• by Paul Gough , September 5, 2002

A company whose main product is designed to boost tots’ IQ is about to launch the first advertising campaign in its five-year history.

Baby Einstein Co., a division of the Walt Disney Co., sells books, videos, DVDs, CDs and flash cards to increase parent-child interaction and brainpower in the under-3-year-old set. Most of Baby Einstein’s products have been sold via word of mouth.

“It grew because moms told other moms about the products,” says Rashmii Turner, director of communications for the Burbank, Calif.-based company.

And while word-of-mouth is still important to feeding Baby Einstein’s bottom line, the company decided to formulate a branding campaign to take it coast-to-coast.

Baby Einstein seeks to reach its target audience of mothers by a multimillion print campaign designed by VitroRobertson of San Diego. The planning and buying was done by Starcom Media of Chicago.

The six-piece full-page-ad campaign includes Baby Einstein’s iconic characters on a white background with the products and highlight the brand’s interactivity. One ad, similar to the others, tells parents: “All you want is a healthy, happy baby. Our specialty is the happy part.” Another: “The world is a really interesting place. You and your child should see it together.”

Turner says the ads focus on the brand and its products, although not a specific one.

The buys begin in the October issues of national parenting and women’s magazines: American Baby, Baby Talk, Family Circle, Family Fun, First Years of Life, Nick Jr., Parenting, Parents, Parents Baby, Rosie and Woman’s Day. Baby Einstein estimates it will reach 80% of its target audience an average of seven times throughout the three-month campaign.

There wasn’t any question in Baby Einstein’s mind that print was the way to go.

“The best way to reach these moms is in print,” she says.

New parents may read one or more of the magazines, which Turner says are a key resource when they want answers to parenting questions.

Turner says Baby Einstein has high hopes for the strength of word-of-mouth and the new campaign.

“We have the best of both worlds,” she says of the marketing strategy.