Trend Report: Stigma-Free Events

Self-care has inspired fresh experiences in personal care.

In the age of poop emoji-themed parties, consumers are making it clear to brands that topics once deemed inappropriate for public discussion are, in fact, free game. While in the past advertising campaigns surrounding certain personal care product categories focused on “hiding” issues, today marketers are embracing an open and honest dialogue about bodies and their natural functions.

Kotex recently announced it would change the colors it uses in its advertising (because c’mon, it’s not blue!). And Schick Xtreme in the fall addressed its marketing challenge that more men are growing beards by focusing on their heads. The brand launched Bald Important People, a campaign set up as a community for men to support each other in their decisions to go bald—and maintain the look with a quality razor.

At CES in January, breast pump brand Elvie took the concept of nursing pods (widely available in airports and convention centers across the country), and kicked it up a notch. The brand hosted its own luxury nursing lounge right inside its exhibit on the show floor. The brand offered medical-grade cold storage and a pick-up service, too, as part of the #PumpedatCES campaign.

Charmin also made headlines at CES by highlighting technologies that are changing the way we think about using the bathroom. The brand’s GoLab experience on the show floor included a demo of a RollBot that delivered a fresh roll of TP to attendees via a Bluetooth-enabled call-to-action on their devices while they sat upon a branded toilet.

Then at the Super Bowl in February, Poo-Pourri supersized the trend. The brand activated a giant poop emoji-style experience designed to make issues surrounding topics like constipation light and honest. The focal point: A 30-foot-tall inflatable structure that contained a sampling engagement for the brand’s new “Flushdown” scent, as well as a three-minute, multisensory experience where consumers were invited to let go of toxic thoughts that “constipate our minds.”

If you think it is a straight viral marketing play, think again. The strategy runs deep. It’s rooted in the wellness trend that has exploded over the last few years thanks to the rise of brands like Goop and pop-culture influencers like Jonathan Van Ness who promote self-care. And the bottom line: Consumers are more motivated than ever to talk about maintaining their bodies and minds—a win for personal care brands, and one worth exploring for all brands willing to have a little fun.