Understanding Consumer Needs

Kimberly-Clark focuses on delivering innovative hygiene and personal care solutions to consumers and businesses. This company offers a wide range of products, including disposable diapers, feminine hygiene products, and incontinence care items, which are designed to meet the diverse needs of various demographics. Additionally, it emphasizes sustainability through its reusable product lines by reducing waste when used as a replacement for disposables, contributing to a circular economy. By leveraging advanced technology and consumer insights, Kimberly-Clark aims to enhance product performance and comfort while maintaining a commitment to environmental responsibility. This dual approach allows the company to cater to evolving market demands and help promote healthy lifestyles globally. Kimberly-Clark is the recipient of a 2024 Innovation Strategy award in the Ability to Change category.

1. What does innovation mean to you?

Innovation distinguishes a leader and a follower. We are not afraid of being different, we are afraid of being the same. We give ourselves permission to be the change that delights consumers.

2. How do you and your team generate new ideas?

We take pride in knowing our why, challenging current thinking, and making things happen. This requires us to be empathetic, think unconventionally, confront our biases, and empower teams.

3. Can you share 1-3 unique innovation tactics your team relies on?

We rely on rapid learning cycles and storytelling. We define the problem by knowing and showing the why, we define the solution by learning, building and testing, and we leverage storytelling by connecting the consumer with the product benefits and business needs.

4. Do you have any specific rituals to reset creativity?

We challenge people's mindsets so we innovate differently, bigger and faster.

5. What resources do you use to spot trends and consumer insights?

Trend Hunter helps us to see what already exists and highlights opportunities for partnerships and to think beyond current offerings.

6. Has there ever been an instance where another industry has inspired you/your company?

As a disposables company, we invested in Thinx, which is a reusables company, to better deliver on consumer needs. Rather than be disrupted by our competitors, we partnered with a leader in reusables.

7. What makes an innovative company culture? How do you create a culture of innovation?

We empower people to bring their whole selves to work and leverage their unique superpowers to engage/influence others.

8. Looking to the future, how will you/your company continue to be a leader in innovation?

We are consumer centric. We don't only ask about how to make a better version of our existing product, we uncover what consumers really want to experience and create new product forms. By partnering with a category disrupter, we have merged the best of KC knowledge and Thinx aspirations to revolutionize the period underwear category and offer more choice for women's personal hygiene needs.