Frida built its brand on dirty jokes for parents. Now the internet isn’t laughing

Baby care brand Frida is facing online backlash after screenshots of sexual innuendos in its marketing materials began circulating on social media.

Frida, which describes itself as “the brand that gets parents,” sells a range of baby care, fertility, and postpartum products through major retailers, including Target.

Last week, an X user shared images of several products’ packaging, writing: “sexual jokes to market baby products is actually sick and twisted @fridababy this is absolutely appalling and disgusting.” The post has since gained almost five million views on X. 

Among the examples highlighted is a social media graphic promoting the company’s 3-in-1 True Temp thermometer. The image shows the device next to a baby’s bottom, accompanied by the caption: “This is the closest your husband’s gonna get to a threesome.”

Other screenshots highlighted by critics include phrases such as “How about a quickie?” printed on a thermometer box. An apparent Instagram post from 2020 that has since resurfaced also features a baby with what seems to be snot on its face. The caption reads: “What happens when you pull out too early.”

Parents and critics online have accused the company of sexualizing children in its marketing choices, with posts on parenting forums calling for boycotts of the company’s products. A Change.org petition to “hold Frida Baby accountable” has more than 4,000 verified signatures at the time of writing. 

Not everyone agrees with the criticism. “IMO, this is akin to Disney putting in jokes that only parents will get,” one Reddit user wrote. “They know who the decision-makers are. Frida is marketing to the parents.” Others argue the tone crosses a clear line.

A statement from Frida emailed to multiple publications reads in part: “Our products are designed for babies, but our voice has always been written for the adults caring for them. Our intention has consistently been to make awkward and difficult experiences feel lighter, more honest, and less isolating for parents.

It continued: “That said, humor is personal. What’s funny to one parent can feel like too much to another.” Fast Company has reached out to Frida Baby for comment. 

A scroll through Frida’s social media shows the brand has long leaned into a deliberately risqué tone, often relying on double entendres and innuendo to target parents. In April, it teased a new product on Instagram with the line, “Take your top off.” Its current “Show us what your boobs can do” campaign aims to destigmatize breastfeeding by spotlighting what it calls “milk-making boobs.”

As more brands adopt informal, attention-grabbing voices online, the lesson here is clear: context matters. 

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