Is taking a loo break an act of self-care?

If it is an extended one and features toilet tissue brand Cushelle, then a new campaign suggests that yes it is.

According to research from Publicis London, 84% of people in the UK and Ireland cherish a moment of ‘me time’. Precious time that so often the unrelenting demands of life can get in the way of. Whether it's a boss, partner, kids, teachers or pets, people frequently give their time and energy to others.

The Selfishly Soft campaign riffs on this insight with the reminder that there is still one place where they can claim some precious me time - the bathroom.

The spot urges stressed-out consumers to lean into the need for me-time, by being ‘Selfishly Soft’ and put themselves first with a little luxury, starting with superior toilet paper. The strategy aims to show that super soft toilet paper is a treat, just like buying nice biscuits.

At the centre of the campaign is a 60-second hero spot, which includes a number of different people sneaking off for a moment of me-time in the bathroom, each with their prized roll of Cushelle Quilted.

From escaping to watch a spoof reality TV show, ‘House Husbands of Alaska,’ to sneaky breaks at the office, each character steals a tiny bit of me-time. Each is joined by Cushelle’s mascot, Kenny the Koala, who takes on a speaking role for the first time in 14 years.

Kenny has found his voice to become the ultimate self-care advocate.

Noel Bunting, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis London, explains: “No one equates a little me-time in the toilet with a talking koala, but they do now. I love the sharpness of the insight, and it feels like the right moment to give people permission to be selfish. Because if you can’t enjoy the softest toilet paper when you have a rare moment to yourself, what can you enjoy?”

Martina Poulopati, Global Marketing and Communications Director, Essity, added: “Cushelle is one of our most distinctive brands, Kenny the koala has been its no1 fan for years. Watching him speak and take on an even cheekier role, as we introduce our softest ever Cushelle Quilted, has been as much fun to make, as we hope it will be for people to watch. At a time when the demand for humor in advertising globally is increasing, so is the data on the effectiveness of humor in driving sales. I love that this campaign makes people laugh without compromising on our unmissable superiority message – right down to our 10 and 6 second ads.”

Selfishly Soft launches as Publicis London and leading global health and hygiene company Essity, the company behind Cushelle, celebrate their 15-year anniversary as creative partners. This long-term partnership has helped support the significant business growth of Essity’s Consumer Tissue business, which has increased 3.5 times to approximately 1.5 million Euros over the course of the relationship.

The group is now no.1 in Europe and has a market share more than twice the size of the second largest player.

As this campaign underlines self-care sells.