Founders' Work
Pretty Nifty × Sam's Club: The Diaper Ad That Went Viral Without Airing on TV
Before Spexster, founders John Kubin and Jed Williams ran Pretty Nifty, a commercial production company. When Sam's Club launched its new and improved Member's Mark Comfort Care diapers, Pretty Nifty made the ad. It hit 11 million views in 24 hours and ranked #2 on AdAge's viral video chart during Super Bowl 50, without a single TV spot.
Moms' biggest concern is their baby's comfort. So instead of another stereotypical diaper ad, Pretty Nifty focused on the feeling of cushiony softness Comfort Care delivers, with babies kicking back in total relaxation.
About Pretty Nifty
Pretty Nifty is the commercial production company run by John Kubin and Jed Williams, the filmmakers who went on to found Spexster. Their years producing national campaigns, and hiring crews to make them, inspired the idea behind Spexster.
The Project
Sam's Club wanted to put its new and improved Member's Mark Comfort Care diapers on the map. Pretty Nifty created a spot built around one feeling, softness, and backed it with paid placements on Facebook, popular mom blogs and YouTube.
The Challenge
Diaper advertising is crowded and predictable. The launch had to stand out online through paid placements rather than TV, and later hold attention during Super Bowl week, one of the most crowded weeks in advertising.
What Pretty Nifty Did
The original spot hit 11 million views in its first 24 hours. To build on that, Pretty Nifty cut a football-themed version with a new voiceover in under 48 hours, a week before Super Bowl 50. Rob Gronkowski shared it with his 1.3 million Facebook followers, and it ranked #2 on AdAge's viral video chart without ever airing on TV. Sam's Club saw brand awareness rise 183%, along with higher sales.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who are the founders of Spexster?
John Kubin and Jed Williams, working commercial filmmakers who ran the production company Pretty Nifty before founding Spexster.
What was the Sam's Club Member's Mark diaper campaign?
An online launch campaign for Member's Mark Comfort Care diapers, produced by Pretty Nifty. It skipped typical diaper-ad tropes and focused on softness, with paid placements on Facebook, mom blogs and YouTube.
How did the Sam's Club diaper ad perform?
The original upload hit 11 million views in 24 hours. A football-themed cut made for Super Bowl 50 was shared by Rob Gronkowski and ranked #2 on AdAge's viral video chart without airing on TV. Brand awareness rose 183%, and sales went up.
Is this a Spexster project?
No. It was produced by Pretty Nifty, the founders' production company, before Spexster existed. It's here because that production experience is what Spexster is built on.
