Photo Story: Who Gives a Crap pushes for connection in Bristol with Sense

Eco- friendly, purpose-led toilet paper brand Who Gives A Crap brought a giant talking toilet roll to the streets of Bristol and Manchester as part of its £1.5 million ‘Feel Good Toilet Paper’ campaign spanning video on demand, social media, influencers, podcasts, out-of-home and retail.

In a category traditionally defined by routine purchases and low consumer engagement, the brand is on a mission to bring to life a little more personality, joy and conversation to the toilet paper aisle. The campaign celebrates the joy of choosing products that make you feel good while doing good, with Who Gives A Crap donating 50% of its profits to help improve access to clean water and toilets globally.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple truth: when you engage with Who Gives A Crap you’re not just feeling good, you’re doing good too. Feel Good Toilet Paper celebrates the joy of unwrapping Who Gives A Crap’s distinctively designed rolls and the pride of choosing a product built for impact. From its signature wrappers and soft sustainable materials to its commitment to donate 50% of profits to help improve access to clean water and toilets globally, the campaign highlights how everyday choices can create positive change. 

The experiential activation began in Bristol on 12-13 June, before moving to Manchester on 19-20 June. Designed to bring the ‘Feel Good’ spirit of the campaign to life, the giant roll surprised and delighted passers by with hidden voices delivering compliments, light humour and unexpected charm.

Drawn in by curiosity, visitors get more than they bargained for (starting with an oversized fart button). A playful hand emerges from the giant roll offering free bamboo toilet roll samples, 44,000 across both Bristol and Manchester, and ‘Feel Good’ merchandise, while QR codes and vouchers will offer shoppers discounts online and in Tesco stores.

Expected to generate more than 70 million impressions across the UK, ‘Feel Good Toilet Paper’ marks one of the brand’s largest UK marketing investments to date, aimed to support the company’s growth and retail momentum, following the successful launch in Tesco in July last year. Campaign activity includes YouTube, Meta, podcasts, influencer partnerships, billboard and bus advertising, alongside retail activations with Tesco, Waitrose, John Lewis and Ocado.

Anna Dominey, UK General Manager at Who Gives A Crap, said: “At Who Gives A Crap, we think toilet paper should do more than just sit quietly in the bathroom and we’re on a mission to bring a bit more personality to one of the most overlooked aisles. Feel Good Toilet Paper celebrates everything that makes our brand different. So what’s a better way to spread a little joy than with a giant toilet roll giving you a compliment? Whether a free sample or simply making someone smile on their way through the city, this activation is all about creating memorable moments that stop people in their tracks, spark conversations and show consumers that choosing products that do good can feel good too.”

Who Gives A Crap enlisted Sense to define the strategy, concept and deliver the activation.

Olivia Rayner, Creative Director at Sense, said: “There’s something wonderfully absurd about a giant talking toilet roll giving strangers compliments in the middle of a city. But beneath the humour is a very human idea. We all need small moments of joy in our day and Who Gives A Crap is a brand built on making people feel good about choosing a roll that’s not only soft, but also donates 50% of profits to ensure everyone in the world has access to clean water and a toilet. That’s really something to feel uplifted by. This activation was designed to bring that philosophy to life in a way that’s playful, surprising and impossible to walk past without smiling.”