Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

There are many myths in India surrounding diapering and one of the major one was “Cloth nappies are better than diapers”. As media experts, we knew that one-way communication via mass media was not enough for breaking this myth. We therefore launched India’s first “Paediatrician led on ground workshops on infant care”. This was the largest On-ground event done by a baby care brand in India, which saw a direct participation from more than 50000 mothers across 33 districts.

Background

Only 10% of mums use diapers in India India is practically virgin territory for diapers. Penetration stands at just 10% and neither the passage of time nor the impressive increase in income over recent years is changing that. Our biggest obstacle: the mother-in-law, also known as baby care guru and the only source of advice for most new mums. That’s why so many mums in both urban and rural areas still use cloth diapers. The mother-in-law believes that diapers cause infections and stunt growth. Rational arguments just don’t cut it. Because she knows. And it never hurt her beloved son. Our challenge was to find growth for Pampers for the first time in six years.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

We realised that the choice between diapers and cloth nappies is part of a much wider health challenge. Urine and poop leakage from cloth nappies is also a leading cause of cold, cough and skin infections. The result is that 12 million babies in India are at a risk every year. And the sad thing is that a little more knowledge could keep them safe. Unfortunately, 70% of mums don’t have access to expert advice. This wider health challenge would create our opportunity. If we could provide education about the importance of infant hygiene in its widest sense, we would also gain permission to talk about diapers. Our pitch would focus on baby’s growth and development and give mums a whole new source of knowledge about diapers. We’d relegate the mother-in-law to doting granny.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Ending tyranny of the mother in law Our focus on baby health gave us permission to talk to mums. We focussed on a valuable message that mattered, the health of their beloved child. First, we identified the most effective target markets, selecting Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal due to low category penetration. Key districts within these provinces were then identified based on business salience and birth rate. Our strategy focussed around Cradle of Health, a series of events where leading paediatricians would talk to new mums about how they could improve baby hygiene, demonstrate diaper usage effectively and answer any questions they had. These events were promoted via a three-stage process 1) Print ads and posters to create awareness 2) Run Cradle of Health workshops offering diaper demonstrations and sampling. 3) Work with key Government organizations to help drive wider usage

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

Education with sampling reached 70% of mums with diaper age children across 33 districts To create awareness of Cradle of Health, we produced 35-40 call-to-action ads inviting mums to our workshops and challenging local beliefs around infant hygiene. We highlighted the benefits of diapers, flagging up key benefits including a better nights’ sleep for both baby and mums. Across 70 workshops, a leading paediatrician talked about key principles of baby care covering health and nutrition, infant hygiene and importance of overnight sleep for baby development. They also demonstrated the superior absorption of diaper vs cloth nappy before answering any questions that mums had. At the end of the workshop, samples were given based on the age and weight of their baby. Finally, we partnered with government organizations Kudumbshree in Kerala, Aanganwadis in Andhra Pradesh and local women’s self-help groups in West Bengal, who helped us drive usage post trial

List the results (30% of vote)

We reduced the power of 7 million mothers in law We’ve helped ensure more than seven million babies are happy and healthy in three of India’s biggest states. Our events reached more than 50,000 mums directly, while our media outreach added a further 6.5 million to that total. Diaper penetration is up by 5 points, year on year. The diaper category is up 55% in Kerala, 34% in West Bengal and 28% in Andhra Pradesh year on year. Pamper’s pioneering efforts have been rewarded with sales up an incredible 66% in Kerala, 47% in West Bengal and 34% in Andhra Pradesh year on year. The top of mind awareness for Pampers has risen by 7 points in Kerala, 5 points in West Bengal and 8 points in Andhra Pradesh, making Pampers the most preferred diaper brand.