JBaby Powder, featured in a McCann worldwide report.
By the 1990s, the Johnson’s
BABY POWDER thematic campaign “Ikaw Lamang, Wala nang Iba”, was still going
on strong, after over a decade of being on air. It had been created back in
1979-80 by McCann Creative Director Tessie Tomas (yes, the much awarded
actress-comedienne!), for J&J Baby Care Products Division.
Every year, the Johnson’s
BABY POWDER campaign was simply refreshed with new situations, a new
storyline, and a new jingle—but the core theme was always the same—only Johnson’s
will do, nothing else.
WATCH Johnson's BABY POWDER "Duyan"TV Here:
In 1995, the dedicated J&J creative team of McCann-Erickson Phils. developed a commercial that only the constant in this world is a mother's pure love. To show a growing baby raised by a mother's special care, a native rocking cradle ("duyan") was used as a transition device. As the infant swings out of the frame, the cradle returns showing the infant growing older with each swing. Through all these years of care, Johnson's BABY POWDER has always been there by their side.
Later, another long commercial was produced that same year that paid homage to the love, sacrifices and irreplaceable roles of mothers. The TV ad used the haunting song of National Artist for music, Lucio San Pedro to provide the soundtrack. The plaintive lyrics of the song “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan” was sung by a boys choir, juxtaposed with images of mothers rocking their babies to sleep in their cribs, cradle and ‘duyan’.
WATCH Johnson's BABY POWDER "Ugoy ng Dyan" here:
In August 2022, Johnson & Johnson announced that it will
stop selling talc-based baby powder globally in 2023, more than two years after
it ended U.S. sales of a product that drew thousands of consumer safety
lawsuits. Demand had apparently fallen in the wake of what it called
“misinformation” about the product's safety. Cornstarch will replace the talc
as its main ingredient.
One thing for sure, loyal consumers will find it hard to
forget Johnson’s BABY POWDER, for it
has been their one true choice for generations, a brand so loved that no other
brand will do—“Ikaw lamang, wala ng iba!”.
Johnson & Johnson has been a long-standing client of
Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi (formerly Ace Compton) since 1959, with the Personal
Products as well as the Feminine Care line as its key assignments. 1990 marked
the year that J&J forayed into the Cosmetics field, targeting Teens as it’s
point-of-market entry.
That year, J&J Philippines launched its JOHNSON’S FACE POWDER, which is
actually a pressed powder version of one of its flagship products, Johnson’s
Baby Powder. That became the take-off point to communicate the face powder’s
merits and benefits to a new market. After all, Johnson’s Baby Powder had been
in the Philippines for over 4 decades and had become a staple product for
Filipino babies.
But, since the baby had grown older, shouldn’t there be a
new product befitting her new stage in life? Thus—JOHNSON’S FACE POWDER.
The Saatchi creatives developed a campaign theme that
would provide product continuity for Johnson’s powder products. This was
articulated in the memorable campaign line—“because
the Baby is now a Lady”.
The TV and Press campaign idea seemed simple enough—it starts
with a close-up of a Baby being splashed
with Johnson’s Baby Powder , followed by
images of the baby growing older, in a series of smooth dissolves, literally
growing before the viewer’s eyes. The last fade-in reveals the refreshingly
beautiful face of a teen-age girl, with
the JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER product
shot appearing beside her. As we follow the girl’s growing up process, the
supers gently come in: “because the baby, is now a lady—JOHNSON’ FACE POWDER”.
It was a simple, no-frills commercial, but with a powerful
visual idea that relied on casting the right models. The search was on for 4
talents who would credibly portray different stages of growth—from a Baby, to a
Moppet, a pre-Teen, and finally, to a Teen beauty.
The exhaustive quest ended
with the casting of four different models who appeared in a series of prints
ads that ran on consecutive pages of a magazine. The same models also appeared
in the launch TV commercial that would proved to be so successful, that it paved
the way for the launch of a new, major teen line –JOHNSON’S TEEN ESSENTIALS.
But.. whatever happened to the 4 models in the commercial? We wonder!
CREDITS: ADVERTISER: Johnson & Johnson Phils. Inc. PRODUCT: Johnson's Face Powder AGENCY: Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jimmy F. Santiago COPYWRITER: Merlee Jayme ART DIRECTOR: Melvin M. Mangada CASTER: Flor Salanga
It was only in
1956 that the American pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson, set up its
Philippine office, but years before that, its flagship product, JOHNSON’S BABY
POWDER was already enjoying the good patronage of Filipino mother and their
babies.
It was this product that shifted the reputation of
Johnson & Johnson from a medical company to a “baby company”.
Invented in 1893, JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER was made from
Italian talc that had a more soothing effect than the plasters J&J
manufactured earlier. Talc also provided effective relief from diaper rash. The
product was a success and was launched in the market the following year.
JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER , in the familiar tin packaging, was
initially imported and sold by JOHNSON’s BABY POWDER was known locally as “Talco Johnson”.
Early Johnson's Baby Powder Ad, 1953
Availability of the product improved when the local
J&J office on Dasmariñas St. took over the distribution of the U.S.-made
Johnson’s product. Demand was so great that J&J contracted a local trading
firm, Shiro, to manufacture JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER locally, in limited supply
(J&J would soon set up its manufacturing plant in Pasig).
JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER Ad, 1958.
Marketing efforts were also stepped up, and J&J
turned to professional advertising to support the lead brand. In the next
couple of years, JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER was promoted solely for baby’s use—for
the effective protection of his delicate skin against rashes and chafing.
JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER Ad, 1959.
Though
the slogan “Best for Baby. Best for You” appeared in 1959 ads, the message
continue to focus on babies’ complexion.
JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER Ad, 1961.
For adults, Johnson’s also launched a medicated powder
that was advertised in the early 1960s, but this did not catch on.
A PAIR OF JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER 'Mom & Das" ads. 1964.
It was not until 1964 that an attempt to expand its usage
to adults was made in subsequent campaigns with reference to JOHNSON’ S BABY
POWDER’s gentleness as “best for baby, for you”.
JOHNSON'S BABY POWDER Ad, 1968.
It would only be later, in the 70s and 80s, that ads
targetting specific audiences i.e. other than babies-- like adults and
youths—were produced to create broader appeal, by taking out the “baby-ness”
from JOHNSON’S BABY POWDER.
"Ikaw Lamang, Wala ng Iba" was one such campaign that was created by agency McCann-Erickson in the 1980s, which featured the product being used by teens.
