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| Pampers |
Pampers is a brand of baby products marketed by Procter & Gamble. Pampers was at one time only used as a name for a disposable diaper.
Pampers diapers come in sizes up to size 7. The smallest size is Preemie, which is for premature babies. Diapers going up to size 2 are sold as Swaddlers (New Baby in Europe) or Baby Dry. Diapers in size 3-6 are sold as either Cruisers (Active Fit for the European market) or Baby Dry. There is a size 7 diaper available only in the Cruisers line. Pampers also produces wipes. In addition to these products they sell training pants under the name Easy Ups. There is also as line of disposable swimpants sold under the brand name Splashers (or Sunnies in Europe). Pampers produces bedwetting products named Underjams for children weighing up to 85 pounds (about 39 kilograms). Some parents have also said that they use the regular diapers on their bedwetting, or incontinent, child. In addition to diaper products, Pampers also markets disposable bibs under the name Bibsters, as well as a line of bath products under the name Kandoo. The main competitor in the United States is the Huggies brand.
Pampers were introduced in 1961. They were created by Vic Mills. 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. In 1982 Pampers introduced an elasticized wingfold diaper with elastic leg gathers which was a cross between the early 1960's 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%. 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 1990s also saw the introduction of gender-specific diapers in the Pampers brand and also the return to unisex diapers towards the end of the decade. In 1993, Pampers first attempt at training pants was introduced, known as Pampers Trainers and would be a short lived product. Pampers would not try doing training pants again until the introduction of Easy Ups. 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. Dr. Brazelton 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.
At the time the Pampers Easy Ups 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 himself past age 2." 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.
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 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. In May 2010, a lawsuit was filed against Procter & Gamble based on the injuries allegedly caused by the diapers. 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.
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 also 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 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.