Brand-Utility….literally
by asi
Spotted this over at Scott’s blog.
From next Monday through Dec. 31, P&G’s Charmin brand will operate a public restroom in the heart of Times Square, amply stocked with Charmin Ultra, and complete with attendants who are assigned to clean up after each use. (Via NYT)
This is the most brilliant piece of branded-utility I’ve come across recently. It is brilliant in it’s obviousness and literalness. Everyone who’s been to NY knows how frustrating it can be to find a place to relief yourself, and currently the toilets over at Starbucks and McDonalds are the public toilet of NY.
But what I find really odd is that the brand people over at Charmin are already on something so simple and good, why not make it permanent? Why are they approaching it simply as a one-off promotional activity?
It’s like great new-school thinking – value embedded in your marketing comms – killed by traditional mentality – short, big, f**K-off campaign to get as much attention and exposure as possible and then puff! its over…moving on to the next gimmick/campaign. [And the look of the huge noisey posters and the Charmin representatives that will be roaming the Times Square streets dressed as toilets, handing out fliers advertising the restroom’s location only reinforce that feeling].
“Let’s face it — there aren’t a lot of environments where a bathroom tissue message is relevant,†said Dennis Legault, brand manager for Charmin. “But the message is very relevant when people really need to go.â€
That’s right, but its not about the ‘message’ mate, its the service and value and utility!
That IS your message.
This should not be a marketing/promotional gimmick. Instead of spending millions on useless TV ads, or even on all the promotional noise around this great idea, Charmin should be wise to embrace this idea as their marketing comms and sponsor clean and welcoming public toilets in every capital city in the world. This is the best ‘message’ they can convey to their consumers and I’m sure they will get a huge and lift purely by association for this highly appreciated service.
“Charmin should be wise to embrace this idea as their marketing comms and sponsor clean and welcoming public toilets in every capital city in the world. This is the best ‘message’ they can convey to their consumers and I’m sure they will get a huge and lift purely by association for this highly appreciated service.”
Asi – couldn’t agree with you more. Also, thanks for the link love.
Scott
Thanks Scott. It drives me nuts to see such a great idea being killed by old-mentality. It seems like all they really care about is the ‘image’ and ‘exposure’ while there is huge potential for doing something really good just under their noses.
And I don’t buy the argument of real-estate prices – I’m sure they can reach an agreement with the mayor to take care of all public toilets in town free of council taxes and charges.
I attended the Colorado state fair in Pueblo a couple years ago and the Charmin Road Show thing was there. I, um, sampled the product along with hundreds of others. The bathrooms were actually really nice. Very cozy for 2×2 spaces. They were playing tv ads in every one.