Pampers Kicks Off Baby Board Program

Procter and Gamble megabrand Pampers has launched a new online community of parents called the Pampers Baby Board.

About 18 mom & dad bloggers were selected to be part of this panel, which interacts directly with Pampers.

Participants are going to provide valuable feedback on parenting issues, Pampers products and other topics of interest to Pampers. In turn, they will be the first to get insider info and samples of new products to try.

All participants can opt-out of the program at any time, and do not have any obligations or requirements to post on their blogs about Pampers or the Baby Board.

Yakini Etheridge, of The Prissy Mommy, and one of the members of the Pampers Baby Board, gave ShePosts more details about the panel:

There will be brand events and happenings that we’re invited to as well as opportunities to interact, in person and via regular Skype sessions, with brand representatives.  We’re encouraged to share our opinions with them, tell them what we like/don’t like, what we’re hearing from friends, families, and our readers that could be helpful and enhance the products…. While Pampers will of course be sharing exciting news and information with us, we’re never required to post, tweet, FourSquare, Facebook or anything we don’t want to do.

Most of the participating bloggers were invited to participate in December of 2010 and January of this year, and many of them have worked with Pampers on other brand events in the past, such as the Pampers DryMax campaign.

Etheridge stated that the genesis of the Baby Board began back in the summer of 2010, when she and other moms encouraged Pampers to create a moms panel.

Last June, I was one of 11 moms invited by Proctor & Gamble to the Pampers Dry Max Blogger Event. ..It was also during this trip that we (mom bloggers) advised Pampers that they seriously needed to consider forming a panel of “real moms” who could give them the feedback about what we like/don’t like, be a resource for other parents, and let Pampers know things we are hearing from our own friends, family, and networks about the brand. I was pleased to be invited into this inaugural Pampers Ambassador program because it let me know that brands actually do care and listen to us

The program is still in its initial stages, but some members have been able to participate in a few events thus far. Etheridge noted:

We were invited to  “Parents Rejuvenation Day” Spa Event with Bethenny Frankel to celebrate the launch of the Pampers Gifts to Grow “Unsung Heroes” program, which is all about honoring wonderful parents for everything we do for our families. At this event, select mom bloggers were invited to enjoy a day of pampering alongside Bethenny at Oasis Day Spa in Manhattan.

Others, like Louise Bishop from Momstart, did a phone interview with Bethenny Frankel and received a welcome gift basket for joining the board. Pampers is also sponsoring board members to attend the Reviewer’s Retreat in the Poconos in May. One of the next events coming up for the Pampers Baby Board is a “Welcome To The Board” Skype call where board members can meet each other, as well as the Pampers team.

Bishop felt that it was her love for Pampers products and her great pitch letter that secured her a spot on the board:

Pampers asked me to try out their DryMax diapers. I was afraid to try them, but did so anyways. I fell in love with them. I think they smell great and love that they are thinner than other diapers. There isn’t any leakage either…. I contacted the Pampers rep that I was currently working with and asked her about the Baby Board program. She said she wasn’t in charge of picking but was impressed with my pitch/request to be on the team and recommended me to her associates. It was this excitement for their product that made them decide to work with me.

Other bloggers who have been identified as members of the Pampers Baby Board include:

Audrey McClellan from MomGenerations, Bridgette from The Not-So-Blog, Cecelia of Cool Baby Kid, Felicia of Go Graham Go, Piera at Jolly Mom, Kailani from An Island Life, My DFW Mommy, Deanna from Mommy Gaga, Kate from The Shopping Mama, Lamar and Ronnie from Black and Married With Kids, Renee of What Mommies Need, Ryan of Daddy Digest, Stephanie of And Twins Make 5, Tiffany from Babes and Kids Review, Kristin of Our Ordinary Life Jennifer from The Dirty T-Shirt and Adam of Dada Rocks.

It is unclear whether Pampers is accepting additional members at this time.