Everyone wants to be "cool." We all want to be in with the latest trends and fashion. That's exactly what facebook is right now -  it has become the latest trend that everyone wants to become a part of. Almost every person you meet has a facebook and if you meet a person that doesn't have a facebook, they're considered "not cool." Just as facebook makes a person feel and look cool, the Huggies jean diapers do the same. They give a child the comfort and stability they need, along with the added bonus of looking cooler than all the other babies with the regular diapers. This is just one of the many videos on youtube that can relate to the trendiness of facebook.




Huggies Jean Diaper Commercial

You’re driving home from school on the highway and you’re bombarded with billboards. Settling in your armchair you turn on the TV and you’re catapulted into a world of merchandise mayhem - impeccable, blemish free faces swearing by a three step system, gum that claims to do more than provide fresh breath, and seemingly trustworthy agents that appear at the scene of every car accident. At a glance, these are all mundane, everyday products and services. However, the need to stand out amongst the roaring sea of competitors calls for a drastic increase in advertisement. It used to be much easier to sell a product or service because there wasn’t a large selection of things to choose from. But in this day and age it’s almost impossible to gain the public’s attention. So how exactly is it done? Advertising is a form of communication that is intended to persuade an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas, or services. The average American is exposed to hundreds of commercials in the media each day, whether they are television commercials, billboards, newspapers, magazines, or posters.
Today’s society has become so blinded by materialism that they fail to realize the real purpose behind what a product was originally intended for. The Huggies jean diaper ad exploit’s the consumer’s subconscious by promoting luxury as a necessity, planting the notion that fashion comes before function, and forming premature social distinctions between babies where they are unnecessary.

The path to exploitation is paved through trust - trust that consumers hold so firmly towards brands whose very names reverberate reliability. Huggies is one of those brands. When Huggies begins to promote luxury as a necessity, it influences consumers into thinking that a luxurious product performs better than its original predecessor. Huggies wanted to set a trend by coming out with something that no other diaper brand had, they wanted something to put their name on top, something that would make every parent feel the need to buy. They established their goal by creating the jean diapers. Because Huggies is such a trusted brand, parents are disillusioned into thinking that they need to upgrade their diapers. But buying this product is like getting an upgrade for free because the jean diapers are sold for the same price as the regular diapers. Not only did Huggies promote their product by selling it for the same price, they also bated their audience by making it a limited edition item. By doing so, parents are more inclined to buying them, as if they are a collector’s item. They feel the need to buy them solely for the sake of having them. Diapers should be valued for their practicality and function rather than their luxury and novelty. Huggies was founded on providing the best diapers for babies all over the world. Using manipulative advertising schemes the company found a way to sell their jean diapers by blurring the distinction between what is necessary and what is purely cosmetic.

The Huggies jean diaper ad also exploit’s the consumer’s subconscious by planting the notion that fashion comes before function. When diapers were invented in the 1950’s, their purpose was to provide long lasting comfort and stability to infants that wore them. But the Huggies jean diapers are not only made to make a baby feel good, but also look good. The ad uses the catch phrase “the coolest you’ll look pooping your pants” to promote the diapers. This catch phrase alone does a great job selling the product, but the commercial brought it to a whole new level by setting the words into motion. The entire commercial centers on a very upscale fashionable atmosphere set in a chic downtown area alongside dainty sidewalk cafes. Music plays in the background as a baby glides slowly down the street as if he’s walking down a runway. Garnering attention and adoration from attractive men and women the commercial makes it clear that the jean diapers have piqued there interest. They use clichéd effects to illustrate this with wind blowing a woman’s hair as she takes off her fashionably oversized sunglasses upon noticing the baby. Men in designer suits give him envious looks, acknowledging the baby as a mini competitor. At the end of the commercial the baby is escorted into his lavish vehicle. This commercial appeals to the audience because it is so trendy and up to date. It is not an ordinary diaper commercial. It stands out amongst other diaper commercials because it focuses on the aesthetic value of looking good.

Social distinctions are unavoidable. They are the very essence of American culture and serve as one of its main components. With the market so dominated by consistent change, people feel the need to keep up with the trends. Therefore, a person either hops on the bandwagon or doesn't - setting the backdrop for social stratification. Those who keep up with current trends and fashions are usually younger generation moms. They are the audience that this ad targets. Having a product such as jean diapers on the shelves just provides an excuse to make their babies seem more sophisticated than a baby with regular diapers. When a baby is trained at such a young age to dress a certain way, this sets a foundation for the child's priorities, and eventually may affect their moral values. For example when a child grows older, he or she may be more judgmental of their peer’s choice of style or they will be extremely self-conscious if they aren’t up to par with the latest trends. This also makes a child vulnerable to materialism and consumerism at an early age. When image is held in high regard, children lose sight of more important values. Ultimately, this contributes to a distortion in self image by forming premature social distinctions between babies where they are unnecessary.

The Huggies jean diaper ad uses certain devises and imagery to appeal to the consumer. It promotes luxury as a necessity by manipulating parents into believing that jean diapers are needed rather than desired. The ad captivates the audience by glamorizing fashion over function. It satisfies the growth of materialism in society by giving it a look good, feel good philosophy. Huggies used the art of persuasion to lure its audience by creating an advertisement that is cute, funny, creative, and different.  All these tools were proven affective for the Huggies diaper ad because it’s a light-hearted, unexpected approach compared to the conventional cookie cutter style of diaper ads.