Charmin Marketing Strategies
Reinventing Toilet Paper
Charmin’s Marketing Strategies
Reinventing Toilet Paper Marketing media have changed dramatically in the last five years forcing advertisers to look for alternatives to the more traditional forums of television, radio and print ads (Ryasam, 2007). Charmin is working on several different marketing strategies in an attempt to find that niche. “Procter and Gamble will spend an estimated $83 million in 2007 to drive awareness and sales of their Charmin toilet paper, in what is being called the largest restaging of a product in the company’s 79 year history” (Facenda, 2007, p.1). Marketing strategies include redefining Charmin toilet paper as a relevant product to their target demographic consumer group, developing and creating advertising campaigns to raise product awareness among teens and young adults, and developing strategies to involve children in the family experience of Charmin. Charmin’s longest-running marketing campaign was specifically designed to attract consumers within the targeted demographic age range which is heads of the household. At this point in time, P&G wanted this group of older Americans to think about Charmin toilet paper as a special product and not simply as something everyone needs and uses on a daily basis (Janes, n.d.). To accomplish the task of turning toilet paper into a relevant product rather than a commodity, Charmin developed their now infamous ‘Please don’t squeeze the Charmin’ commercials. Once Mr. Whipple made his debut into the lives and homes of consumers through their televisions in 1964, Charmin became a household world and this campaign remained the company’s main advertising strategy for the next twenty years. When consumers were asked if they had heard the slogan ‘Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin’, eight out of ten people replied with a yes (Nelson, 2005). Mr. Whipple, played by Dick Wilson, became the third best known American following President Nixon and Billy Graham as well as
Charmin’s Marketing Strategies
Reinventing Toilet Paper Marketing media have changed dramatically in the last five years forcing advertisers to look for alternatives to the more traditional forums of television, radio and print ads (Ryasam, 2007). Charmin is working on several different marketing strategies in an attempt to find that niche. “Procter and Gamble will spend an estimated $83 million in 2007 to drive awareness and sales of their Charmin toilet paper, in what is being called the largest restaging of a product in the company’s 79 year history” (Facenda, 2007, p.1). Marketing strategies include redefining Charmin toilet paper as a relevant product to their target demographic consumer group, developing and creating advertising campaigns to raise product awareness among teens and young adults, and developing strategies to involve children in the family experience of Charmin. Charmin’s longest-running marketing campaign was specifically designed to attract consumers within the targeted demographic age range which is heads of the household. At this point in time, P&G wanted this group of older Americans to think about Charmin toilet paper as a special product and not simply as something everyone needs and uses on a daily basis (Janes, n.d.). To accomplish the task of turning toilet paper into a relevant product rather than a commodity, Charmin developed their now infamous ‘Please don’t squeeze the Charmin’ commercials. Once Mr. Whipple made his debut into the lives and homes of consumers through their televisions in 1964, Charmin became a household world and this campaign remained the company’s main advertising strategy for the next twenty years. When consumers were asked if they had heard the slogan ‘Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin’, eight out of ten people replied with a yes (Nelson, 2005). Mr. Whipple, played by Dick Wilson, became the third best known American following President Nixon and Billy Graham as well as
References: Charmin fun facts. Meet the bears page. (2008) Retrived March 20,2008 from http://www.charmin.com/en_cn/pages/funfacts_meetb.shtml Day, J Griffin, J. (2008. January 23). Time Square and toilet paper. [Electronic version]. Community insight page. Retrieved March 19, 2008 from http://www. customerthink.com/blog/times_square_and_toilet_paper Janes, E Johannes, A. (2007, November 26). Charmin returns with public bathrooms in NYC. [Electric version]. Promo xtra. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://promomagazine.com/sampling/news/charmin_public_bathroom_nyc/ Kersting, K Kunkel, D. & Wilcox, B. (2004, February 23). Television advertising leads to unhealthy habits in children; says APA task force. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from http://www.apa.org/releases/childrenads.html Milmo, C Nelson, V. (2007, November 20). Charmin 's 'Mr. Whipple ' Dies. [Electronic version]. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 21, 2008, from http://www.chicagotribune. com/topic/zap-dickwilson_charmin_obit,1,7178364.story Rayasam, R Schor, J. (2004) Born to buy: The commercialized child and the new consumer culture. New York: Scribner. Spethmann, B. (2006, December). Bear necessities; Charmin samples toilet tissue in Time Square. Promo, 20(1), 8-9. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from Business Source Premier database.