A Diaper Ad? In Golf Digest?

Not too long ago, we talked about a golf ad that managed to hit just about every wrong note. Now, we’re looking at one that’s making waves for all the right reasons.

And to do it, we need to talk about diapers.

What comes to mind when you think of diaper advertising? Babies running around. Big smiles. Bouncy music. Maybe a few jokes at parents’ expense. Or maybe they’re more sentimental, tugging on your heartstrings about how they’re only little for so long.

And where do you expect to see those ads? Mass media with broad appeal or publications primarily targeting moms. You know where you never see them? Publications aimed at men.

Coterie, a diaper brand, recently took out an ad in Golf Digest.

Not exactly a traditional placement for a diaper brand. While the company’s media sales kit doesn’t give a perfect breakdown of their audience, they state that around 74% of all golfers are men, which logically translates to who their publication predominately targets.

And to match the unexpected placement, Coterie used equally unconventional creative.

Marketing strategist Allison Grant shared the ad on LinkedIn.

Let’s look closer:

Notice: There are no babies. No photos at all, actually. Just a white page with black text.

And, the ad tackles a much bigger issue: despite dads being more involved in parenting than ever, moms are still often the default parent, carrying the bulk of the responsibility for everything from planning to purchasing.

Talk about a page-stopper. They don’t even ask you to buy their diapers. The ad has attracted plenty of attention from marketers. Here’s why it works.

It breaks through the noise.

“Break through the noise” is one of the most overused phrases in marketing, but the principle still holds. If you want people to notice your message, sometimes you have to do something different.

Coterie took an established product category and challenged its conventions. No baby photos. No familiar diaper-ad formula. An unexpected publication.

From creative execution to media placement, the brand took a gamble. And that gamble gave people a reason to pay attention.

It reaches a different audience.

You can’t attract new customers if you only talk to the same people.

As Grant points out, women control the majority of household spending – around 85%. But that doesn't mean men have no role in purchasing decisions, including decisions about which diapers to buy.

Advertising in a golf magazine puts Coterie in front of an audience that diaper brands might typically overlook. It also reinforces the ad’s bigger message: Dads should be part of the conversation about parenting responsibilities, including the shopping.

The hook makes you want to read more.

“You never see diaper ads in golf magazines.”

It’s a simple opening, but it works. It immediately raises questions. Why not? What does a golf magazine have to do with diapers? And what is this ad trying to tell me?

The line acknowledges the unusual placement while giving readers a reason to keep going.

Is it the right placement?

Some marketers are arguing that Golf Digest’s audience skews too old to be an effective way to reach dads of young children.

It’s a fair point. Reaching the right audience still matters, and shock value doesn’t translate to sales – especially if what you’re selling isn’t a need of those reading your ad.

But that said, the ad is generating attention well beyond the magazine’s readership, with social media buzzing about it.

Sometimes, showing up somewhere unexpected is enough to get people to stop scrolling and start talking.

Coterie found an opportunity to do diaper marketing differently, reach a different audience and make a bigger point about parenting along the way.

PS – This isn’t the first time Coterie has made a splash with a diaper ad. In 2025, the company made news for getting banned from several networks for its use of profanity, ending their spots with the line, “Diapers for parents who have seen some sh*t.” Take a look here.