Huggies Nappies has partnered with Plunket for a heart-warming campaign by Ogilvy to encourage parents to ‘make time for hugs’.
Hugs are at the heart of the Huggies brand, with the name a combination of the words ‘hugs’ and ‘babies’.
Marketing manager Jason Biggs says it teamed up with Plunket to give parents a reminder of the deep and lasting benefits of hugs for both baby and parents.
“We have a shared belief with Plunket in the value for parents of taking time with their babies and holding them close. Hugs are central to our brand, but more importantly they are central to the healthy physical, emotional, behavioural and social development of children,” he says.
Hugs and loving touch are vital to support babies’ healthy brain development according to Plunket, and national advisor parenting and development Brigid Wilkinson says they let babies and children know they are safe and protected.
She adds, hugs help babies adjust and adapt to the world in which they are born.
The 30-second TVC features Claudia Adull, from Birkenhead, the mother of four-month old Harper. She says when Harper was first born she didn’t always know what to do, and what was right.
“There are so many opinions out there. So on the really tough days, I’d scoop her up for what I can only describe as a “you-and-me-against-the-world” kind of hug,” Adull says. “Then I’d remember how lucky I was, and just get on with it.”
Andrew Methven from Greenlane also features with his four-week-old daughter Rose. He says dads feel pretty useless in the early stages so he made it his job to settle Rose at night after the last feed.
“I’m not a stressful character but it’s a very calming thing to pick up a baby,” Methven says. “I love our hugs together. She’s a funny wee dot. She might be crying hysterically and then it’s like she turns the lights out by herself in my arms and goes to sleep.”
The partnership with Plunket for the campaign is fitting, as next year the two brands will enter the 25th year or their partnership sponsorship.
Huggies Nappies has donated over $8 million to Plunket to ensure it can continue to support parents and give babies the best start to life.
There are about 167 babies born everyday in New Zealand and Plunket nurse Katrina Coleman, who also features in the spot, says Plunket will see most of them.
Young parents’ lives are busy, Coleman says, and the message of the campaign is to “make time for hugs”.
Credits
Client: Kimberly-Clark New Zealand
Marketing manager Huggies Nappies: Jason Biggs
Ad Agency: Ogilvy
ECD: Regan Grafton
Creative: Rupert Hancock
Creative: Gaelyn Churchill
Creative: Julie Spedding
Creative: Tom Hennah
Senior agency producer: Rachel Stewart
Planning: Ben Fielding
Brand Director: Anita Waugh
Senior account manager: Cécile Cantin
Production: Exposure
Director: Tim Parsons
Producer: Jess Milne
DOP: Marty Williams
Grade: Dave Gibson
Editor: Sam Brunette
Post-production: Toybox
