Studies have shown that the journey to parenthood is statistically more difficult for Black families. Even before the child is born, Black mothers face disparities in their pregnancy care that have resulted in a maternal mortality rate that is two to three times higher than that of their non-black counterparts. Studies also show that Black children are 1.7 times more likely to develop atopic dermatitis than white children (National Eczema Association).
So, in the face of these systemic adversities, community support has become more crucial than ever. The “It Takes A Village” campaign was created to help fill that gap by providing meaningful support to new and expecting Black parents by addressing the disparities in maternal and infant health, while also highlighting the unique nuances Black mothers experience when caring for their babies' skin. The project sought to amplify critical conversations, offer community-driven resources, and provide culturally relevant solutions. Through storytelling content with real mothers and custom editorials vetted by medical professionals, the campaign is aimed to highlight the importance of community support for new and expecting Black parents.
Through tactics such as, raising awareness of the unique challenges Black parents face, to elevating Black voices through social media channels, to driving change by influencing the industry to create ongoing investment for this community. The "It Takes a Village" campaign reinforced Huggies’ commitment to ensuring every baby gets the best start in life—because no parent should have to navigate the journey alone.
The "It Takes a Village" campaign was built on a foundation of authenticity, community engagement, and impact-driven storytelling to address disparities in Black maternal and infant health. Recognizing the historical and systemic challenges Black parents face, the campaign sought to create a support system that provides both awareness and actionable solutions, while also seamlessly promoting Huggies' Skin Essentials line of Diapers, Pull-Ups, and Wipes.
The campaign featured an original content series featuring influencers Courtney Danielle Bryant (@bycourtneydanielle) as the experienced parent, Aisha Beau Frishey (@aishabeau) as the expecting parent, and Dr. Dina Strachan, an internationally sought after dermatologist for Black skin. “It Takes A Village” included both social amplification on Instagram, and media amplification on Group Black’s platform She’s Good, For Real, a first-of-its-kind digital platform designed to empower Black women to better advocate for their health and the health of their families powered by Healthline, the leading source of actionable health education in the US.
Community-centered storytelling was at the heart of the strategy. By pairing new parents with experienced ones and incorporating expert advice from a renowned dermatologist, the campaign created intimate and relatable conversations that address common parenting concerns, particularly focusing on Black baby skin health and the prevention of diaper rash and irritation. With the goal of educating parents on the specific Skin Essentials functionalities, Huggies collaborated with trusted voices to share real experiences and challenges. This approach ensured that the campaign resonated deeply with Black parents by amplifying authentic narratives rather than relying on broad, generic messaging.
Another key component of the strategy was seamless product integration, ensuring that Huggies’ diapers and wipes were not just promoted but positioned as essential tools in the parenting journey. The content reiterated the idea that Huggies wants to be a part of their consumer’s “village”, even gifting one of the new moms in the video $5,000 toward her registry.
Leveraging targeted media and digital engagement, Huggies ensured that its message was accessible, impactful, and tailored to its audience. This included interactive content, expert-led discussions, and resource-sharing initiatives designed to empower parents with knowledge and tools for their journey.
Through a combination of authentic storytelling, targeted engagement, product integration, and advocacy-driven initiatives, the campaign successfully showcased a sustainable support system for Black parents while reinforcing Huggies’ leadership in equitable maternal and infant care.
The Huggies "It Takes a Village" campaign resonated strongly with parents, consistently outperforming norms in ad likeability, brand trust, and brand persuasion, reflecting deep audience connection and confidence in the brand. Engagement metrics demonstrated strong performance, with an average of 6.7 attentive seconds and 68% brand recognition, while positive emotional responses—particularly around happiness and trust—validated the campaign’s authentic approach. On the media front, the campaign drove 7.1K+ clicks and 9.3M+ impressions, further amplifying its reach. Additionally, on Instagram, the campaign generated 20,375,250 impressions, reinforcing Huggies' ability to engage parents through meaningful storytelling and community-driven content.
