The ideals around “perfect parenting” represented in culture and the baby aisle pile on shame, anxiety and defeat for millions of parents who need support and understanding. With Babyganics’ legacy as a leader in organic baby products, we saw the potential to capture attention by unpacking this cultural baggage. In a category that didn’t see a Black dad and child on a package of diapers until 2019, there was a lot of work to be done.
Introducing Babyganics’ new brand platform, “Here’s to Perfectly Imperfect Parenting,” that challenges the concept of parental perfection and creates a nontoxic baby culture. The centerpiece of the campaign, "Wheels," set out to bring laughter and relief to parents, and to once-and-for-all banish the toxic concept of perfection from the parenting lexicon.
To increase visibility around the pressure of parental perfection, Babyganics took to Parents magazine as well as parenting podcasts and social channels with "Sorry" to own up to the perfectionistic baby culture of the past and to usher in a new era of Perfect Imperfection. Our “You’re Doing Great” social films showed real moments from the shoot that all parents can relate to and feel communion with.
The integrated campaign featured real families in front of and behind the cameras, adding diversity not only to the work, but the process. Directed by two working moms and a diverse crew including a Latinx DP and LBGTQ+ editor, we were able to stay close to lived experience. The agency team was made up of immigrant, adoptive, trans, same-sex, single-parent, and BIPOC families in order to get the deepest representation possible. We cast real families in all roles to accurately represent the chaos and joys of everyday parenting.
As part of the collaboration, SC Johnson reviewed its internal policies concerning childcare, parental leave, and its external commitments in order to challenge perfect parenting, advocate and educate for systemic change, and align with like-minded partners.