Impulse Creative
There’s a long list of products that aren’t necessarily fun to market, and products that tackle bathroom odors are close to the top of the list. After all, who really wants to talk about killing bad smells that come from going number two? Poo-Pourri does.
In 2013, Poo-Pourri turned the world upside down when they launched their now viral video, “Girls Don’t Poop” on YouTube. Since then, their video has garnered over 32 million views, and their product has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon. Somehow, they took something that very few people want to talk about and turned it into a viral marketing campaign.
Wondering what your business can learn from Poo-Pourri’s success? Here are three marketing lessons you can learn from the brand and their marketing strategy:
Know your audience
Without any previous knowledge, you’d think that a spray that promises to eliminate bathroom odors would target everyone. And to some extent, you’re right. Although their product can be used by just about everyone, Poo-Pourri decided to go a different route in who they chose to target. In their first viral video, Poo-Pourri chose to use a well-dressed, attractive, and proper woman to represent their brand. It’s clear that they’re poking fun at the idea that women are often embarrassed by their smelly bathroom odors - hence the “girls don’t poop” tagline.
Although everyone has a use for a spray that makes bathrooms smell pleasant, Poo-Pourri chose not to target everyone in their initial advertising. Instead, they defined their audience and crafted a marketing campaign around their audience’s specific pain points.
Keep your messaging consistent
If you visit Poo Pourri’s website, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, you’ll see consistent messaging across the board. Their voice is witty, hilarious, and honest. It’s easy to think, “oh, the funny stuff has to be saved for social media.” In some cases, that may be true. But if you want your voice to be funny, it needs to be funny everywhere - from your website copy down to your product names.
On the flip side, if you want a professional tone for your business, make sure you’re professional across the board. Sure, you can throw in a joke or two on social media every once in awhile, but don’t give your website a professional look and feel and then use slang on social media. Whatever voice you decide is right, make sure it’s consistent across all of your channels.
Give your brand personality
There’s a misconception out there that if you sell a “boring” product or service that it automatically makes your brand boring. But let’s be real for a second: who would have guessed that a spray that eliminates poop odors could be so cool? Poo-Pourri could have marketed their product as just another odor eliminating spray. Everything from their packaging to their messaging could’ve been plain, simple, and uninteresting. But they decided to take a different route - and we’re all thankful that they did.
Poo-Pourri has some serious personality. Between their website content, product names, and the beautifully crafted bottles, Poo-Pourri has a personality that you won’t find anywhere else. They made sure of it. At the end of the day, how other people perceive you is based on how you choose to position yourself.
Poo-Pourri created a product that has become a staple in bathrooms everywhere, and they marketed it in a way that was refreshing, captivating, and hilarious. Poo-Pourri’s voice and messaging strategy may not be right for everyone, but there are still several lessons you can learn from their success. Whenever you’re marketing your brand, product, or service, it’s important to know your audience, keep your messaging consistent, and to give your brand personality. The next time you’re looking to make your brand or product stand out from the crowd, don’t be afraid to be a little different.
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Photo Credit: YouTube