Making Moves on the Field and Off: Always Discreet Revolutionizes NFL Commercials

The world of professional football has long been a haven for beer commercials, but this season, Procter & Gamble is shaking things up by introducing discussions about an unavoidable side effect of hydration into the conversation - bladder leaks. In a bold move, P&G plans to launch a substantial campaign for its Always Discreet incontinence pads for women, with many advertisements airing during NFL games this season. According to Melissa Suk, Vice President of Adult Incontinence for North America at Procter & Gamble, football is "the number one most-watched sport among our target consumers," making it the perfect platform for the campaign's debut. Traditionally, advertisers have used sports broadcasts to promote shaving accessories, cars, and snacks. However, in recent years, the definition of the ideal sports audience has expanded - particularly as traditional TV audiences for sitcoms, dramas, and reality shows dwindle due to the rise of streaming platforms. The live sports audience is not only male-dominated but also teeming with women and families, attracting a broader spectrum of advertisers. Last year, P&G leveraged NFL games to reach parents through messages about Pampers and invited them to share photos of newborns on social media for a chance to win a year's supply of diapers. This year, the company has enlisted three "NFL Moms" - Elisha Jarrett (mother of Brady Jarrett, defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears), Angela Burns (mother of linebacker Brian Burns from the New York Giants), and Katie DeJean (mother of defensive back Cooper DeJean from the Philadelphia Eagles) - to share stories about how using Always Discreet allows women to stay focused on the game, even during crucial moments. "I never miss a moment of any of my son's games," Elisha Jarrett emphasizes in a new commercial. Suk notes that this campaign represents the largest investment in the brand since its launch. Although it shares a name with P&G's menstruation product, Always Discreet is one of the younger brands within the company's portfolio. In the past, ads for the incontinence product would have primarily appeared on traditional news and cable programming, but as the audience evolves, so does the strategy. Suk explains, "We are evolving with our audience. Our consumer is a viewer of the NFL, and we want to be part of the conversations she's already having rather than expecting her to seek us out." In a game-changing approach, P&G is not only challenging traditional norms in advertising but also providing a platform for open discussions about an often taboo topic. The company is demonstrating that sports arenas can serve as more than just spaces for product promotion - they can be venues for building connections and fostering understanding among fans.