Kimberly-Clark Launches First-of-Its-Kind Poise Feminine Wellness Line

Brand Enters New Category With Innovative Products for Women Experiencing Menopause

News provided by

Jul 16, 2012, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) today announced the national launch of the Poise Feminine Wellness line – a first-of-its-kind line of consumer products designed specifically with menopausal women in mind. This new product line represents the Poise brand's expansion into the feminine wellness category in the U.S. and Canada, following the recent successful rollout of these products in parts of Latin America.

The Poise Feminine Wellness line includes five products designed to work naturally with a woman's body during menopause to provide comfort and help her feel feminine and confident throughout the day. The line includes:

Roll-On Cooling Gel and Body Cooling Towelettes to help the more than two-thirds of American women who experience hot flashes feel comfortable and refreshed when one strikes by providing a cooling sensation.
Personal Lubricant designed to enhance the intimate moments and help women who experience vaginal dryness.
Panty Fresheners feature a fresh, clean scent to help women who experience odors feel more confident.
Feminine Wash to provide daily freshness for women.

"Fifty million women across North America are approaching or experiencing menopause, but until now there has been no suite of consumer products that helps them cope on a daily basis," said Rebecca Dunphey, Poise brand director at Kimberly-Clark. "The Poise Feminine Wellness line is specifically designed to help women approach this life stage with confidence. These products are a natural extension for the Poise brand, which millions of women already rely on for discrete protection from light bladder leakage."

"Many women are looking for non-medical options to help provide comfort from the symptoms of menopause," said Dr. Cindy Long, an OB/GYN and former OB/GYN Department Chair at North Suburban Medical Center. "It is great that Poise is demonstrating a commitment to providing options to help women go through menopause with comfort and confidence."

Poise Feminine Wellness products were initially launched in Chile in 2009 and were subsequently introduced in Colombia, and helped the Poise brand increase its net sales in the region.

"Kimberly-Clark's strategy is to leverage strong brands and innovation on a global basis to win in the marketplace," said Jay Gottleib, Vice President, North American Adult & Feminine Care. "Based on the initial success of the Poise Feminine Wellness line in Latin America, we anticipate these products will be well received by North American consumers and retail customers."

The launch of the new line will be supported by an integrated marketing program, The 2nd Talk, a whole new way to talk about menopause designed to help women approach this life stage with confidence.

"Women probably remember having a 1st talk that explained their changing bodies as they were approaching puberty," said Dunphey. "Kimberly-Clark and the Poise brand want to encourage women to have the 2nd talk as they approach menopause, to begin and normalize the conversation about this life stage. By joining the conversation, women will gain more menopause knowledge, support and solutions."

The integrated program will include an online destination for women at www.The2ndTalk.com that shares menopause knowledge, support and solutions, as well as television, print and online advertising, media and expert partnerships, public relations and in-store support.

Poise Feminine Wellness products will be widely available in retail outlets across the U.S. and Canada beginning this month.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 140-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation