How Pampers Proved It Was Still ‘Behind Every Baby’ 60 Years On

Pampers – a household name for most – has been at the forefront of the baby care category for over 60 years. Inventors of disposable diapers and trusted by healthcare professionals and parents around the world, the brand has earned its place in the hearts and minds of families through its ongoing commitment to being baby-first. 

In reaction to changing parent behaviours and market shifts, Pampers has reaffirmed its place in the centre of the category with ‘Behind Every Baby’, a refreshed brand ethos from Saatchi & Saatchi that will drive the creative for all Pampers products and creative. 

Emphasising Pampers’ place in families lives for over 60 years, the hero film premiered on September 7th – NFL opening weekend – speaking to a “generationally diverse audience” that’s as broad as Pampers customers have been over the years. Making a choice to lean into longer form creative was a conscious choice for the brand, standing as an ode to longevity and a fitting tribute that each second of the 60 second film represents a year in the brand’s history. 

In an effort to meet parents where they really are, ‘Behind Every Baby’ was accompanied by ‘The World’s Biggest Birth Announcement’, a social and influencer-led activation inviting families to share pictures of their newborns to be in with a chance of winning a year’s worth of diapers – invaluable for any new parent. 

To discuss the thought process behind the campaign, dive into the importance of balancing historical legacy with modernity, and passing the all important “tingle test”, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot spoke with Matt McKay, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi New York and Adam Riegle, vice president, brand, P&G North America Baby Care.

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LBB> Why was it the right time to launch a new brand platform, ‘Behind Every Baby’, and what does it highlight about Pampers’ evolution as a brand? 

Adam> Like a lot of legacy categories, baby care is becoming increasingly cluttered with new entrants and offerings, each pushing a new promise or seeming to address a niche need. Pampers is a leader in the diaper space (having invented the disposable diaper 60-plus years ago) and the brand most trusted by hospitals, pediatricians, and parents for decades. This campaign is to reinforce this heritage and deep expertise to parents and families. Even when they have more options than ever, we are the choice they can trust.

LBB> What was the initial brief from the client, and how did you set about defining what this new chapter would look like for Pampers?

Matt> The ask was to create a 20-year campaign that builds consumers’ trust in the brand, communicates superiority in product and innovation, and delivers something uniquely Pampers.

The task was not an easy one. But we also knew one thing to be true: Pampers invented the category. Chances are most of us on the team grew up wearing them. So just the scale and history of the brand was something we wanted to explore.

LBB>With such a strong legacy as a brand, how do you ensure that you’re staying top of mind for new parents within today’s market? 

Adam> ‘Behind Every Baby’ honours Pampers’ baby-first legacy while looking ahead to the future. It’s a celebration of our unwavering commitment to be there for every baby – from their very first diaper change to their first full night of sleep, first steps, and beyond. This message will be the driving creative force behind all Pampers products and creative, specifically Swaddlers as we think about the importance of a dry night’s sleep, Cruisers 360 with its leakproof fit for babies on the move, and our diaper offerings for the most delicate and fragile fighters – premature babies. We thrive on keeping babies happy and healthy as they grow, so we’ll continue to innovate our products while maintaining the highest quality to give baby the best protection, year after year.

LBB> What are the challenges of marketing for a brand with such a consolidated presence in families’ lives, whilst still delivering work that is creative and appealing to a modern audience of parents? How do you navigate this?

Matt> The exciting thing for a marketer in this category is that new babies and parents enter the category every day; it’s a continuous set of consumers that have literally never thought about diapers until this moment. They know of us, but how do we convince them we’re right for them in such a cluttered category? We needed to leverage our heritage in a modern way.

LBB> Why did you choose to lean into a longer-form 60’ hero film, as opposed to a short, product-led creative approach? How did your approach help to bolster the campaign’s narrative?

Matt> Simple answer… Emotion. It’s hard to be a parent in today’s climate. We wanted to connect with them. Empathise with them. Make this about them as much as it was about Pampers. ‘Behind Every Baby’ is many things: a promise to the consumer, a brand POV and rallying cry, and something baked into the Pampers DNA. One second for each year of Pampers 60 year commitment to babies seemed fitting.

LBB> The campaign is as much a celebration of parenthood as it is Pampers’ legacy and integral place in family life – how did you balance these two components in ‘Behind Every Baby’?

Matt> The creative process is always a messy one at the start. But this was different. [In] the very first presentation we had the foundation of the idea. So, we were able to spend most of our time building and sharpening. We needed the work to be the perfect balance of the emotional and the functional. The copy line – “Because there’s so much in front of them, we put 60 years of protection behind every one of them” – unlocked a lot for us. The clients have a ‘tingle test’. ‘Behind Every Baby’ passed it.

LBB> Running across TV as well as social and influencer extensions, how are you targeting different demographics of parents through ‘Behind Every Baby’? 

Adam> Ahead of every baby, there’s a beautiful life and whole world of possibilities unfolding in front of them. We’re behind them, figuratively and literally, as they grow, sleep and recharge, and play. And when we’re ‘Behind Every Baby’, we are behind every parent too. No one protects a baby like parents do. We want parents to know we’re more than the leading diaper brand for protection and comfort. We’re parents too, partners on the same journey, here for them as much as we are for their littlest ones (at every step of their way, no matter their diapering needs). 

LBB> The ‘Behind Every Baby’ launch also includes the World's Biggest Birth Announcement. How does this initiative work in practice, and how does it align with Pampers’ wider social and influencer strategy?  

Adam> With ‘Behind Every Baby’, we’re reaffirming our dedication to six decades of making quality diapers and wipes for babies, and with the World’s Biggest Birth Announcement, we’re inviting parents to celebrate with us. Parents who share their newborn photo or announcement with us on Instagram (tagging @PampersUS) or TikTok (tagging @Pampers) using #PampersBEBSweepstakes through October 21st will be entered to win a year’s supply of diapers. 

Our goal through our social presence is to connect with parents and find ways to support them. We do this through education, information, entertainment, and in the case of our sweepstakes, free diapers for 100 winners. Most babies are born in a hospital with Pampers diapers, so this is an exciting way for us to continue offering that support and protection.

LBB> NFL Opening Weekend is a big weekend to launch new anthemic work such as this. Why was it the right platform, and do you have any insight into how it was received? 

Adam> NFL Opening Weekend brings together such a generationally diverse audience, and we wanted to remind parents that we’ve been - and always will be - ‘Behind Every Baby’… from the ones born 60 years ago to those yet to come. The response thus far has been incredibly positive and well-received. There’s much more to come!