Creating a reliable ally in parenthood

Huggies

CPG brands need a direct connection to customers. Loyalty programs bring brands and customers together, and when done right, they deliver value to both.

MACHINE LEARNING | LOYALTY | COMMERCE | ENGAGEMENT

First marketed to the public in 1978, Huggies is Kimberly Clark’s biggest franchise and a number two player in the $12.8 billion disposable diaper industry. Facing constant competition from P&G’s Pampers and other new market entrants, Huggies strives to maintain its place with moms through good old-fashioned product innovation and by creating long-lasting connections.

The Challenge

Huggies knew their existing loyalty program could work harder and could be a key centerpiece in building deeper, more engaging and connected relationships with customers. And with nine in 10 mothers using smartphones, the solution was clear: a smart, simple, and rewarding loyalty program with a helpful and useful mobile experience as the centerpiece. The existing program required entering lengthy PIN codes on desktop computers for credit and didn’t offer more to customers other than points for diaper purchases. And let’s not forget the benefit a platform like this would offer the brand itself. Huggies would gain direct access to information that would grow the brand from diaper providers to parenting pros, all in a mobile mom-friendly experience.

Our Approach

As an expert in creating preeminent connected experiences, the Huggies team reached out to Bottle Rocket to tackle this challenge. The team quickly started reimagining a connected experience that would solve for the extensive PIN code problems, allow moms to simply and easily be rewarded in various ways, and offer an expansive library of helpful information, all while enhancing brand and product perception beyond just diapers.

While Huggies put the finishing touches on their loyalty program, Bottle Rocket began native application development with an in-depth look at the competitive landscape. This informed our development and design stages as we crafted an experience that helped keep mobile moms connected and simplified the process of engaging with the brand on all levels. Our lo-fi techniques (pencil and whiteboard sketches to tappable prototypes) allowed us to present multiple iterations for feedback and quick approval.

Key to the ease and flexibility of our solution was to allow for receipt scanning via the phone’s camera. This functionality could read long receipts so single eligible purchases in larger shopping trips could easily be read and points earned for users. If users prefer, they could also link a store loyalty card to their account so qualifying purchases earned points automatically.

To deepen and extend brand engagement, the app provided point-earning opportunities for more than purchases. Mobile moms could earn points by reading and viewing content, checking in at retailers, and taking surveys. We integrated those resources while keeping simple, intuitive design a priority. App content also supported moms during pregnancy and family planning stages to proactively build brand loyalty. We also made point redemption equally as simple, complete with filtering and sorting capabilities. Users could browse through a redemption catalog and redeem points for sweepstakes entries or goods. The app also facilitated redeeming points for donating Huggies products to families in need.

The client needed a mobile loyalty app and received a reliable ally in parenthood. With the Huggies app, the new loyalty program was streamlined, cost-effective, and connected to mobile moms. Customers could earn points from any Huggies purchases, not just diapers. Receipt scanning saved customers time and the brand money by eliminating the need for printed PIN codes. Through in-app content and points management, Huggies expanded its brand identity from diapers to parenting and took their experience from anchored desktop to on-the-go mobile.