The Campaign

Pampers introduced a diaper that keeps babies dry for an unprecedented 12 hours, offering uninterrupted sleep for babies at nighttime and an opportunity for Pampers to break from the pack in a commodity category. With science, Pampers showed moms the true power of its product – the ability to make their babies smarter from a good night’s sleep. A new idea and language “Nou-Ikumin” – meaning baby sleep for brain growth – was launched to verbalize the concept and educate moms. Research yielded this insight about moms’ beliefs: “I know that all babies are loveable, but I want my baby to be smarter than others.” What moms didn’t realize was that through quality sleep, babies process, memorize and organize what they’ve learned while awake. In sleep, babies’ minds are working harder than those of others as their brains literally are taking shape. “Nou-Ikumin” became the buzz among moms, brought alive by an innovative integrated campaign that left no doubt babies who sleep well develop well. It’s changing the playing field for diapers as moms recognize Pampers’ proposition as worthy of brand preference. Ninety percent of moms report they plan to purchase diapers that allow their baby to sleep with 12 hours of protection.

The Brief

Targeting moms whose babies are approximately four months, communicate Pampers’ superiority in long-lasting protection that goes significantly beyond any competitor’s in keeping babies dry. At the same time, link this new development to a higher purpose: better sleep which ultimately improves brain function. Research yielded a compelling insight about the beliefs of mothers: “I know that all babies are loveable, but I want my baby to be smarter than others.”

Results

• Through “Nou-Ikumin,” Pampers changed the playing field for diapers, shifting consumer perceptions of them as commodity items to a way to help in babies’ brain development – a proposition that moms recognize as worth their brand preference. • 90 percent of moms report they plan to purchase diapers that allow their baby to sleep overnight with 12 hours of protection. • 93 percent of moms surveyed reported being interested or very interested in “Nou-Ikumin.” Among moms whose babies were born in 2013, recognition of the term “Nou-Ikumin” was 10 points higher than those whose babies were born in 2012 as the campaign began. Recall of the term surpassed 40 percent in 2014.

Execution

Quantitative research associated brain development with quality of babies’ sleep. An opinion survey showed mothers’ keen interest in but low previous awareness of the connection. “Nou-Ikumin” conveyed this science-based phenomenon and grabbed attention among media, bloggers and consumers. A Sleep Event let moms experience the world from the viewpoint of a baby with a wet diaper. “Nou-Ikumin” infomercials raised awareness of the science behind babies’ sleep and brain development. A promotional tie-in with parenting magazine Postnatal featured editorial content, a call for ambassadors and a “Nou-Ikumin” workshop as part of an annual parenting event. Celebrity mom spokesperson Yuko Ogura and sleep experts took the message to media and moms. Partnerships with top community and parenting websites including Women’s Park, Benesse (child education content) and a Nou-Ikumin Room under the popular parenting destination ‘Village’ seeded the message, science and solution. Social media included an instructional YouTube video and mommy blogger partnerships.

The Situation

The market for diapers is saturated with competitors using price/value and brand affinity to capture sales and share. Pampers research among moms of babies and infants shows that when all other product functions are equal or near-equal, moms will opt for lower cost diapers. Pampers used this market research as impetus for creating a diaper with a measurable difference in performance – the first diaper that can go 12 hours between changing in keeping babies dry. Pampers connected this product benefit with an insight that had dramatic relevance to moms: longer, uninterrupted sleep leads to better brain function.

The Strategy

Pampers’ overarching strategy was to own overnight sleep. Appealing to mothers’ desire for their babies to be smarter and well developed, create a new understanding and belief about the connection between babies’ sleep patterns and brain development and verbal skills. Utilize sleep research among babies to demonstrate that uninterrupted sleep leads to better brain functioning, since sleep helps infants process and retain what they’ve learned in waking hours and sets the foundation for healthy “wiring” that will remain in place over time. Coin new language for this phenomenon – “Nou-Ikumin” – as a way to create conversation, build news value and establish Pampers’ leadership in the space. “Nou-Ikumin” conveys sleep for brain growth. To elevate recognition of the term “Nou-Ikumin,” the campaign partnered with the leading parenting magazine – Postnatal – with wide readership among 20’s -30’s moms.