Baby care brand FridaBaby is facing criticism online after social media users circulated screenshots they say show the company using sexual innuendo in marketing for infant products.
The controversy began circulating this week after an X user shared images purportedly showing FridaBaby packaging and social media posts containing suggestive language. The post drew significant engagement on the platform, prompting debate across X, Instagram, Reddit and parenting forums.
The Marketing Under Scrutiny
Among the images shared widely online is a social media graphic promoting the company’s 3-in-1 True Temp thermometer. The image appears to show the device next to a baby’s bare bottom alongside the caption: “This is the closest your husband’s gonna get to a threesome.”
Other screenshots posted by critics appear to show product packaging and marketing copy containing phrases such as “How about a quickie?” on a thermometer box, “I get turned on easily” in humidifier instructions, and “I’m a [power] sucker” on packaging for a nasal aspirator.
Some users also resurfaced what they described as older social media posts, including an April 2020 image of a baby with nasal discharge captioned, “What happens when you pull out too early #nosefrida #dontmove.” Another phrase critics cited was “just the tip,” allegedly used in marketing for a nose and ear picker tool.
It is unclear whether all of the posts remain live. Several users on X claimed the company had deleted or edited certain content, though those claims could not be independently confirmed as of publication.
Most recently, critics pointed to a Wednesday Instagram post focused on breastfeeding that opened with the line, “Boobs, everyone loves to see them,” and concluded with, “Boobs deserve better than beads. Show us what your boobs can do.” The post included images of breastfeeding and pumping.
Calls for a Boycott
The backlash quickly spread beyond the original X post, with some users calling for a boycott of the brand.
Lila Rose, founder of the anti-abortion nonprofit Live Action, criticized the marketing in a post on X, describing it as inappropriate and urging followers not to purchase the company’s products.
In the comments section of FridaBaby’s Instagram account, some users questioned the tone of the company’s messaging. “Why do you sexualize your products?” one commenter wrote. Others defended the company, arguing that the humor was consistent with Frida’s longstanding marketing style.
On Reddit, a thread in the r/NewParents community titled “Boycott Frida Baby” catalogued examples that users considered inappropriate. Parenting forums such as Mumsnet also featured discussions debating whether the marketing crossed a line.
Several commenters on social media said they planned to remove Frida products from baby registries or return recently purchased items. The scope of any organized boycott, however, remains unclear.
Company Response
As of Thursday evening, FridaBaby had not issued a public statement addressing the controversy.
Syracuse.com reported that it contacted the company for comment but had not received a response.
Some social media users alleged that negative comments were being hidden or deleted from Frida’s Instagram posts and that certain website pages, including a “Meet the Team” section, were no longer accessible. Those claims could not be independently verified.
About FridaBaby
FridaBaby was founded in 2014 by Chelsea Hirschhorn. The company launched with the NoseFrida nasal aspirator, a Swedish-designed device Hirschhorn has said she discovered through a neighbor.
The brand has since expanded into a broad range of baby care and postpartum recovery products sold by major retailers including Target. Frida’s marketing has often positioned the company as candid and unfiltered about the realities of parenting and women’s health.
In 2018, the company said a billboard advertisement using the word “vagina” was rejected by some advertising outlets. In 2020, ABC declined to air a Frida Mom commercial depicting postpartum recovery during the Oscars broadcast, a decision that drew national media coverage. At the time, Ms. Hirschhorn criticized what she described as censorship around women’s health issues.
Divided Reactions
Reaction to the current controversy appears mixed. Some users questioned whether certain resurfaced images were altered or taken out of context, while others said sexual humor has no place in marketing products intended for infants.
“Sexual jokes to market baby products is actually sick and twisted,” wrote the X user whose post helped spark the debate.
Others argued the brand’s tone is consistent with its long-running irreverent approach to parenting topics.
Whether the online backlash will translate into measurable business impact remains to be seen.
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