Pampers + UNICEF
“1 Pack = 1 Vaccine” Cause Marketing Strategy
Client: Procter & Gamble
Situation
Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) presented a deadly yet preventable risk to mothers and newborns, primarily in countries where home births in unsanitary conditions were common. Nearly 100% of newborns affected by MNT would die without access to proper treatment facilities. In 1999, the disease claimed the lives of 215,000 babies, revealing a dire need for intervention, especially considering the existing logistical and cultural challenges of implementing a vaccination program in at-risk countries.
Task
Procter & Gamble, through its Pampers brand managed by Saatchi & Saatchi, sought to leverage its vast consumer base to fund UNICEF’s MNT Elimination Programme, aiming to:
Mobilize resources to facilitate the procurement and distribution of tetanus vaccines.
Enhance the accessibility of vaccines to mothers and newborns in remote and logistically challenging areas.
Contribute to the global effort of reducing, and eventually eliminating, MNT from at-risk countries.
Establish a cause-marketing model that not only strengthens its brand but also significantly impacts a global health crisis, thereby harmonizing commercial and philanthropic objectives.
Actions
We launched the “1 Pack = 1 Vaccine” campaign in 2007, establishing a simple, clear, and accountable promise to consumers:
For every pack of Pampers sold, a portion of the sale (12 cents per package) was dedicated to funding a tetanus vaccine, making a direct connection between consumer purchase and social impact.
The campaign was strategically communicated to appeal to the universal motherly sympathy towards childbirth risks, establishing a bridge between the everyday consumer action of buying diapers and contributing to a life-saving cause.
Pampers harnessed its broad consumer base, effectively converting commonplace behavior (diaper purchase) into a potent fundraising mechanism.
Leveraging the strong and credible UNICEF name, Pampers connected with positive, pro-social brand associations and consumer demands for corporate social responsibility. Leveraging celebrity spokesperson Salma Hayek drove affinity for the brand and story.
Pampers and UNICEF navigated the complex journey of vaccine distribution, handling procurement, navigating challenging terrains, and dealing with logistical and cultural hurdles to ensure vaccinations reached and were administered in remote villages.
Results
Pampers donated 300 million tetanus vaccines, protecting 100 million women and their babies across the globe, contributing to saving nearly 1 million newborn lives.
MNT deaths saw a dramatic reduction, from 215,000 in 1999 to approximately 25,000 in 2018.
MNT was eliminated in 47 of the 59 at-risk countries, with Pampers’ support directly contributing to the elimination in 26 of those countries.
The partnership not only succeeded in making a substantial impact on global health but also facilitated Pampers in becoming one of UNICEF’s largest corporate donors, while simultaneously driving year-on-year growth for the brand, even in stringent markets.
The campaign garnered significant coverage and recognition, even being developed into a business school case by Oxford’s Said Business School and was featured in prestigious platforms like Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine.
It formulated a precedent for cause-related marketing, intertwining business growth with significant social impact, thereby presenting a viable model that could potentially be replicated or adapted by other businesses aiming to align commercial and social objectives.
Spotlight: Pampers + UNICEF Commercial
The seminal Pampers + UNICEF TV commercial narrated by Salma Hayek introduced the new brand launch across the country, explaining the 1 pack = 1 vaccine strategy to eliminate MNT.