Saatchi & Saatchi London: Pampers gets real about the job midwives do

Mother and baby ads are always so gentle. Voices whisper softly. Music flows in an easy melody.

Not this one. It appeals to real mums. It’s a thank you by Saatchi & Saatchi London from P&G Pampers – on behalf of those real mums to midwives. And it speaks the language of the mums and the midwives who have experienced childbirth. There’s nothing gentle about that.

What else could that thank you be set to than Push It by Salt n Pepa? What tone could it have except upbeat? Perhaps with a bit of friendly “girl talk” humour?

The same realness has always lain under the campaign that began before Christmas last year with a film set to the Twelve Days of Christmas, and supported in social media.

https://youtu.be/8gddW_EpAP0

Since then, Pampers has inspired over 15,000 people to say #ThankYouMidwife. That thank you continues. 1,900 new babies are born every day. So, this summer, Pampers is rallying the nation to continue to say #ThankYouMidwife with a new TVC, social, PR and influencer campaign.

The 40-second TVC, Push, was shot on the maternity wards at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton and New Forest Birth Centre, and features footage of real midwives and pregnant women with their partners. (For privacy reasons, the birth was re-enacted and shot a few days after.)

Despite their vital role, one in three midwives admits they feel underappreciated and undervalued, according to the Royal College of Midwives’ research.While the majority of UK mums agree that it is important to thank midwives, just over half (58%) actually do. That’s why Pampers is calling for parents to keep saying #ThankYouMidwife on social media.

During the campaign run, Pampers has asked everyone to thank their midwives using the hashtag, #ThankYouMidwife, and tagging @PampersUKIre on Facebook, and @Pampers_UK on Twitter. Every time a personal thank you was shared towards a specific midwife and/or hospital using the hashtag and tagging the brand across the relevant social media platform, Pampers pledged to donate £1 to the Benevolent Fund of the Royal College of Midwives up to a maximum of £25,000. Participants must be 18 or over and posts must include the hash tag and brand handle to qualify for the donation. Limited to one donation per person that participates.

To help encourage people to keep saying #ThankYouMidwife, Pampers is also working with actress Jacqueline Jossa, who is currently pregnant with her second child.

Caroline Gorrie, Pampers brand manager at P&G, commented, “Midwives do an incredible job and always go above and beyond, so Pampers wants to make sure that none of them feels under-valued. Through this campaign, we hope to celebrate them, show our appreciation and help bring a smile to the faces of midwives in hospitals throughout the country.”

Gill Walton, Chief Executive and General Secretary at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), “Midwives play a crucial role in helping women and families throughout pregnancy, the delivery of their babies and beyond, so we’re delighted that Pampers continues to recognise them. The donations made through the #ThankYouMidwife social media campaign make a huge difference to our members who need them, so the RCM would also like to thank the public for their ongoing support.”

The TV and VOD campaign launched during the final of Britain’s Got Talent on June 3, and will run until June 22 2018. Media planning and buying was executed by Publicis Media. A targeted consumer PR and influencer outreach campaign will also be executed by MSL.

As a further small act of appreciation, Pampers will also be doing a series of Midwives’ Staff Room Makeovers across the UK, starting with Southampton Hospital where the TVC was shot.