the baby books, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We cant help help you explain to your six year old how the baby comes out, but we canhelp with just about everything else.
We can’t make people stop calling just to ask ” have you had the baby yet”, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop looking at bread from giving you heartburn…
We can’t scoop the kitty litter for you, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t make other people less stupid, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from feeling like you’ve become a duck with your unflattering waddle, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t guarantee no mom-butt, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t TV watching an acceptable form of exercise, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the 3am leg cramps that turn you into a Solid Gold dancer, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t bring you hot wings at 2am, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t stop people from reminding you that you haven’t picked it a name, but…
We can’t make those tots stop leaking, but we can help with just about everything else.
“We can’t massage your sausage toes, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t make TV watching an acceptable form of exercise, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We don’t sell hedge trimmers with an extension pole but we can help with anything else 🙂
We can’t stop strangers from asking if you were due yesterday, but…
We can’t keep them from playing stupid games at your shower, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t promise that you won’t develop hemorrhoids, but …
We can’t stop you from buying and consuming the 15lb bag of M&Ms, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t give you back those 10 hours you spent trying to (correctly) assemble your own crib, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t take away the urge to throat punch a complete stranger but we can help with anything else 🙂
We can’t find your feet either but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t make your husband agree on your favorite baby name, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We won’t help clean up after your water breaks (while watching a documentary on Noah’s Ark) but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t make you remember your keys, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t pay for their college education, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t put you on bed rest (to get you out of work), but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t make your belly button pop back in, but…
We can’t convince your mother that you won’t forget to call her when you go into labor, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t paint your toenails for you or scratch the itch you can’t reach, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep you from being cornered by that old lady at the grocery store who misses her own babies, but we can help with just about everything else 🙂
We can’t fix your waddle, but…
We can’t shrink your hoohah but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop 40 of your closest friends from chiming, “Awwww” in unison every time you unwrap a onesie, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t make your husband agree to your baby name, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t make them follow your birth plan, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help you see your feet, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep everyone from suggesting baby names, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t stop your husband from blissfully sleeping next to you at 3am while the baby does gymnastics and keeps you wide awake, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
“We can’t stop strangers from touching your stomach but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
“We can’t stop the baby from kicking your rib cage but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
“We can’t stop your friends and family from saying “Look how big you are!” but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t help when your husband brings the wrong dessert, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t hold up your massive cleavage, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t stop your heartburn but…..oh wait, YES WE CAN!
“We can’t stop people from asking when you’re having another baby, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t stop people from telling you their own horror birthing stories, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We can’t clean the stains off the belly of your shirt, but we can help you deal with almost everything else. (Pictured with a woman using her belly as a table top)
We can’t clean the cats litter box for you, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep the scale from climbing, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
“We can’t help you roll out of bed, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t stop people from judging your baby’s name, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We can’t put on your shoes, but we can help with everything else
“We can’t scratch that itch in the middle of your back, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t make your husband rub your feet, but we can help you with just about everything else.
too many comments to filter through. so not sure if anyone has come up with this one yet….
We can’t keep your mother in law out of the delivery room, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t minimize face swelling, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t cure pregnancy brain, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the pepperoni nipples, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep your legs from turning into road maps, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t keep your man from gaining “sympathy weight” , but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t cover your eyes during the video in your childbirth education class, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t make maternity bras any less hideous…
(or if the word “stop” is needed…We can’t stop the need for those hideous maternity bras…)
We can’t make your favorite shoes fit, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t help when your husband says he “understands” how you feel, but we can help you with just about everything else
We can’t remove that sweet little foot from your ribs, but we can help with almost anything else.
We can’t help you with those deadly late night leg cramps that wake up your loved ones but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We Can’t Break Your Scale When It Moves In The Wrong Direction, But We Can Help With Almost Everything Else.
I think what bugged me the most is that my husband couldn’t take a turn gestating the babies! So I’d say “We can’t make your partner carry it for you…”
My three entries..
We can’t stop those tiny feet from kicking your bladder while you’re in public, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We can’t stop people from pointing out the bags under your eyes, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We can’t prevent a variety of doctor’s hands going inside your crotch, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We Can’t Stop Your Husband From Forgetting The Sweet And Sour Sauce, But We Can Help With Almost Everything Else.
We can’t give you a pedicure before delivery, but we can help you with everything else!
We can’t help hide that empty box of chocolate chip cookies, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t tie your shoes, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t help you with your sausage fingers, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.