Press Releases

DALLAS, March 30, 2009 - Men and women are different - from fundamental anatomic differences to emotional makeup to their driving styles. Because the Depend brand understands these many unique differences, Kimberly-Clark Corporation today announced the North American availability of its first gender-specific line of absorbent underwear for adults - Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women, including the largest integrated marketing campaign in brand history.

First announced in December 2008, the innovative line consists of all-new, distinct male and female designs tailored to better address the unique body shapes of men and women. The product line delivers enhanced discretion and superior fit and protection to help men and women who suffer from incontinence today, and the nearly 27 million Americans expected to experience incontinence by 2010 (source: U.S. Census Bureau), maintain a full and active life.

Coinciding with the new line's appearance on store shelves, starting today, K-C will roll out the largest integrated marketing campaign in the Depend brand's history. For the first time ever, the brand will utilize a multi-faceted combination of marketing elements including TV, print and online advertising as well as direct mail, in-store communication, and public relations. In addition, the brand will also unveil a comprehensive redesign of its Web site (www.depend.com), adding new educational information on incontinence, health-related and other gender-specific topics, as well as a more streamlined user interface to serve the growing Depend.com community.

"The Depend brand understands the needs of men and women, and is dedicated to providing meaningful experiences - both through products and emotional support - to give them confidence to continue engaging in everyday life," said Andrew Meurer, Vice President of Kimberly-Clark North American Feminine and Adult Care. "The launch of these gender-specific products for men and women, the multi-tiered marketing support plan and the total redesign of the Web site represent the investment that Depend is making in helping these men and women know that they are valued and vital."

Extensive Marketing Support
K-C's marketing campaign supporting the gender-specific launch is highlighted by three 30-second TV spots developed by JWT Chicago and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Errol Morris. Shot in the personal and intimate style Morris used in his famous short film, which opened the 2002 Academy Awards, the ads are 100 percent unscripted and feature real people being interviewed on various differences between men and women against a simple, white backdrop. As a result, each spot offers an honest, authentic and comedic interpretation of the uniqueness of each gender.

One of the TV executions entitled, "Driver," features the differences between a man's and woman's answers to the age-old question, "Who is a better driver?" While the man emphatically claims, "Generally speaking, men," his female counterpart responds with her gripe on the inability for men to merge. All three commercials will be available online at: www.dependpress.com.

"We understand there are many differences between men and women," added Meurer. "Through the creative vision of Errol Morris, this campaign brings that to life by celebrating and underscoring these differences to introduce our new Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women products in a unique and compelling way."

The three TV spots debut today and will run in general brand rotation on stations including CBS, ABC and Lifetime, while print ads will be featured in magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping and AARP The Magazine. The brand will also maintain an online presence on WebMD, The Health Central Network, and Quality Health.

Re-launch of Depend.com
Celebrating the strength and confidence of Depend users, the newly-revamped Depend.com Web site illustrates the values and differences between how men and women approach incontinence - enabling those living with the condition to find solutions which are most relevant to their interests and lifestyle. The site's community center features an enhanced user environment and provides a destination for members to make connections and share life experiences with others in the Depend.com community.

New Line's Product Enhancements
The new Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women feature a patent-pending design with customized male- and female-specific leg openings and new positioning of the absorbent material to provide protection where men and women 
need it most. The new products will replace K-C's current Depend unisex underwear line. The new line will also feature more intuitive packaging, including an easy-to-understand absorbency scale and sizing chart as well as distinct color coding to make the shopping experience quicker and easier for consumers.

For more information on Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women, visit www.depend.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 137-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.