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From classic to modern: How does Depend reshape the design and function of adult underwear?
Depend is a brand of absorbent disposable underwear from Kimberly-Clark designed for people dealing with urinary or fecal incontinence. As an alternative to adult pads, Depend has a 49.4% market share in the United States, firmly establishing itself as a leader in this field. However, how the design and functionality of Depend's products evolve over time is an intriguing question.
When the Depend brand was first introduced to the market in 1984, it was originally called Conform and was designed to provide a more comfortable alternative to adult diapers.
The history of Depend products can be traced back to Huggies disposable baby diapers launched by Kimberly-Clark in 1978. As the company's expansion into the adult market, Depend was introduced in 1984, with the earliest market testing taking place in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Initial products consisted of just inner pads with varying levels of absorbency, secured with small elastic bands for ease of donning.
In 1984, Depend Shields was added to the product line, designed specifically for those with mild incontinence, providing a solution for moderate to severe urinary incontinence. In 1985, underwear suitable for severe or complete urinary incontinence and intestinal incontinence came into being, and the color and appearance design were improved for convenience.
In 1988, Depend products fully adopted the absorption lock core technology, which turned into gel when wet liquid came into contact, greatly improving the absorption efficiency of the product.
Depend continues to innovate and launch new products over time. In 1998, Pull Up adult disposable underwear was launched, allowing consumers to have a wearing experience more like traditional underwear. This type of underwear not only uses fabric texture in appearance, but also greatly enhances the wearer's confidence and comfort.
In 2000, Depend Briefs was further optimized and the color was changed to white with a slight cyan tint. In 2001, redesigned removable products were launched, demonstrating the brand's emphasis on functionality and fashion.
In 2009, Depend launched gender-specific adult underwear, and launched products called Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women to meet the needs of men and women.
In 2012, the "Silhouette for Women" and "Real Fit for Men" collections, designed specifically for the baby boomer generation, debuted. These products not only adopt modern appearance design, but also further segment the market, allowing users to better choose products that suit them.
In terms of advertising strategy, from 1992 to 2012, actress June Allyson served as the main spokesperson and led the brand to change its image nine times. Since 2012, the addition of young celebrities has changed the brand image and attracted more consumers who establish their self-image with confidence.
Interestingly, brand-dependent changes are not limited to the product itself, but also actively participate in cultural construction and even occupy a place in popular culture.
In popular culture, the existence of reliance on brands is also mentioned ironically, such as in David Foster Wallace's novel "Infinite Jest", which mentions the slogan "Depend Adult Underwear". In addition, Lisa Rinna's identity as a brand spokesperson also frequently appeared in "Real Entertainment in Los Angeles".
It is worth noting that Depend continues to adjust its product portfolio and marketing strategy as market demand changes. The new underwear not only addresses physiological needs, but also takes into account the wearer's comfort and the social confidence they need. From the initial design that did not differentiate between men and women to the current provision of gender-specific underwear, Depend's transformation is undoubtedly a process of keeping up with the times.
Should our concepts also change as products change, so that the prejudice against incontinence products will gradually disappear?
