Huggies Puts $10 Million Into Building E-Relationships With Moms

Huggies has launched Baby Network, an online community for moms and moms-to-be, with a marketing and development spend that tops $10 million

Baby Network is made up of two sites: “Happy Healthy Pregnancy” and “Happy Baby.” At the site, Huggiesbabynetwork.com , moms and those expecting will find interactive tools, weekly articles from

Huggies new Web site targets moms and moms-to-be

pregnancy experts, audio interviews, special offers and product information all aimed at building brand equity and loyalty.

“The strategy is to really increase the emotional connection with our consumers and the Huggies brand,” said Mark Cammarota, marketing director for North American Baby Care (the Huggies brand).

Parent Kimberly-Clark Corp. spent $3.5 million creating the site, which took a year to build. At the customized site, moms register and then each time she returns, she receives a relevant message based on her stage of pregnancy or the age of her baby. She can sign up to receive a weekly e-mail newsletter, make a scrapbook, use the virtual room creator to design baby’s new room and search for activities to play with children.

At the “Special Offers” section moms will find sweepstakes, rebates and contests. Currently, a sweepstakes offers one winner per month a year’s supply of Huggies diapers, baby wipes, and disposable changing pads. There is also an opportunity to sign up for free for a Upromise college savings account, which puts a certain percentage of the retail price of Huggies products toward a college fund. A “Special Offers” mailing list allows registrants to get coupons for Huggies products and other special offers.

“The goal is to grow the equity and build loyalty for the brand,” Cammarota said. “Creating a relationship with mom is the direction of the Huggies brand; to be more than product, information and support, but also fun and the right products at the right time for mom.”

Extensive focus group research with moms was held upfront as well as testing by moms as the site was developed.

Another $7 million is earmarked for marketing the site, including print ads, FSIs, coupons and banner ads—all carrying the Baby Networks Web address.

“We’re treating this like a product launch, this is a key priority for the brand,” Cammarota said.

Kimberly-Clark has had other sites for moms and its Huggies brand, however, this site pulls it all together with product information, support and other information Kimberly-Clark plans additional online networks this year for Poise Incontinence Products, Kotex Feminine Products and Pull-Ups Training Pants.

Sites for parents have been proliferating. This launch comes one month after the debut of the Gerber promise site, Gerber.com. (PROMO Xtra, April 20).