November 17, 2006

Branded Utility: Charmin

Charmin launched a new service the other day where they offer toilets to Times Square tourists in need for a pee. The story has been picke dup well in the blogosphere and a couple of folk dropped us a line to let us know that they thought the service was a Branded Utility.

Elizabeth Talerman pinged us and said,

“I’ve been thinking lately about ways in which brands can be of service in every form they take - especially in advertising. There is a flurry of writing and thinking being done, especially in the digital word around the notions of branded utilities. And I’ve heard more than once this month that applications are the new advertising.

“Here’s a fantastic example of a brand being of service through its advertising. Charmin is gifting the city of New York with toilets in Time Square for the holidays. My question to P&G is why not make it permanent?”

And Scott Burns wrote and said:

“…for an example, just look at what Charmin is doing in Times Square over the holidays, giving tourists & New Yorkers 20+ nice, heated, well-kept bathrooms to use featuring their products.”