Commentary
Can Even A Great Ad Campaign Make People Rethink 'Depend'?
- by Stephen Reily , Columnist, May 3, 2010
The Depend brand, owned by Kimberly-Clark, recently launched a new set of television and print ads. Ad agency JWT NY made versions for men and women.
Take a look at the women's version.
Titled "Orchestra," the 30-second piece portrays a 50-something orchestra conductor preparing for a concert. First described …
5 comments about "Can Even A Great Ad Campaign Make People Rethink 'Depend'? ".
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Stephen, great post. But you're right, even with a good campaign, it's an uphill battle. What they really need to re-think are their sales channels. Boomers are on their laptops - why not make this a product you can order on-line and have shipped to your house?
Wow Stephen, I was just coming here to make the very suggestion that Mary did. And I agree too that the ad was done very tasefully, but a lot of us boomers are still whirling from the new openness about everything from condoms in plain view or the content of R-Rated movies.
Being a woman, I had to "get over" buying feminine products (and finally did about the time I didn't need them any longer) and now I'm faced with the possibility of needing another product that is mentally hard to put in a shopping cart. Online sales would be a boon to all of us boomers and a heck of a lot less expensive than Peapod!
Not everyone has a computer or is into buying "products" on it even if they do have one. Now that a whole lot of us know what the brand "Depends" is, they might want to keep that name. It does have value and I'm sure it works for those who still have the guts to walk through the supermarket with it in their basket. It is, after all, a part of life. But they might also want to come up with an additional different and less obvious, name also with less distinct packaging for those of us aging boomers and the younger set who may need to go in that direction at some point.
It's funny. I had to buy some for an older aunt a couple of years ago and I had no qualms although I am a card-carrying Boomer. I guess since *I* knew they weren't for me, I didn't care? Probably tossed them in with the tampons for my daughters! :)
I smiled reading these posts. Early in my career -- over 25 years ago, I work on the Depend account at a direct marketing agency. Depend was owned by P&G. The product manager believed whole heartedly that Depend had to be sold directly to consumers. Ideas were tested. But P&G never backed the concept of home delivery. So, why does the best solution just not take hold sometimes? Are we so reluctant to change?