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.
My husband recorded a most embarrassing video of my snoring one night and woke me up to show me. I still have it lol :).
Yeah, that last one’s my favorite.
We can’t stop you from crying during random commercials but…
We can’t stop your water from breaking in public, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help you extinguish the 9-month long heartburn episode, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t promise your belly button will go back in, but we can hep you with just about everything else.
We can’t tell you if you’ll poop on the table but we can help you deal with almost everything else!
We can’t stop you from having to pee every 5 minutes … But we can help with everything else.
We can’t help you find something … Anything … That sounds good for dinner. But we can help with everything else.
We can’t help you figure out what baby gear you REALLY need … But we can help with everything else.
We can’t come up with the perfect baby name that both you and your husband will love , but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t give birth for you but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t help you with the crumbs in your bed from your late night snacking but we can help with everything else
We can’t help you reach the clothes at the bottom of the washing machine, but we can help with just about everything else.
“We can’t pop your belly button back in, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t keep you from sobbing uncontrollably at, well, anything, but we can help you deal with almost everything else!
“We can’t make your husband rub your back, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t stop you from smothering your snoring husband while you’re wide awake at midnight, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t help you roll over in bed, but we can help with everything else
We can’t keep people from asking “oh, is that a family name?” , but we can help with just about everything else
We can’t stop your baby’s 4am karate practice, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t prevent you from falling asleep on the toilet, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t help you find a doctor who will actually spend more then five minutes with you but we can help you with everything else
We can’t stop you from literally crying over spilled milk but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t clear your pregnancy brain fog, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t find that perfect baby name for you.. but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
“We can’t make your boss let you wear yoga pants everyday, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t make your Lamaze coach stop asking you to share your feelings in class, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t pick out your stroller or car seat, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t promise you won’t poop on the table during labor, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t keep your baby from having hiccups at 2am but we can help with just about anything else!
We can’t get the baby’s foot out of your ribcage, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t prepare you for what labor is like, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t make vodka less alcoholic, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep the elastic out of your pants… But we have a cure for everything else
We can’t keep your toddler from jumping on your baby belly, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t help you out of bed 4 times a night but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t’ stop you from having to count everything in weeks, but…
We can’t help you remember what the heck you were supposed to do today, but we can help you with just about everything else
We can’t blame your gas on the dog but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep you from going through the drive through… twice, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t keep your belly from hitting the steering wheel, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t squeeze your feet into those cute strappy sandals , but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t make prenatal yoga more graceful looking, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep the embarrasing hair growth at bay, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t hold your hair back when you’re sick but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from waddling, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t get you out of being a (giant) bridesmaid in your sister’s wedding, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t push your belly button back in, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the incessant, unsolicited advice from your in-laws, but we can help just about everything else.
You stole my smack the lady asking about twins–true story, only “smack” is waaaay nicer than I was going to phrase it!
We can’t stop nightmares about your water breaking in public, but we can help with everything else.
My 2 reoccurring dreams were in church and in line at the grocery store.
We can’t stop you from “eating for two”.. but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop others from referring to the baby as “their baby”, but we can help with just about everything else.
Thankfully neither of which happened!
We can’t make maternity support belts couture, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t prevent that your super powerful sense of smell lands you a job offer as an airport sniffing dog, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from crying at commercials, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help induce labor once your due date has passed, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t answer, “But Mommy, how did the baby get IN there?” for you, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t make labor painless, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t stop all the unsolicited advice you’ll get…
We can’t clobber the neighbor who says “You haven’t had that baby yet? but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop your husband from complaining about your late night cravings, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t stop traffic on your way to the hospital, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the stop the constant kick-fest in your tummy but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop your preschooler from wanting “uppies” while you’re pregnant, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from feeling like you ran a half marathon after climbing a few stairs, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t pass a new law calling for mandatory nap time, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t stop you from sending someone to pick up ice team at 1 am, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help you pick up the tenth thing you’ve dropped today, but we can help with almost everything else.
We can’t stop the fridge from brushing your belly every time you open it, but we can help you deal 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 stop your husband from stealing your body pillow, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t help you get up off the floor after your childbirth class but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
“We can’t see your feet either but we can help you deal with almost everything else.”
We can’t stop your MIL from buying horrible outfits that your baby must wear, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t help you agonize over what to name your baby, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help you start saving for your baby’s college tuition now, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t help you keep down this morning’s breakfast, but we can help you with just about everything else.
We can’t help you shave “down there” but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t remember where you put the milk either, but we can help you deal with almost everything else
We can’t remind everyone that being pregnant doesn’t mean you can no longer do anything by yourself, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t convince your husband that sex does NOT make the baby come out, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from having to pause in the middle of a conversation just to catch your breath, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t speed up the length of your pregnancy,but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t see your toes either, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
Me too! The ONLY benefit to being pregnant in the summer – three times!
We can’t stop your co-workers from peeking over your cube just to see if you’re “still here”.. but we can..
We can’t find you jeans that don’t fall down every 3 minutes, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
^almost everything else
We can’t unhook your bra when you get Pregnancy Carpel Tunnel….or put it on you in the first place!
We can’t be the pillow between your legs, but we can help with just about everything else.
We can’t stop ‘pregnancy brain’ but we can help with almost everything else!
We can’t stop your shoe size from permanently increasing but we can help with almost everything else!
We can’t slap your sister when she says you belly is lopsided and asks why it still jiggles!
We can’t answer the “how are you FEELING?” question when someone asks for the millionth time, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t prevent you from crying at that commercial, but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t make your maternity pants sexy but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t give birth for you, but we can help you deal with just about everything else.
We can’t make your husband zip up your fabulous new boots, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t keep people from telling you that you will be a “real-mom” now, but we can help with everything else.
We can’t keep you sane when your baby has colic, but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t help you from having to wear granny panties, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop “the experts” from writing wildly conflicting parenting books but we can help with almost everything else!
BTW, in the MESSAGE section, “it’s” should be “its”.
We can’t stop you from getting pregnancy brain but we can help you with almost everything else.
We can’t make wearing sweatpants to work socially acceptable but we can help you with everything else.
We can’t stop the baby from doing the jig on your bladder all night, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop you from crying every time you see a puppy,
but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t promise those lunges will put you into labor on your due date, but we can help you deal with almost everything else.
We can’t stop your husband from drinking that beer in front of you, but we can help you deal with just about everything else.