There was a time when personal care brands, and the consumers who used them, would rather not address the category head-on, often relying on metaphors rather than candid conversations. But those days appear to be coming to an end with an influx of straightforward, typically humorous, activations that tout bathroom-related products and services without shying away from the topic. From bidet and toilet paper brands to plumbing companies and retailers of period apparel, here’s how personal wellness brands are producing some stall-wart experiences.
TUSHY
Bidet brand Tushy popped up a Coming Clean Confessional activation in New York City in June that leaned into the religious undertones often associated with cleansing routines. The brand installed a mock confessional booth that doubled as a porta-potty to give consumers a test run of its hero product in the middle of Washington Square Park—and it was all guided by a drag queen priest. Read more.
ROTO-ROOTER
Through its partnership with Ohio’s Lake County Captains, the brand is making Minor League Baseball (MiLB) history this season at Classic Auto Group Park. In an MiLB first, Roto-Rooter and the team are offering fans a chance to enjoy a ball game from the “comfort” of luxury toilets positioned directly behind home plate. The name of the seating arrangement? Toilet Row. Each ticketholder in Toilet Row is treated to a personal bathroom attendant, who ensures the fan’s toiletry needs are met. Read more.
RESPONSIBLE FLUSHING ALLIANCE
The Responsible Flushing Alliance—yes, it’s a thing—expanded its Flush Smart Day initiative to the full month of July this year to educate consumers on responsible flushing and to increase awareness of the “Do Not Flush” symbol on non-flushable wipes. As part of the program, the alliance headed to VidCon 2024, and invited attendees to solve a bathroom “crime scene” by helping Detective Vincent Drains and his sidekick, Mel, a singing and talking toilet, find the Clog Monster. Read more.
~POURRI
Odor elimination brand ~Pourri (formerly Poo~Pourri) teamed up with Rolling Stone at SXSW 2024 on three cheeky events that invited badgeholders and the public alike to “Get Funky. Stay Fresh.” The entire campaign was woven together by NFC-enabled “pocket sprayers” (Poo~Pourri samples) that unlock a gamified, multitouchpoint experience that attendees could engage with throughout the week. Read more.
If that’s not enough ~Pourri for you, see how the brand created a Giant Poo activation at Super Bowl LIV. Read more.
~Pourri activated three cheeky events during SXSW 2024 in partnership with Rolling Stone.
MODIBODI
Festival restrooms are notoriously unpleasant, a fact not lost on period-apparel brand Modibodi. At Australian music festival Splendour in the Grass, the company popped up a private luxury bathroom (dubbed a “life-changing loo”) that could be accessed by signing up for its mailing list or purchasing a product from the on-site Modibodi pop-up store. Read more.
CORA
At the 2020 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., organic feminine care company Cora leveraged its sponsorship to sample product and broadcast its advocacy of a woman’s right to govern her own body. In addition to relaying its brand ethos and offering samples, Cora delivered a much-needed service at the event: clean bathrooms. With the other option being public Porta-Potties, Cora’s luxury bathroom experience was a welcome alternative. Read more.
COTTONELLE
As part of an Amazon Treasure Truck partnership, Cottonelle on National Toilet Paper Day threw a toilet paper carnival at Navy Pier in Chicago. The event played up Cottonelle’s branding icon (it’s a peach—use your imagination), and promoted its flushable wipes—all the while, celebrating the fact that it’s no secret what happens in the bathroom. In addition to activities and installations, attendees could catch an emcee announcing fun facts about the history of toilet paper throughout the event. Read more.
CHARMIN
New Yorkers know it’s not always easy to find a (clean) public bathroom, so Charmin capitalized on the on-demand delivery trend with… you guessed it… an on-demand bathroom. Two Charmin Van-GO-branded box trucks traveled to high-traffic spots in Manhattan, providing clean and spacious areas to conduct business. To access the vans’ services, consumers visited the campaign microsite and entered their name, age, location and phone number. Within seconds, they received a confirmation text that a van was on its way. Read more.
Charmin also decked the halls of NYC bathrooms for a holiday campaign featuring 14 themed restrooms open to consumers during the busy shopping season. Read more.
Charmin’s themed restrooms were a hit among holiday shoppers in NYC.
