Wrapping up (there’s a pun in there, sort of) our series on the importance of solid research in expanding brands, products, and services to new markets, I thought I’d end on a positive. This time I want to talk about a brand that truly demonstrates the power of solid market research in shaping a winning new market strategy.
Pampers entered the Chinese market for the first time in the late 90s with a strategy focused on making a cheaper version of their Western product. As the global category leader at the time, expanding into the world’s most populous country made sense but it was fraught with challenges from the outset.
In the Western world, Pampers is a household name, synonymous with adorable, gurgling babies staying dry for longer thanks to innovative technology. But in late 90s China, babies rarely wore disposable diapers at all.
Potty training typically starts much earlier, and at the time traditional Chinese kaidangku, or split crotch pants, were the norm. These pants do exactly what they say on the tin, allowing children to freely squat down and relieve themselves whenever needed. Children often began wearing them from as young as six months.
This presented a unique challenge for Pampers – not only did they have to convince parents of the quality and performance of their product, but they also needed to convince them they needed diapers in the first place.
With a lower quality product and no clearly unmet need, the brand initially struggled. It would be several years before they had another go at cracking the Chinese diaper market. Come 2005, Pampers were ready to try again but how do you solve a problem like the dominance of kaidangku?
If you’ve read the earlier blogs in this series, you won’t be surprised to hear that the answer is, of course: research.
Pampers’ parent company, P&G, conducted lots of research with Chinese parents. A consistent theme emerged: We just want the baby to sleep more.
The quality of a baby’s sleep – and its impact on future development – was a real concern for many parents. One P&G study even found that watching a sleeping baby often triggered mothers to think about their child’s future.
With this insight in mind, and a revamped product ready to go, Pampers explored how they could localise the universal desire for better sleep and use it to support a new market entry.
With support from the Beijing Children’s Hospital Sleep Research Center, P&G researchers carried out two comprehensive studies between 2005 and 2006. These involved 6,800 home visits, observing over 1,000 babies across eight cities in China.
The premise of the study was simple: instead of being put to bed in cloth diapers, babies wore Pampers, and their sleep quality was observed.
The findings were compelling. P&G reported that babies wearing disposable diapers fell asleep 30% faster and slept an additional 30 minutes each night. The study cleverly linked this to enhanced cognitive development, which was a persuasive point in a society where academic success is highly valued.
The findings from this research informed the Golden Sleep campaign, which positioned Pampers as the product that could improve the quality of baby’s sleep and set them up for success.
This multi-channel campaign included:
The campaign was a roaring success with measurable impact:
Pampers’ Golden Sleep campaign is a testament to the power of comprehensive market research in driving success. By listening to parents and understanding cultural nuances, Pampers identified sleep as a key concern – and linked it to a deeply resonant value: future success.
They didn’t just create a marketing campaign. They delivered a culturally relevant solution.
This research-led approach paved the way for innovative initiatives, from sleep trackers to community engagement – all of which resonated with parents on a deeply personal level. In the competitive world of consumer goods, this level of insight is not just beneficial – it’s a catalyst for success, turning knowledge into tangible market leadership.
Our Market Map solution provides a comprehensive view of your market, helping you:
With a modular, flexible approach, Market Map delivers actionable insights – whether you’re entering new markets, refining strategies, or validating new ideas.
But don’t just take our word for it…
When a leading pet health brand wanted to expand into Italy and France, they turned to Market Map to uncover customer needs, category dynamics, and competitor positioning.
The result? A clear, insight-led roadmap for success – tailored to each market. Read the full case study here.
Liss Myers
Insight Director
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