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Pr Plan For A Unique Event Product - Portable Toilets
Posted By: mtirwin* on 10/31/2004 8:17 PM (CST) 125 Points
I have been asked by a potential client to develop a PR plan for a subsidiary -- a supplier of port-a-john's and mobile shower units. HELP!! Wondering some good ideas to capture media attention and build brand awareness for this product that everyone knows about or has seen (even used), but which no one feels good about the product -- ie, a necessary evil. Any ideas for unique and fun ideas are welcome.

Posted by: Carl Crawford Accepted Answer
10/31/2004 10:09 PM (CST)
hello mtirwin,

i have a question: when you say "port-a-johns" do you mean portable toilets like they have a music concerts ?

i ask because in New Zealand they are called "port-a-loos".

i will think about this and come back later with some ideas.

Also it is slow on the weekends so you might want to keep the question open for at least 3 days, so everyone can have a chance to answer.

Carl Crawford
(Cramming for exams)
 
Posted by: michelletrex Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 5:31 AM (CST)
Can you re-cycle the poo?
Is there any reason to be "Flushed with Pride?" (1,000 units sold?)
How about a radio "spot the loo" competition.. Hide and move the loo to a new location every day and give clues on the radio. The winner gets a bathroom makeover.
You could call it 'Spot the Loo and have a poo too'. (Dam I'm good!)
Michelle
 
Posted by: michelletrex Member Response
11/1/2004 5:53 AM (CST)
oooo wait I had another idea...

Park a set of Loo's in busy location and actually encourage people to write their best joke on the walls. Toilet Humor!
Publish the best jokes in a newsletter.

Michelle
 
Posted by: Jett* Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 9:14 AM (CST)
Wha tis special about the p-o-p's? Do they smell good? Are they stain proof and easy to clean?

These are the primary reasons people dipise them; stench and hygeine.

If you can answer these basic questions, I may be able to help you come up with a cool idea.
 
Posted by: jackson Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 9:16 AM (CST)
OK, its early in the morning and here's my silly PR event. Basically get about 12 Porta Potty's and stand them in a circle, maybe with one or two straddling across the top of a couple of them. Then promote the event as an art exhibition "Porta Poty HENGE". OK its silly but that't the best I've got. Hope it's food for thought, Jack
 
Posted by: Jett* Member Response
11/1/2004 9:26 AM (CST)
My whole point about odor is to have a few operational units inside the convention and use the lack of smell as an "attractant".

Hang a big sign from the ceiling that says "Restrooms" and a big arrow pointing down.

People will flock to your booth/area.
 
Posted by: Ivy Mills* Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 10:20 AM (CST)
I love Michelle's "Spot the Loo" idea. What if you put them in very silly places in the city? Or have two guys carry one around (on the subway, try to get in a restaurant, ect). You could have camera crews follow them and use the photage for promotion (I don't know if a TV spot is in the budget, but still pictures are great for print or online). If you send out a press release conveying your intentions to pull off some weird stunts, they just might go for it.

I really think the only way you're going to get people excited about portable restrooms is to be a little stupid. Yes, even use toilet humor as mentioned above.

You could also have someone dressed in a loo suit, scouring the street for interviews to find out what your target market's wants and needs are. Make them sign the loo suit (maybe with a joke) and give them a clever T-shirt for their trouble. When they wear the silly shirt, they think of your company and convey that message to those around them.

Hope this stirs some creative thoughts anyhow!

Ivy
 
Posted by: Jim Deveau/Catalyst* Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 10:21 AM (CST)
Hi mtirwin:

I think these are all great ideas, but I suspect you will concur with Jett's perspective. We can't help you nail down your PR approach without understanding your unique selling proposition (e.g your unique core benefit, its value to the target, and your competitive differentiation). Modern PR is all about INTEGRATING your marketing with publicity - so give us a sense of what the target is.

If you are pushing new technologies to keep the thing smelling clean - do exactly as Jett and other have suggested. Ideas:

At large fairs and venues - sponsor a "pick a winner" contest. Put 5 identical units out in a row with a removable screen in front of all 5. Have school kids or farm clubs come up with evil concoctions of waste and have them "seed" one unit. Then have contestants try to pick the "offending" unit by going door to door.

Another option: disguise the units as commonplace parts of indoor/outdoor decor (e.g. phone booth, vending machine, etc.) and sponsor a treasure hunt at the venue to find it. The searchers won't be able to find it by smell - and you can probably have a hilarious time if you ply each contestant with a liter or two of tea before they are allowed to start the hunt! TV coverage would defiantely be KEY!

If you are pushing a new look - think of placements at events where people would not be caught dead in a port-a-potty. Tie this in with some aspect of suprise - e.g. our new look will suprise you.

The ideas from KHE experts above are GREAT.

I encourage you to think along these lines.

Hope this helps.
 
Posted by: K Sieczka Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 11:23 AM (CST)
This might be a bit crass...if they are really nice compared to the competitor's units "We are the cream of the crap"

Sure would get people's attention which is hard to do these days! Seriously, a sense of humor when you are talking about these would be the best tack.

Also try this website for a bunch of articles in your field...might spark some ideas. http://portabletoilets.articleinsider.com/173004_restrooms.html

Best to you!
 
Posted by: K Sieczka Member Response
11/1/2004 11:27 AM (CST)
An addedum...

At an event, restrooms sell themselves....
 
Posted by: SRyan ;] Accepted Answer
11/1/2004 12:01 PM (CST)
Get some local celebrities to participate in an interior design contest or a decorating contest. Have companies $ponsor each celebrity/artist and their portable toilet. Get your municipality or one of your corporate sponsors to agree on a display strategy somewhere (like putting Jackson's stonehenge configuration in front of city hall)... or follow the example of the www.cowparade.com and put them all over the city.

Tying it all in with a charity or fundraiser will help with your publicity, of course!

- Shelley
 
Posted by: michelletrex Member Response
11/1/2004 2:57 PM (CST)
See what happens around this forum... you mention the word toilet and you attract us all like flies!

I LOVE Stonehenge. That is seriously funny!
And Shelley is onto a winner with the artist/cow thing.

The only thing missing is you need to link to a charity so you get the attention of the media like "Bowel Cancer Awareness."

Crap for cancer - sorry Aussie humor - couldn't help myself!
 
Posted by: tchan Member Response
11/1/2004 7:38 PM (CST)
Shelley had a great idea about getting celebrities involved contact me if you need help getting celebrities.
 
Posted by: ozdesign Accepted Answer
11/3/2004 2:17 AM (CST)
Michelle's radio promotion idea is great. An overall theme could be: "only the best bums on our seats".

Execute with several potties and showers on trailers being towed around the town by radio station vehicles. Inside the cubicle and hidden from view is a local celebrity. Contestants have to guess who it is, then win prizes at set locations.

"Loos on the Loose"

Trot this out to your client and see who runs with it!

Hope this helps.
 
Posted by: Stokefire* Accepted Answer
11/4/2004 9:39 AM (CST)
Ozdesign - like the idea, but the word "runs" in association with port-a-johns just struck me the wrong way ;-)

Jumping on the bandwagon here...

I see a couple PR options - expecially for advertisments/tag lines.

1) "If only it worked that way" campaign. Put pictures of people in uncomfortable situations, messes, etc - with your port-a-john or port-a-shower right at hand. e.g., having your lil' pet dog pull up a port-a-shower as you finish your rugby game, or toting your port-a-john through the turnstile at a crowded conference.

2) along the same lines as the "got milk" ad. When do people want port-a-johns? Only when they REALLY need them. You could do it from the consumer view or from the event manager view. I can picture a risque approach of a bunch of guys standing in front of bushes with the "Got Port-A-Johns?" type line overhead that would be targeted at the event managers. Or a never-ending line of johns that lines up in opposition to a line of desperate folks with a "here when you need us" tag... or even a touch football game where half the field has humans lined up against a team of portajohns and showers..., with the line "always ready for action"

This type of ad can create PR for you by getting the word out through humor, possible tonight-show exposure, and you can even advertise with posters on your own johns.

Consider printing them up with your logo prominently displayed and putting pads of them on the door of your johns, or the side, so when people see the ad they can take a copy and put it in their office, den, bar, etc... it'll get your name in front of people that might be interested. You could also send framed copies to the major event managers in your area.

Good luck!

Tate
 
Posted by: Stokefire* Member Response
11/4/2004 5:29 PM (CST)
I hate typos. "Expecially" ones that make me look foolish. :(

Tate
 
Posted by: Mushfique Manzoor Accepted Answer
11/6/2004 5:35 AM (CST)
hi mtirwin

great ideas above, i laughed out loud at the ideas and punchlines from Michelle.

like Jett asked, What is you USP? is it No-Bad-Odor or Sweet-Odor or its just portable?

Who are your target markets? is it institutions or indivuduals? IF it is institutions then the ideas of having your toilet in Seminars, COnferences etc. will work (like mentioned above)

If individual is the target then here is my 2 cents

Develop a PR Team. This team will be attired in regular business clothes, just like a regular office-goer. Each of the team members will be at a train/subway station/bus stand with this Portable Toilet during the rush hour. They will act like they are in real need of the Toilet and will use their one in front of all those people. Now surely people will just "YAK" and will try to move away. But your Toilet will disperse a sweet smell and once the action inside is down your PR man will just take the toilet and leave by the train/bus/subway, leaving a mark on peoples mind.

Btw, which country you are from and what is the cost of this portable toilets. in my country Bangladesh, public toilets, if at all existing, are the most messy of all things on Gods Earth. I would love to buy one ;)

cheers!!
 
Posted by: Val (Moderator)* Moderator Response
11/10/2004 9:55 PM (CST)
Hello all. I am closing this question since it's more than 10 days old. We do this to reward the contributions of participants in a timely manner + to give increased visibility to the newer questions.

Thanks, so much, for participating!

Val (Moderator)
 
Posted by: bryan.untalasco Member Response
4/20/2009 9:42 PM (CST)
You see in the Philippines we have found a way how to turn poop to electricity! kinda disgusting but very practical!
 


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