Times Square is no stranger to women’s bodies, but a particular advertisement recently stirred controversy, reflecting deep societal tensions surrounding motherhood and female sexuality.
The ad promoted lactation cookies in a provocative campaign by breastfeeding startup Swehl in partnership with cookbook author Molly Baz.
Baz, known for her culinary creativity, ventured into the partnership to develop a recipe designed to stimulate milk production. One of the promotional images featured Baz with a visibly pregnant belly and breasts covered by a rhinestone bikini top and cookies. This campaign image, displayed on a 45-foot-tall digital billboard, was marked with the cheeky tagline “Just Add Milk.”
Scheduled to display for a week from Monday through Mother’s Day, the ad celebrated a rite of motherhood. However, it was short-lived, taken down within three days due to purported guideline violations regarding acceptable content.
