Pampers

Pampers
Subsidiary
Founded 1961 (1961)
Products Diapers, training pants, baby wipes
Owner Procter & Gamble
Website Pampers Homepage

Pampers is an American brand of baby and toddler products marketed by Procter & Gamble.

Products

Pampers Diapers - Pampers offers five different kinds of diapers in nine sizes, four kinds of toilet training pants, swim pants and four kinds of diaper wipes (Sensitive, Natural Clean, Baby Fresh Wipes, and Kandoo Flushable Toilet Wipes).

History

In 1956, P&G researcher Victor Mills disliked changing the cloth diapers of his newborn grandchild. So he assigned fellow researchers in P&G's Exploratory Division in Miami Valley, Ohio to look into making a better disposable diaper. Pampers were introduced in 1961. They were created by researchers at P&G including Vic Mills and Norma Lueders Baker. The name "Pampers" was coined by Alfred Goldman, Creative Director at Benton & Bowles, the first ad agency for the account.

These early diapers were bulky, heavy products composed of fluff pulp with a rayon topsheet, polyethylene backsheet. In 1966 Pampers launched a 'wingfold' design and by 1969 started a "third size". By this time Pampers had become a national brand in the United States. Procter and Gamble replaced the pin-on design with tapes in 1971. Toddler and Premature Infant sizes were also introduced. In 1973, P&G developed elasticized single and double gussets around the leg and waist areas to aid in fitting and in containing urine or stool which had not been absorbed. In fact, the first patent for the use of double gussets in a diaper was in 1973 by P&G.[1] In 1982 Pampers introduced an elasticized wingfold diaper with elastic leg gathers and refastenable tapes which was a cross between the early 1960s design and the modern hourglass shape, a feature that was first introduced on Luvs in 1976 and evolved into an industry standard in 1985. In 1986, thin diapers made with absorbent gelling material were released. This made the average weight of a typical medium size diaper decrease by 50%.[2] In 1987 Pampers and Huggies both introduced frontal tape systems which allow repositioning of the lateral tape without tearing the diaper. In the 1990s Pampers introduced a thinner diaper known as Ultra Dry Thins.

The early 1990s also saw the introduction of gender-specific diapers in the Pampers brand; the product returned to unisex diapers towards the end of the decade. In 1993 Pampers' first attempt at training pants was introduced, but the Pampers Trainers were a short lived product. Pampers did not sell training pants again until the introduction of Easy Up.[3] In 1998 Procter & Gamble introduced its largest diaper at the time, Pampers Baby-Dry Size 6. It was promoted in an advertising campaign featuring pediatrician and child development expert Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, who said to let the child decide when the time is right to potty train. The size 6 diapers were billed for growing toddlers. Huggies also introduced a size 6 diaper at this time.[4]

In many Arab countries and Russia, the word Pampers (بامبرز , памперс) is immediately associated with diaper in the mind of consumers.

Controversy

At the time the Pampers Size 6 were introduced, there was a controversy going on between pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton and syndicated columnist and best-selling author of books for parents, John Rosemond. The controversy was about the length of time a baby should wear diapers and when to start toilet training. Rosemond believes it is a "slap to the intelligence of a human being that one would allow baby to continue soiling and wetting him/herself past age 2."[5] While Rosemond concedes that Brazelton has been giving the same advice for decades, he criticized the pediatrician for serving as a consultant to Pampers, a division of Procter & Gamble, and for appearing in Pampers commercials.[6]

In March 2010, Pampers announced a change to their popular Cruisers and Swaddlers diapers with the addition of the new Dry-Max technology. Many parents reported[7] rashes and chemical burns as a result of using the new diapers. Procter & Gamble claim that pediatric experts have reviewed the Pampers with DryMax safety data and have seen no correlation between the reported rash and diaper.[8] In May 2010, a lawsuit was filed against Procter & Gamble based on the injuries allegedly caused by the diapers.[9] In September 2010, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the results of its investigation into the matter, finding no evidence that these diapers cause diaper rash.[10]

Advertising

Pampers is marketed in various ways, such as print ads and television commercials. Print ads often appear in magazines and other periodicals. Television commercials appear during soap operas produced by Procter and Gamble, such as As the World Turns and Guiding Light, and during the airing of parenting shows. Another way Pampers is promoted is through product placement. Pampers paid $50,000 to be featured in the film Three Men and a Baby. P&G has also sponsored the program Make Room for Baby on the Discovery Health Channel. Pampers has been promoted in some countries on billboards. Another method that has been used to promote the product is direct marketing program where relevant content is mailed to mothers with babies. These mailings can include Pampers samples or Pampers Coupons.

P&G contributes to flood relief efforts in Pakistan in part through its Pampers brand and "Spread a Smile" campaign, which provides free health check ups, medicines, and oral rehydration therapy to babies and children living in the flood affected areas.[11]

Sponsorships

References

  1. ↑ Mario S Marsan. "Disposable Diaper", US Patent 3710797, Issued January 16, 1973.
  2. ↑ Mya Min Cho "",Page 8- History of Proctor and Gamble
  3. ↑ "Pampers History". Retrieved 2008-07-26.
  4. ↑ Larkin, Patrick (July 22, 1998). "P&G announces Pampers now a bigger disposable". The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on May 8, 2006.
  5. ↑ Rankin, Jane L. Parenting Experts: Their Advice, the Research, and Getting It Right. Westport, Conn: Praeger Publishers, 2005. Print.
  6. ↑ Delayed Toilet Training Issues. Dy-dee.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
  7. ↑ Parents Protest New Pampers Diapers on Facebook. ABC News (May 3, 2010). Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
  8. ↑ Company News Headlines. NASDAQ.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-09.
  9. ↑ First Lawsuit Filed Against P&G Over New Pampers, WLWT.com, 2010-05-13.
  10. ↑ "CPSC: No link between Pampers, diaper rash". Business Courier. September 2, 2010.
  11. ↑ P&G steps up to touch & improve the lives of flood affected families. Pg.com. Retrieved on 2013-04-09.

External links

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