Potty Humor: Scott Debuts a Cheeky Short Film About a Bathroom Nightmare

This thriller-inspired mini-movie from Scott bathroom tissue could’ve been called “Potty Nightmares: Number 2.” 

Alas, it’s not—decide for yourself if that’s a missed opportunity.

The brand, continuing to break with marketing convention in the personal care category, developed a new long-form ad based on consumers’ paranoia about running out of toilet paper … when they need it most.

The cheeky three-minute video, ominously called “The Unraveling,” leans into classic horror film tropes, putting its heroine in imminent danger (of everlasting shame) and turning her into a murderer (of a fluffy hand towel).

Creepy and comic

“The Unraveling” is a follow-up to last fall’s viral hit dubbed “The Clogging,” which snagged 2.7 million views on YouTube alone and convinced Scott to return to the cinematic well with a new mashup of creepy and comic.

It’s a nontraditional approach for a staid product segment, which may explain why it worked, per the brand.

“We’ve learned that long-form video content with a resonant consumer insight and some lightheartedness as its core becomes much more engaging,” Amber Smith, senior brand manager at parent company Kimberly-Clark, told ADWEEK, noting that the approach gets across the brand’s “personality and values” in a different way than typical 30-second commercials.

“The Unraveling,” like its predecessor, comes from VaynerMedia and touts Scott 1000, depicted in the spot as far superior to a generic brand. In the tension-filled setup, newly cohabitating couple Stephanie and Jordan make a bad shopping choice, causing them to constantly run out of the second-rate TP they bought.

The situation becomes critical (and humiliating) when Steph is stuck on the toilet with no bath tissue and guests/relatives arriving for a visit. Her only option is to use the nearest monogrammed towel—sorry, Jordan!

“With attention being so fractured, it’s important for us to find a creative way to connect with consumers,” Rob Lenois, chief creative officer at VaynerMedia, told ADWEEK. “We created ‘The Unraveling’ in this format because it’s how consumers want to engage with content—you are watching a movie, yet it does the lift of what a traditional ad needs to communicate.”

Relatable problem

Marketing in the category is usually heavy on euphemisms, with few companies coloring outside those lines. Kruger Products, a consumer packaged goods giant in Canada, has challenged that practice with a gritty campaign called “Unapologetically Human” from Broken Heart Love Affair. And Andrex in the U.K. is also trying to bust taboos with its FCB-created “Get Comfortable.”

Scott, meanwhile, pulled from research that found “most consumers were frustrated that their products weren’t lasting long,” according to Smith. It’s a short hop from there to “The Unraveling,” playing on that consumer insight and taking it to a cringey level.

With the new cautionary tale, Scott hopes for a repeat of the “overwhelming amount of positive consumer sentiment” and engagement it got from “The Clogging,” per Smith, where consumers overshared their own hair-raising stories on the brand’s social channels.

“The Unraveling” will air on YouTube and other digital platforms.