Goodwipes has one stated ambition: dethrone Big Toilet Paper. The personal care brand, founded by Sam Nebel and Charlie Siciak, began with the pair acting as "baby wipes evangelists" on the Florida State University campus at a time when the topic of wiping remained taboo.

Speaking at a Brandweek "Brand Doing Cool Sh*t" Experience session, Nebel and Goodwipes SVP of Marketing Meredith Diehn explained how the company deploys humor and non-traditional partnerships to keep disrupting the toilet paper industry.

Recent collaborations illustrate the approach. Goodwipes teamed up with Liquid Death on limited-edition sCREAM Soda-scented wipes and a "Buttler Sweepstakes," in which the winning customer receives a live-in butt-wiper. The campaign tagline, "Death to Dry," nods to both brands' shared mission to hydrate — in different ways.

"Sometimes it doesn't necessarily make sense at first glance, and that's the whole point," Diehn said at the session. "We want that little bit of shock value, and then when you peel back the layers you say 'oh wait, this actually does make a lot of sense.'"

Diehn said partnerships of this kind serve two strategic objectives: fame and disruption.

The brand runs its campaigns with a marketing team that includes three in-house creatives, supplemented by outside agencies on bigger campaigns.

Not every collaboration starts with an obvious connection. Goodwipes approached Olipop for an April Fool's campaign that ultimately had a clearer through-line than expected. The effort launched a limited-edition wipe scent inspired by Olipop's Peaches & Cream flavor, tagged "Treat your butt as good as your gut." Because the prebiotic soda brand emphasizes fiber's role in a healthy diet, the association with bathroom habits came naturally, according to Diehn.

Balancing crass and clinical

Diehn also addressed the challenge of striking a balance between "crass" bathroom humor and clinical explanations of butt health. Changing an everyday consumer behavior is difficult on its own; adding the taboo around what happens in the bathroom complicates it further.

"It's almost like the brand needs to rip [off] the Band-Aid and give the permission to have the conversation," and not just in private, Diehn said.

Often, the strategy involves tapping into conversations already underway online. Diehn pointed to "mini-moments" such as the "hot girls have IBS" trend and runners pooping during races — instances where internet communities openly discuss bathroom habits without restraint.

"We've found these little cohorts where we can speak authentically and have the conversations that are already being had, without trying to create a new one," Diehn said.

Goodwipes' next major campaign will run during the holiday season, reminding consumers to stock up on bathroom essentials before company arrives.

Source: Adweek (https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-goodwipes-made-a-splash-in-the-bathroom-business/)