Johnson's Baby

Johnson's Baby
Johnson's Baby products at Kroger
Owner Johnson & Johnson
Country USA
Introduced 1893
Related brands Cosmetics
Markets World
Website www.johnsonsbaby.com

Johnson's Baby is an American brand of baby cosmetics and skin care products owned by Johnson & Johnson. The brand dates back to 1893 when Johnson's Baby Powder was introduced. Product line consists of baby powder, shampoos, body lotions, massage oil, shower gels and baby wipes. The brand has reputation for making baby products that are "exceptionally pure and safe" since at least the 1980s.[1]

History

Johnson's Baby Powder and sanitary napkins (1893)

Johnson's Baby Powder (20th century)
Johnson's Baby Powder (2014)

Johnson's Baby Powder was an invention of Dr. Frederick B. Kilmer, company's first director of scientific affairs.[2] In 1892 he got a letter from a physician noting that patient suffered skin irritations after using medicated plasters. Kilmer suggested to use scented Italian talcum powder to ease the problem and sent a can to the doctor.[3]

Baby Powder debuted in 1893 and went to the market in 1894.[4] The earliest Baby Powder was in a yellow and red tin with a label "For Toilet and Nursery”.[4]

According to Robert Shook, sanitary napkins were included into young mother's kit but never considered a separate product until customers asked the company for it.

In 1893 the talc was packaged in a box that was originally distributed to midwives and given to mothers following childbirth. The mothers liked it so much, the company started to sell it in drugstores. Also in the midwife's box were twelve sanitary napkins. Prior to this, there was no such product available to purchase. After the company receieved hundreds of letter from women wanting to know where they could buy these products, the company started to manufacture them - the first company to make sanitary napkins in the United States.[5]

The first baby to appear on Johnson's Baby powder label was Mary Lea Johnson Richards, granddaughter of Robert Wood Johnson I (co-founder of Johnson & Johnson).[6][7]

Johnson's Baby Powder has a particular scent that for many Americans is associated with the smell of the baby itself. According to Johnson & Johnson's representative Fred Tewell (cited by Toronto Star), baby powder-scented cleaning products became almost a standard not only to cosmetics, but to diapers as well. And all Johnson's Baby products have a "powdery" note in them.[8]

Johnson's Baby Cream (1921)

Johnson's Baby cream was introduced in 1921.[9]

The Gift Box (1921)

According to Margaret Gurowitz, Johnson & Johnson's corporate historian, in 1921 the company released its first "Baby Gift Box" that contained small packages of Baby Powder, Baby Cream and Baby Soap and "was designed as a small gift that people could take when visiting a family with a new baby".[4]

Johnson's Baby oil (1938)

Introduced in 1938[10][11] Johnson's Baby massage oil was heavily advertised nationwide ("Life" magazine[12]) since 1943 as a complimentary product to Baby Powder.[13]

Johnson's Baby Lotion (1942)

Often referred as the "Pink Brand"[14] (after the color of the bottle), Johnson's Baby Lotion appeared in 1942.[8][14]

Johnson's Baby Shampoo (1953)

"No More Tears" Johnson's Baby shampoo advertising from the "Family Circle" magazine (1956)
Baby reaching for the empty bottle of "No More Tears" shampoo while bathing

"No More Tears" shampoo was introduced in 1953.[15]

As noted by Nunes and Johnson:

In 1953 Johnson & Johnson introduced its No More Tears baby shampoo. Targeting this particular use involved a real soap breakthrough, however, with the company introducing amphoteric cleansing agents to consumer use. Though these agents are not as effective as traditional soaps, they are extremely mild, which makes them quite literally easy on the eyes and perfect for a baby's sensitive but presumably not-too-dirty skin. Designing this new category of cleaners for this user segment enabled Johnson & Johnson to capture a category it still dominates today, more than fifty years later. Within six months of its introduction, Johnson & Johnson had captured 75 percent of the baby shampoo market, a share it held as recently as 1995.[16]

Interestingly "No More Tears" has been registered as a trademark only in 1959.[17]

No More Tangles (1971)

"No More Tangles" shampoo (named after popular "No More Tears" shampoo) debuted in 1971.[18]

Johnson's Baby Wipes (1980)

Johnsons Baby Aloe Wipes

Johnson's baby wipes appeared in 1980 as Johnson's Baby Wash Cloths.[19]

The product was renamed "wipes" sometime during 90s (the product has already been present as early as 1990[20]). In 1994 it was advertised as a better option for cleansing baby skin than water due to mild, pH-neutral cleansing lotion that wipes contain.[21]

Sun Screen (1991)

Sun screen was introduced in Spring 1991.[22]

Head-To-Toe Cleanser (1997)

Head-To-Toe ultra mild cleanser was introduced in 1997.[23]

Bedtime Bath (2000)

Bedtime Bath introduced in 2000[24] was the first of products later known as Johnson’s Baby Bedtime range with four products (Bedtime Bath, Bedtime Lotion, Bedtime Wash and Bedtime Oil) that contain lavender and camomile.[25]

Marketing baby products to adults


The company has been using "Best for the Baby - Best for You" tagline since the early days. Some examples of such advertising can be spotted as early as 1913, when only Johnson's Baby Powder existed.[26]

Sometime in the beginning of 70s[27] Johnson & Johnson started marketing baby products to families, promoting so-called "family usage".

The strategy has been a success. By the 80s Johnson's Baby grew market share in the adult market due to the perception that "baby products are milder than others".[28] In 1985, for instance, 70 percent of Johnson's Baby powder in the USA was used by adults.[28]

Non-baby usage

Johnson's Baby products are widely used for non-baby occasions. For example, Johnson's Baby Oil is used as a facial cleanser (it has been reported by the "New York" magazine that popular TV talk show host Martha Stewart uses it this way[29]), by male strippers[30] as well as a lubricant in some traditional and not-so-traditional sexual practices.

Health risk issues

In December 1985 two physicians urged parents not to use baby powder, stating that it was unsafe to inhale. Johnson & Johnson responded with an official statement that "product is safe when used as it is intended".[31]

In February 2013 Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing published a research by academics at The University of Manchester that showed that washing newborn babies with Johnson’s Baby Top-to-Toe wash is just as safe as using water alone.[32] Research has been sponsored by Johnson & Johnson "but carried out under strict, independent scientific protocols, including blind testing and peer review".[33]

In January 2014 Johnson & Johnson removed two potentially harmful chemicals, formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane from more than 100 baby products after facing consumer groups pressure.[34]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Johnson's Baby.

References

  1. ↑ "Beauty; THE BOOM IN NO-FRILLS COSMETICS". The New York Times. 1981-02-08. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. ↑ Turner, Tyya (2007). Vault Guide to the Top Consumer Products Employers. Vault. p. 185. ISBN 978-1581313239. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  3. ↑ Oppenheimer, Jerry (2013). Crazy Rich: Power, Scandal and Tragedy Inside the Johnson and Johnson Dynasty. St. Martin's Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-312-66211-0. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Margaret Gurowitz (2007-04-30). "The Birth of Our Baby Products". Kilmerhouse.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Shook, Robert L. (2007). Miracle Medicines: Seven Lifesaving Drugs and the People Who Created Them. Penguin Group. ISBN 9781440696077. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  6. ↑ Rhoda Koenig (1987-02-23). Crazier Than You and Me. New York Magazine. Retrieved 2014-11-25. (Google Books)
  7. ↑ Shirley Horner (1987-02-15). "About books". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2014-11-25. Retrieved 2014-11-25.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Samantha Critchell (2008-04-18). "Smelling like a baby: now at the grownup fragrance counter – the scent of a baby". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Meyer, Thomas A. (2010). Innovate!: How Great Companies Get Started in Terrible Times. John Wiley & Sons. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-470-56058-7. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  10. ↑ Joanna Douglas (2014-06-16). "Old School Products That Still Rock". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014. Back in 1938 this was a must-have for newborns, but nowadays people of all ages have a million and one uses for oil. Among them: sealing in moisture post-shower, removing makeup, relieving dry skin, extending the life of fragrances, adding a subtle shine to your hair, and taking off wax, grease or other sticky things from your skin — all while smelling incredible.
  11. ↑ "Introduction of JOHNSON’S® Baby Oil (February 23, 1938)". Johnson's Baby Facebook page. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  12. ↑ Page 6. LIFE. 1943-08-09. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Page 4". The Evening News from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 1943-02-25. Retrieved 3 August 2014. JOHNSON'S BABY GIFT SET For any lucky baby! Contain. John' son. Baby powder, oil, cream, soap
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Shrimp, Terence; Andrews, J. Craig (2013). Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications. Cengage Learning. p. 361. ISBN 978-1111580216. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
  15. ↑ Dominique Browning (2012-08-22). "The Real Lesson of Formaldehyde In Baby Shampoo". Time. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  16. ↑ Nunes, Paul; Johnson, Brian (2004). Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules of Marketing to Today's Consumer. Harvard Business Review Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-1591391968. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  17. ↑ "NO MORE TEARS - Trademark Details". Justia.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  18. ↑ "Introduction of JOHNSON’S® Baby NO MORE TANGLES® (December 4, 1971)". Johnson's Baby Facebook page. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  19. ↑ "Get your baby wash cloth clean at every diaper change". The Palm Beach Post. 1980-07-17. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
  20. ↑ Biracree, Tom; Biracree, Nancy (1990). Buying the Best for Your Baby. Knightsbridge Publishing Company Trade. p. 123. ISBN 1877961698.
  21. ↑ "Water alone does not provide total cleansing". New Sunday Times. 1994-12-18. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
  22. ↑ Stephanie Strom (1991-07-06). "Creating the Well-Groomed Child". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  23. ↑ "Introduction of JOHNSON’S® Baby HEAD-TO-TOE® Wash (December 12, 1997)". Johnson's Baby Facebook page. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  24. ↑ "Introduction of JOHNSON’S® Baby BEDTIME® BATH (May 10, 2000)". Johnson's Baby Facebook page. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  25. ↑ "Baby toiletries - Cradle to cradle". Cosmetics Business. 2010-07-13. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  26. ↑ "The Red Cross Pharmacy". The Miami News. 1913-01-13. Retrieved 8 August 2014. Johnson's Toilet and Baby Powder. Best for Baby and Best for You. The Purest Toilet Powder that it is possiblt to manufacture"
  27. ↑ "Us Births Decline, Baby Businesses Grow". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 1974-09-09. Retrieved 8 August 2014. The company has produced heavy family-oriented advertising for the past few years"
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Deborah Blumenthal (1985-05-19). "BABYING GROWN-UPS". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  29. ↑ Kathleen Hou (2014-01-09). "Martha Stewart’s $2,000 Beauty Regimen". The Cut. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  30. ↑ Christina Han (2012-06-28). "The Male Exotic Dancers of Hunk-A-Mania on Their Grooming Routines". The Cut. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  31. ↑ "2 PHYSICIANS ASSERT BABY POWDER CAN ENDANGER INFANTS' BREATHING". The New York Times. 1985-12-27. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  32. ↑ Tina Lavender et al. (2013-02-19). "Randomized, Controlled Trial Evaluating a Baby Wash Product on Skin Barrier Function in Healthy, Term Neonates". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/''. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  33. ↑ "Baby wash does not damage baby’s skin barrier function, study finds". http://www.manchester.ac.uk/''. University of Manchester. 2013-02-19. Archived from the original on 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  34. ↑ Katie Thomas (2014-01-17). "The ‘No More Tears’ Shampoo, Now With No Formaldehyde". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.