From Shame to Empowerment: How TENA Men's Campaign Reframed Incontinence
TENA Men’s Keep Control campaign tackled a sensitive subject – adult men incontinence – with a refreshing dose of humor. This shift in approach made it a significant campaign in the health and pharma advertising world.
Traditionally, incontinence ads focused on the product itself, often with a somber tone. TENA Men dared to be different. Their campaign featured a confident, silver-haired gentleman navigating everyday life with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. The message? Leakage happens, but it doesn’t have to control your life. TENA Men’s products offer discreet protection, allowing you to stay active and in charge.
By using humor and a relatable character, it tackled the often-stigmatized topic of incontinence head-on, opening up a conversation that many men might otherwise avoid. Furthermore, the campaign focused on empowerment, highlighting how their product allows men to stay active and in control of their lives, rather than dwelling on the limitations of incontinence. This shift in tone and message proved that humor and a confident approach can be effective ways to reach consumers in the traditionally more serious health and pharma sector. Ultimately, TENA Men’s success paved the way for more open and engaging advertising in a sensitive category, demonstrating that even with serious topics, a touch of humor can go a long way in capturing attention and sparking important conversations.
According to Kantar’s in-depth analysis, in the UK alone sales of men’s incontinence products have grown significantly ahead of the market average (up 22% versus 13% overall).