Mediatization of Motherhood: Audiovisual Discourses of Affection and Responsibility in Danoninho Commercials

Children’s food choices are shaped by multiple voices, not always congruent, that mobilize scientific, emotional, and moral discourses, often mediated by advertising. This article examines Danoninho commercials to analyze how advertising constructs representations of motherhood. Drawing on Television Analysis, it identifies audiovisual elements that position the mother as a mediator between the child’s desire and the responsibility for their health. The analysis shows that the product is framed as a solution capable of addressing both demands. To achieve this, questionable health claims are mobilized through the appropriation of scientific discourse and presented as responses to parental anxieties, particularly maternal ones. The commercials also promote a narrow and homogeneous model of family life that contrasts with Brazilian social realities.