Embarrassed about going to the bog? Well, this one’s for you as Andrex is stepping up its mission to bust toilet taboos. Having started with the grown-ups, it is now taking its message to the classroom to encourage kids to conquer their fears, too.
Devised by FCB London the work is based on the results of an Andrex study which found that 75% of UK school kids do not feel comfortable doing a dump at school and are risking their health as a result.
The vast majority (59%) of kids said that they had gone home feeling uncomfortable due to holding a poo in all day, with one of the main barriers identified being embarrassment: 63% of pupils worry about being teased, and 61% were embarrassed to ask the teacher to go to the toilet.
Meanwhile, 30% of kids have skipped lunch because it might make them poo; more than half (52%) don’t drink water at school to avoid pooing; and 45% have held their poo at school to the point of physical pain. This puts nearly 2.59 million children in the UK at risk of long-term health issues, including constipation and haemorrhoids.
To tackle this, Andrex and FCB London have launched a multi-channel campaign so the next generation can grow up confident, comfortable, and unashamed of their natural bodily functions.
The campaign launches with a 60-second TV film titled “First School Poo” that opens with a boy sitting in a classroom, at first visibly uncomfortable and then horrified after he accidentally farts.
As all of his classmates turn to look at him, the words ‘76% of children hold their poo at school’ appear on the screen. Spotting the Andrex puppy on the floor, the boy is filled with confidence and courage.
He stands up, whips out a roll of toilet paper and invites his friend to pull his finger before gliding through the classroom on a skateboard, to the soundtrack of his classmates banging their hands on their desks and chanting “Poo! Poo! Poo!”. In the corridor, he is met by cheers as he rolls towards the loos.
The film has also been cut into shorter clips of 20 and 30 seconds.
The campaign also includes OOH placements that encourage kids to conquer the toilet with pride, turning a moment of embarrassment into a badge of bravery, as well as social activity and a dedicated online hub to drive the conversation further and offer parents guidance to help kids feel comfortable and supported.
‘First School Poo’ launches on paid media this week and will run across TV, video-on-demand, social and out-of-home channels in the UK throughout the year.
The media strategy was designed by PHD and leverages key channels and platforms based on families’ habits and affinities to drive scale for the campaign message but also cut through for deeper emotional engagement.
This includes a diversified AV plan across national television, broadcaster and subscription video partners such as Disney+, national OOH placements based on family driving routes alongside key large format sites in relevant locations including Westfield, and social placements including appearing amongst top family and parenting content on TikTok.
Kimberly-Clark UK and Ireland marketing director Niamh Finan said: “This campaign is the next step in the evolution of Andrex, to help the nation have a healthier, more confident relationship with the bathroom. Once again, FCB London has taken the brand to a new, modern, and purposeful direction – this time to help raise the next generation of Brits who aren’t ashamed to go.”
FCB London executive creative director Kyle Harman-Turner added: “At some point, every child faces it. The awkward pause. The held breath. The quiet decision to wait it out. The discomfort. The first time they need a poo at school. With this campaign, Andrex is once again tackling toileting taboos and encouraging kids to have a healthy relationship with their everyday bodily functions.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, naturally, our first instinct would be to say this is a pretty crap idea. After all, what the hell is it to do with Andrex whether kids go to the bog at school or not? It’s not like they are going to boost their sales as most schools are so skint they can’t afford the luxury of Ultimate Quilts bog roll anyway.
But on this ocassion, our first instinct would be wrong as anything that can prevent nearly 2.59 million children in the UK from long-term health issues can only be a good thing – and hats off to Andrex and FCB for bringing it out in the open.
Decision Marketing Adometer: A “shit hot” 9 out of 10
