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Research-Driven Cause Marketing

Huggies brand of disposable diapers conducted a survey in 2010 of mothers and their ‘diaper needs.’ The study, called ‘Every Little Bottom’ was released in June 2010. Now, a year later, the Kimberly-Clark brand has a diaper cause marketing campaign… also called Every Little Bottom… meant to generate donations of diapers to diaper banks and food banks in the United States and Canada, as well as call attention to the company’s own pledge to donate as many as 22.5 million diapers.

The study of more than 2,500 mothers included questions like “Keeping your child in a clean diaper is one of the most important things you can do for them as a mother.” And, “Changing you child’s diaper is a wonderful way of showing how much you love them.” And, “Have you ever done any of the following to ensure you could afford enough diapers for your child?” followed by a list of economizing measures mothers might make to keep diapers in their budget.

Mothers overwhelming said yes to all three questions.

Needless to say, certain findings in the study represent something of a razor’s edge for Huggies, which carry a premium price. If disposable diapers are taking too big a chunk out of the family budget, why not shift to cloth diapers or cheaper competing brands?

Other questions in the survey address those very issues.

Not surprisingly, rather than dwell on any potential negatives for Huggies, the survey instead turns up the following facts that in turn inform the cause marketing campaign as it stands.

1 in 3 American moms have to “choose between diapers and other basic needs like food.”

Moms struggling with diaper need are more likely to miss school or work.

Babies that aren’t changed regularly “are more likely to experience signs of irritation and discomfort, cry more, and suffer from worse diaper rash.”

The Every Little Bottom cause marketing campaign features the return of the limited edition denim-colored diapers. Buy the jeans diapers or wipes and a donation will be made to fulfill the 22.5 million diaper pledge. Donations are also keyed to the number of likes on Facebook, and the number of downloads of your baby’s image in the jean Huggies on the website.

We can’t always see the research that leads to a specific cause marketing campaign. But in this case, we can.

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