Comments on: Cottonelle On Crack (Literally!)

By: leigh

leigh — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:27:16 +0000

Mary, Patt -
Thanks for your comments.
Patt – Very much agree with your comment “Here’s a situation where the fundamentals of business were ignored by an out-of-control marketing department.” I have seen this so many times during my tenure as a consultant… Seems like CPG and pharmaceutical companies are some of the worst offenders.

By: Patt Kelly-Pollet

Patt Kelly-Pollet — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:59:09 +0000

Here’s a situation where the fundamentals of business were ignored by an out of control marketing department. This effort ignored many facts that could have been covered with either a SWOT or PEST analysis and saved KC dollars and the public humiliation they have subjected themselves to–that being said, all will be forgiven if they can demonstrate increased market share and ROI with the campaign. They are certainly getting some free press out of it.

By: Mary Schmidt

Mary Schmidt — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:43:31 +0000

Yes, indeedy, Aren’t we all searching for a new place to – um – do our business. Wow! A bus with free toilet paper! Hold me back! (or rather hold “it” until I can get there?
Way, way, too much info and way too many images – yes, TP is a vital part of life…and the “be kind to your behind” is a cute idea, but I don’t need visual aids such as you show from their web site.
I’m already at the age where I’m telling friends – “whatever we do, however old we get – I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT BOWEL MOVEMENTS WITH YOU!” (cute puppy or not…)
And the voice is not only disturbing – it’s just dumb. This little guy is selling toilet paper…and then he sits down and licks his butt.
All that said, I still think this is a better commercial than the Charmin’ Bears scrubbing each other’s backsides for those “little left behind bits” Gag.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:59:42 +0000

Too funny. I actually read that somewhere. I still think the voice is a bit disturbing. No offense, Zac.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:40:39 +0000

You mentioned the puppy’s voice…isn’t it Zac Braff of “Scrubs” and “Garden State”?

By: leigh

leigh — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:57:20 +0000

Dan,
You inspired a Weird Al Yankovitch (sp?) tune, which is now spinning through my head… to the tune of “Another One Bites the Dust”
“Da da DUN DUN DUN
Another one rides the bus(ah)!
Du da DUN DUN DUN…
Another one rides the bus(ah)!
And another one’s on. Another one’s on. Another one rides the bus!
HEY – He’s gonna sit by you!
Another one rides the bus!”
I’ll spare you all my dancing.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:52:49 +0000

Oh NOOO – Valcor huh? Sorry Dorotea! Printing my retraction here for posterity! It’s been quite a few years since I saw this movie.
Mike – thanks for the comment. Glad you didn’t ruin your tie over it.

By: dorotea

dorotea — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:48:05 +0000

Its not “Atreyu”, Its “Valcor”. Thats like confusing Hans Solo with Chewbacca. GAWD!

By: Mike Covert

Mike Covert — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:15:46 +0000

Good integrated marketing examples are usually tough to find because a lot of product and service providers hold back. They have a good central brand idea, and don’t quite activate it enough to make the potential impact. This is just the opposite. While integrated (in the softest of ways), it’s just strange. Not sure I’d be remembering what the brand likely intended.
Thanks for the humorous post – I almost spit my coffee out at the Dumb & Dumber reference.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:43:18 +0000

Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great” now has a whole new level of meaning for me. “Get the right people on the bus” indeed.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:50:21 +0000

Yes, and here is an interesting story that leads me to conclude that green is the new gold. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080418/us_nm/usa_oil_pickens_wind_dc;_ylt=AkulcMRwQqMmfAIauDyR_rGs0NUE

By: leigh

leigh — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:27:10 +0000

Boy - this campaign and the road trip are really backfiring (pun intended again) on Cottonelle. Check this out: http://kleercut.net/en/node/933

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:53:01 +0000

I shudder to think what the effects of success would be with this.
Well, on the bright side, endless material for fun Marketing Prof’s posts.

By: leigh

leigh — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:08:34 +0000

Neil,
You raise another really good point. The thing is, a silly few marketers are measured on their true ROI. Heck – most agencies aren’t even paid based on results! I may post an article about this in the near future. So, while I’m sure they have “metrics” – I’m highly doubtful that they will be able to attribute this to a direct rise in toilet paper sales. It would be great if they proved us skeptics all wrong and published some data here for us! Heck, they may get us all driving fuzzy vehicles soon!
- L

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:16:59 +0000

The real question is will this full court press work?
Is there any way to track whether Cottonelle succeeded?
I guess it is hard to find data on another company’s marketing efforts.

By: patricia

patricia — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:23:03 +0000

what does a puppy know about cleaning its ass anyway? It’s – ironically – got a human picking up the mess (and not with Cottonelle either).
Anyone remember when Sheryl Crow joked about limiting how many squares of TP we all should use in order to reduce paper waste in landfills? I think Cottonelle should have gotten her as spokesperson – “Cottonelle is so thick, soft & strong, I’m down to one square! Even for the heaviest loads!”
But yeah, to the point at hand, they DID over-accessorize

By: Leigh

Leigh — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:28:03 +0000

Neil – Yes, I can just SEE them all at the table in the conference room. BRAINSTORMING. Let’s add THIS and THIS… oh- and CARTOONS – only – get this – they’re drawn on TOILET PAPER! AHHH! That’s part of what makes this so funny. We’ve all been there.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:55:13 +0000

I’d say it is Cottonelle on way, way too much coffee and too big a budget. A bad combination, really.
But I guess if you are going to do a full court press you have to be a bit over-the-top.
Something good has come out of this campaign: Your very funny blog post. Thanks Cottonelle for being a muse to Leigh.

By: leigh

leigh — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:41:01 +0000

Memorable it is, Paul — but is that such a really GOOD thing?
Annie – You reminded me of Shari Otari in the SNL skit where she plays the twitching lady at the pharmacy… did you ever see that? Hysterical.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:29:22 +0000

Can I just say, you (and this campaign) “cracks me up?”
As much as I love dogs, that bus is flat-out weird. In fact, this is worse than over-accessorizing. I’m suddenly imagining my eccentric aunt, who crazily applied lipstick beyond the contours of her lips. That’s the kind of weird un-focus this whole thing has…

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:07:55 +0000

Well I will say this, while overboard, at least it’s memorable. I’m also hoping the bus is extremely well ventilated.