'Some People Just Need More Time': Goodnites Reframes Bedwetting Conversation

Goodnites (a Kimberly Clark brand) are the #1 nighttime underwear for children aged four to 12, who have finished potty training but are still wetting the bed.

The fact is, one in six children will wet the bed until the age of twelve — and that’s perfectly okay. Bedwetting doesn’t signify a developmental issue, and growing out of it isn’t a matter of age. It’s just a matter of time.

Despite this fact, many parents are reluctant to get Goodnites for their children, because of the negative stigma around bedwetting among older kids. This stems from a mix of misunderstanding, shame, and unrealistic societal expectations. And sadly, impacts a child’s self-esteem, emotional well-being, and relationships with family and friends.

To challenge this age-old stigma, Goodnites have launched a global radio campaign with FCB Aotearoa that gets children to teach parents, and the world, a valuable lesson on bedwetting.

Each 90” radio spot features a highly developed and sophisticated-sounding child telling a story of when their parents needed longer than “normal” to do something. The message behind this storytelling is clear: some people just need more time — and Goodnites Nighttime Underwear.

Commenting on the work, Patricia Corsi, chief growth officer at Kimberly Clark said, “The world judges people for the ages at which they do things, and parents judge children for the ages at which they wet the bed. I love how this campaign uses this universal truth and takes an adult approach to tackle what many think is a child’s problem. Bedwetting happens, but embarrassment doesn’t have to.”

The campaign stars real children’s voices. But, to challenge notions of how old a child might be, FCB partnered with studio Eardrum to enlist adult voice artists and infused the two voices using AI to make sure the clarity, pronunciation, and delivery of each child was as ‘adult’ as possible.

Gaetano Perry and Tim Thach, the creative team behind the work, commented, “You might be thinking… A campaign of 90 second radio ads? What is this… the 90s? But judging how long something takes is what this campaign is all about. We’re very proud of the work, and the work we hope it will do in putting an end to something that’s been a long time coming: the stigma of bedwetting.”

Leisa Wall, chief creative officer at FCB Aotearoa, said, “The work in this category is typically quite childish. So I love how this project tackles a social stigma in a way that is sophisticated and thoughtful, made specially for the parents of bedwetters, now and in the future.”