Oscars criticised after blocking Frida Mom's ‘graphic’ postnatal pregnancy ad
The Academy Awards has been criticised for refusing to air a postnatal care advert during last night's show, after it deemed it ‘too graphic’ for its audience.
Created by Frida Mom, the controversial commercial depicted a mother awaking to her crying baby in the night before struggling to change her mesh hospital underwear. The spot was designed to highlight the difficulties faced by new mums going through postpartum recovery, while looking after a newborn child.
Despite the critical message, both the American Broadcasting Company and the Oscars found the scenes too graphic to broadcast. While the ad does not show scenes that are sexual, violent or political in nature, the Academy enforces a blanket ban on adverts centred on ‘feminine hygiene and haemorrhoid relief’.
Reacting to the ban Frida Mon wrote: “It’s just a new mum, home with her baby and her new body for the first time. Yet it was rejected. And we wonder why new mums feel unprepared.”
The advert was also found to contravene guidelines by being ‘too graphic with partial nudity and product demonstration’.