How Infant Formula Brand Bobbie Uses Substack to Forge Deeper Connections

Today, it hosts a very special 'telethon,' part of a drive to entertain and inform its expanding community

Has Bobbie found the perfect formula for fostering community and building brand equity at scale?

The organic infant nutrition provider might be doing just that, leveraging multiple touchpoints to entertain and inform its audience. Consumers become stakeholders in the content process, sharing news and views in a model that feels more like an extended family than a marketing machine.

To that end, Bobbie recently launched on Substack with “Sally Forth.” The forum offers unfiltered parenting stories with a depth and breadth designed to transcend quickie social posts.

And today, Oct. 28, the venue presents what might be the first-ever Substack “telethon.” This event is designed to raise funds for the Bobbies Breasties program, which supports post-cancer infant feeding.

“When people tune in to the ‘Bob-A-Thon,’ they are going to laugh, they are going to cry. And above all, they’re going to feel deeply connected to a community,” Bobbie CMO Kim Chappell tells Muse.

Muse chatted with Chappell about the project and what it takes to transform storytelling into action for maximum impact.

How’s “Sally Forth” performing so far?

We’re about a month in and we’re already nearing 750 subscribers. For a platform that’s still brand new to us, we’re incredibly proud of that early traction.

Why launch on Substack specifically?

Modern parenting is full of deep, nuanced and emotionally raw stories that simply don’t fit into a 15-second TikTok or a polished Instagram carousel. Substack gives us the long-form room to breathe, reflect and go deeper on advocacy, postpartum realities and systemic failures for families across American family issues.

How’s it different, though, than other sources covering the same topics?

What sets “Sally Forth” apart from every other brand publication is our subscription model: 100 percent of subscriber dollars go directly to our Bobbie for Change nonprofit partners. We aren’t monetizing content for corporate revenue. We’re using our platform as a direct fundraising engine for systemic change. That for-good model was a non-negotiable differentiator for us from day one.

Why put a fresh spin on the classic telethon?

It feels nostalgic, high-energy and delightfully retro. When we learned about the Substack Live feature, the lightbulb immediately went on. Pairing our modern take on the classic, 1980s-style telethon format with a cutting-edge, community-first platform felt like the ultimate intersection of culture and cause. It coincides with our October “Breasties Takeover” on “Sally Forth,” honoring our seventh year partnering with The Breasties—the very first nonprofit partner that sparked the entire Bobbie for Change model.

When viewers join the “Bob-A-Thon,” what will they see?

You’ll hear directly from members of The Breasties community, from co-founders sharing their personal stories and from Bobbie Breasties who received a full year of sponsored formula through our program after facing a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or postpartum. We’ll have special drop-ins and live appearances from prominent voices and celebrities who have been personally impacted by breast cancer or are proud members of the Bobbie Fam.

We’re also taking viewers behind the scenes of our legislative work, like pushing for Connie’s Bill to ensure insurance covers infant formula or donor milk for families navigating medical crises. It’s equal parts entertainment, education, and an urgent call to action.

And all funds go to the cause, is that right?

Bobbie for Change, our impact and policy arm, is providing the initial $25,000 match to kick off the fundraising. Every single dollar raised goes directly to The Breasties 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The funds power their free, year-round programming for survivors, previvors and thrivers navigating breast and gynecological cancers. That includes funding local community meetups, retreat experiences, educational resources and peer-to-peer support networks that ensure no one has to face a diagnosis alone.

Can you just talk a bit about the broader role of Substacks in helping causes achieve their goals?

Historically, brand Substacks have been treated as traditional content marketing or newsletter expansions. Using Substack as a dedicated, direct-impact vehicle and live fundraising venue is something brand marketing hasn’t fully tapped yet.

Substack is built on deep trust, long-form attention and intentional community, which makes it uniquely suited for purpose-driven work. From what we’ve seen over the past month, Substack creates an intimate, dedicated space where people actually want to read, listen and engage.

Over the coming months and years, I expect and hope to see more brands join Substack and start building dedicated, media-led ecosystems like this where community engagement translates directly into real-world dollars and policy impact.

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