Howard Fretten

Learning From Babies

In essence the brief for this was pretty simple. 

We just needed to create an all-emcompassing big idea for P&G’s largest global brand which could run everywhere, re-invigorate the company and stop market share going into terminal decline. 

What could be easier?

Lots of quick fixes had been tried around the world but the issue was more structural than just tweaking the ads.

The business challenge for Pampers was how to move from being a purely functional, benefit-led brand to a more emotional one. 

Over a six month period we worked with the client to develop a new equity positioning of ‘Baby Development’ to replace ‘Dry Bottoms’.

This was tested and found to have a lot of potential.  It just needed a big idea to bring it alive.

My idea was this.

‘When you see the world through a baby’s eyes, you see how to make it better’. 

Classically simple and beautifully effective. 

Every piece of communication could now be done from the POV of the real consumers of the product – not mums but babies.

What a lovely vehicle.

This concept proved hugely successful, not only externally through advertising and marketing but also within P&G itself. 

Their R&D department, for instance, were now fired up to develop products that enabled the emotional benefit of Baby Development rather than just the functional one of Dry Bottoms – so stretchy sides allowed the baby to explore his world a little easier and a more absorbent core gave him a better sleep.

The advertising encompassed everything from TV commercials, print and digital to a specially built interactive installation, which toured Europe and allowed adults to experience life as a baby. 

Rolling out first in the UK, the campaign was soon adopted throughout the world, usurping DMB&B in North America and winning the business for Saatchis globally, becoming P&G’s first truly global campaign.

The work picked up a Bronze Effie in 2004, another Bronze Effie in 2005, a Silver Euro Effie in 2005 and was a Cannes Lions Titanium Finalist the same year.  It also won numerous business-building awards including the The Goldstein, twice.

Finally, in simple business terms the campaign helped grow a 4 billion dollar brand into an 8 billion dollar one.

And if that’s not advertising success, I don’t know what is.

Shown here are the three launch TV commercials directed by Jeff Stark and a range of other material produced around the world.