Adult Underwear No Longer Being Given the Silent Treatment

New Ad Campaign
To introduce this next generation of protective underwear, the company is also rolling out an advertising campaign that's a far cry from the long-running commercials that featured movie actress June Allyson talking about the practical benefits of wearing Depends.

The new TV commercials have ordinary boomer men and women engaged in some unscripted banter about the differences between the two sexes, such as whether men or women make better drivers and which sex actually rules the world.

"We wanted to show real people in our TV spots and remind customers that incontinence doesn't need to slow them down," Fries said. "They don't have to feel embarrassed. They don't have to hide. There are others out there in the world just like them."

The commercials were directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris and bear a striking resemblance to a short film he created for a recent Oscars telecast in which people talk off the cuff about why they like movies.

Chuck Nyren, a Seattle advertising consultant and author of Advertising to Baby Boomers, says the TV spots are carefully crafted to appeal to boomers who, if they don't use Depends themselves, may be caregivers for parents who do.

"Morris got the right people and took the right approach," he said. "Now, if only other advertisers would hire boomers to pitch refrigerators, soap and other products."

Complementing the TV commercial's broad-brush approach, Kimberly-Clark has overhauled its Depend Web site (www.depend.com) to give consumers detailed information about incontinence and the company's products.

The Web site's discussion groups have proved especially popular, Fries said.

"Consumers like to go online and talk with others with the same condition," he said. "The Internet is the perfect medium for that conversation, since it offers anonymity. People can get both answers and emotional support."

Kimberly-Clark sees tremendous potential for growth in the incontinence business, not just because there are 78 million aging boomers but also because they'll have more wealth than previous generations of older adults.

"Our pitch to consumers is that they don't have to give up on life -- they can do the things they want," Cammarota said. "That message will resonate with anyone who wants to stay engaged."