Reusing and Composting Diapers

Case Resor, Lee Pryor, Liza Ware, Nick Beall

Reusing and Composting

When you have a newborn come into your life, you realize that diapers are a necessity, but with all of the new inventions and ideas its hard to decide which product may be the best on the environment.  From the start, reusable diapers were the norm and now with people being more cognisant of the environment, consumers have the option of eco-friendly products that produce less waste.  Times have obviously changed from 70 years ago, however the Dri-Dide advertisement from the 1940s does not illustrate any of the packaging that comes with the product although the text informs the reader that they are easily washable which today would come off as unhygienic. The modern diapers represented in the second advertisement are not reusable but are a hundred percent compostable. Both of these diapers differ from the norm because neither are the traditional disposable diapers that are the most commonly used in today’s society.

These ads create an identity for the potential consumer by proving that they are environmentally conscious in their buying behaviors.  In the old fashion ad, it was more about the convenience and sanitation factor of diapers, whereas now it is about being eco-friendly and choosing the best product out of the plethora of what are available.  The original invention of diapers displayed the simplistic design and showed how convenient they were, with little waste produced.  Nowadays we know that no matter what we purchase we will also buy unnecessary packaging with it. “Packaging taught people the throwaway habit, and new ideals of cleanliness emphasized swift and complete disposal” (Strasser 200).  We are pressured to buy the packaging with the product, so it seems that the most eco- friendly product will be successful since people now know that they are doing their part in contributing to a healthier environment.

In the older ad, the strategy to convince the consumer is by having one baby with the diaper they are selling, and another with just a regular diaper. The baby with their product is super happy, while the baby with the other one is crying. This is a good way of persuasion because no parent wants to hear their baby cry all night because how bad the diaper feels. The second biggest strategy they use is by having a long paragraph on why the diaper is so special. The main message is that the diaper is soft, absorbent, easy to wash, and comfortable. It is a really strong point but the explanation was so long and in such small print that it wouldn't make a big effect on the buyer.  In the newer ad they mostly use short phrases to describe the product, which is a lot more efficient because buyers don't want to read a super lengthy description of what they are buying. It is simple and gives a clear message. “100% natural/compostable diapers.” In this ad they use a cartoon of a chicken with her babies to catch the viewers eye. It is is a good way of persuasion because it is related to the message of their product being eco-friendly.  

As you can see over the years the ads for similar products have changed immensely. In the past, the consumers seemed to want information on the product as to why they should buy it, but now the consumers want ‘straight to the point’ ads with more color and pictures and less words. A major difference between the advertising of these two products is how knowledgeable the consumer market is in their respective times. For instance, old ads had to describe the design, list the pricing and reiterate the comfortability, while today the consumer takes these things for granted. He or she instead must focus on other features that set the product apart from, say, Pampers (the largest diaper company in the world). This new ad accomplishes that very goal by stressing the disposability and eco-friendliness of the diaper.