Kimberly-Clark Corporation has expanded its adult incontinence product range to include its first line of gender-specific adult absorbent underwear.  The new male and female designs are tailored to fit the unique body shapes of men and women—offering superior fit and protection to help users suffering from incontinence enjoy a full and active life.

Debuting an exclusive, patent-pending design that looks and fits like regular underwear, new Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women will begin replacing the Depend unisex underwear early next year. The new line features customized leg openings contoured to better fit men and women and new positioning of the gender-specific absorbent to provide protection where men and women need it most. As a result, users of the new product are expected to experience enhancements in comfort, discretion and performance.

“Kimberly-Clark and the Depend brand understand the emotional impact incontinence can have on those who suffer from this medical condition,” said Andrew Meurer, vice president of Kimberly-Clark North American feminine and adult care.

Beginning in March, Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women will begin rolling out in North America in eight varieties, including small/medium, large/extra large in both extra and super-plus absorbency for women, and small/medium, large/extra large in super-plus absorbency for men. The new gender-specific product line is also scheduled to launch in various European markets throughout 2009.

To accompany the new line’s debut, the Depend brand will also unveil more intuitive packaging for its entire product lineup. With distinctive color coding, a new absorbency scale and a more simplified sizing structure, the new packaging will help make choosing the right product faster and easier for shoppers.
“Our consumer research has found that users and caregivers can be uncomfortable shopping for adult incontinence products,” said Mark Cammarota, Depend brand director. “Quickly finding the right product remains a vital step in living with incontinence, and with a variety of options on store shelves, our new packaging designs will offer a simpler selection experience at stores.”

Beginning in late November, a sticker began appearing on current Depend unisex underwear packages to help introduce Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Underwear for Women. To coincide with the March 2009 debut on store shelves, K-C will roll out the largest integrated marketing campaign in the history of the Depend brand, including TV, print and online advertising, direct mail, in-store trial and more.

According to K-C, approximately 41% of the more than 77 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. currently serve in a caregiver role for their elderly parents or loved ones and are quickly approaching senior years themselves. The U.S. Census Bureau recently noted that nearly 27 million Americans will more than likely experience incontinence by 2010. More than 19 million Americans suffer from this medical condition today.