Harpic calls men out on their abominable toilet habits in new campaign via Euro RSCG, Sydney
Last night saw the launch of a new campaign for Harpic that encourages the men of Australia to acknowledge their abominable toilet habits.
The campaign, produced by Euro RSCG Sydney with Finch director, Sean Kruck, launched with a 30 second TVC and will continue through the line.
Says Steve Coll, Executive Creative Director, Euro RSCG Australia: “Toilet cleaner is normally considered a pretty low interest category. But I’m delighted to be working with a client and an agency team who are determined to break those expectations. In particular, huge credit goes to the creatives, Chris Johnson and Dave Ladd, who have worked tirelessly to produce a wonderfully engaging campaign.”
Adds Jennifer Osborne, Reckitt Benckiser Category Manager for Harpic: “Consumer research tells us that the brand is mainly used for a serious weekly clean of the toilet. But, lets face it, that good work is quickly undone by the toilet habits of Australian men. So Euro’s campaign encourages the use of Harpic for quick ’emergency’ cleans of the toilet too.”
Agency: Euro RSCG Sydney
Client: Reckitt Benckiser
Product: Harpic
ECD: Steve Coll
Art Director: Dave Ladd
Copywriter: Chris Johnson
Head of TV: Monique Pardavi
GAD: Holly Ripper
Production Company: Finch
Director: Sean Kruck
Producer: Emma Thompson
Music Composition: Sonar
46 Comments
I have like
Funny
Somebody needs to flush this turd.
Love it. Some serious old school selling must have gone on to get Harpic to produce such a lovely commercial. Encouraging to see. Well done
Apoologising.
my wife will love this. my splattering drives her mental
Very old fashioned commercial. But not in a good way. This might have been fresh 10 years ago but this style of ad has been hanging around like a bad odour for far too long. Please can we stop this cutting from one person to another continuing the dialogue. IT’S BEEN DONE TO DEATH!
So much better than those really fake product demos Reckitts usually do. And all those that work on them defend them by saying ‘they sell you know’. These will sell too, and they have a little truth. Nice step in the right direction.
Nice one. Good to see client and agency taking a different tack to the usual formula.
I really like it. A nice way to put some emotion into what is normally a very dry or guilt ridden category, and I know how tough it would have been to get this one moving (pardon the pun).
Nice one lads.
Congrats to the creatives and the client to explore a new direction. Like!
too sanitised….could have been a great pisstake
Crap.
Wow a toilet cleaner ad that’s NOT a product demo? Good work.
When you consider the degree of difficulty (and on RB it’s impossible to ignore it), this is pretty goddamn good.
Congrats CJ and the other guy.
Is it for lamb?
It is currently thought funny to denigrate men? Been in a womans rest room lately? This is a low advert. Can’t believe you paid some idiot ad agency for this trash. You’ve lost a customer.
OMG, a child hanging his head in shame for a natural bodily function, I think this ad is about as bad as someone making one asking women to apologise for menstrating.
i don’t like this advertisement one bit— it is going far too far and there are far better ways to advertise why we should buy toilet cleaner,
disgusting
Another Harpic customer now lost forever! Why do these advertising idiots think that constantly belittling men, making us all appear to be stupid and making us apologise for being men is somehow funny, Yet another emasculating ad.
there will be nil harpic products bought by this household for ever more.
wake up to yourself
all genders are sick and tired of advertisements that belittle both sexes
I’ll not purchasing Harpic again either. If an agency ever presented an ad to me that makes either men or women look stupid they would be sacked.
I used to write plays on sexism & predudice when I was 18, 30yrs ago! I find it astonishing that we are still seeing stereotyping in 2011. Very common denomiator approach from harpic. No respect for the intelligence of the audience.
If a comparible add using womens traits was presented, it would never be aired.
Dissapointed.
Rarely am I urged to prevent my wife from buying a product but I will insist she stays away from ALL Harpic lines. This ad denigrate males, as said earlier, should we ask women to apologise for menstruating? These advertisers are imbecilic low lives.
Your advertisement is sexist and we will not purchase any of your products in the future. If you were to do the same kind of advertisement against females, they would be marching up and down outside you office. Men are to easy going by far and that is the only reason you are getting away with this rubbish…..
What a sexist, boring, unpleasant and extremely unfunny ad. Seriously, is it really a winning strategy to sell a product by making some bizaare and insulting generalisation that men arent toilet trained? I am boycotting harpic products from now on.
I dont think I have abominable habits – I do have different biology but then there’s not much harpic cando about that except give my gender a bit more bloody respect.
Harpic just lost a long time customer – they got this wrong. I know a lot of boys much cleaner than girls let me tell you! I think its appalling sexist and will be lodging a formal complaint to the appropriate government body – pull this dreadful commercial – NOT FUNNY just very poor judgement on behalf of Harpic – the producer of this needs to be strung up!
I have just watched this add on TV and was really offended. It is the first time I have written a comment like this but felt the spoof of the Australian apology to Aboriginal people is really off and offensive.
I have always used harpic but will not be buying this product again until this campaign is removed from sale.
I think people are being too hard on Euro RSCG Sydney. Yes the ad is pathetic, not funny and extremely sexist, but it is completely in line with current advertising trends, to denigrate men to sell a product. These idiots are just doing the only thing they can, following everyone else. At least this ad is not as bad as the Domino’s ad from a few years ago that showed a pizza delivery boy getting raped.
I agree with what Disgusted said. Its evoking of the Apology to the Stolen Generation is racist and completely not acceptable. I will never buy your products and will report you to the right body that regulates ads. Would you make fun of Anzac Day or the National Day of Remembrance ?
Advertising or Marketing Communications shall not portray people or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of RACE, ethnicity, nationality, SEX, sexual preference, religion, disability or political belief.
Can’t agree more with disgusted and other. I cringe whenever this ad comes on – grow up Harpic – it ain’t funny, particularly in this day.
Generic brands work just as well without this rubbish.
This ad actually made me sick, it seems to only be aired while im eating or thinking about what id like to eat. So thank you emma thompson, i hope somebody craps on your kitchen floor as your about to eat, or give you some special coogee bay ice cream you dirty feacle fealiac.
Hey guys Im from the late 60″ Gues what Girls Fart
Another harpic customer lost. Wake up to yourselves…
When I saw this ad for the first time I was horrified to see how they had done such a spoof of the Apology to the Aboriginal people. I also seem to remember that the first time I saw it, there were women and girls apologising too ( or did I imagine that?), making the comparaison even stronger, the next day it was cut dow to men only apologising. but sorry, liking this ad and airing it just show how little respect Australians have for the Aboriginal people and how really sorry they feel – NOT-
. It is disgusting. How does one officially complain about these things?
What a sexist disgraceful ad. Don’t tell me women’s SH€£ doesn’t stink or they don’t leave drop on the toilet seat or skid marks. Just crap. Have banned product in our house of 7. Smart, no, just smart arses.!!
Why would harpic risk losing male customers, i know the ad started with females apologising too this has offended me the MOST.
I am a cleaner and whoever made this ad clearly is not in my experience women are way worse you have the added hair,makeup and menstual products on top of human waste and we know all the problems women have just from tv ads,i would rather clean a dirty male bowl anyday women wear too much deodorant for a reason.
I use a few harpic products and have recommended them quite often i am now looking for an alternative because i believe in equality and i am sick of seeing men portrayed as dirty heartless or just plain stupid.
So when are harpic doing a commercial about filthy female habits,they wont because females complain more i never ever complain but more guys are and its justified this conversation came up at lunch yesterday,i am NOT alone
So when your sales drop i would look to your advertising
Every time I see this ad my blood boils.
I am male and I NEVER leave the toilet in the offensive state suggested by this ad. I have too much respect for myself and those who will follow. How dare they apologise on MY behalf.
I have gathered up all harpic products in our house (some still unopened) and have thrown them out in disgust. My wife agrees that we will NEVER buy or use harpic products again even if they are being given away. There are plenty of alternatives.
The irony here is that with this ad, Harpic has managed to p*ss all over it’s own brand name. I wonder if they have a product strong enough to clean up that mess!
This sexist ad must go. It generalize and offend men. I will never ever touch any Harpic products for this commercial. I don’t understand why Australian men tolerate such double standard TV commercials. Let’s face it, you won’t see women doing the similar advert. I cringe every time this commercial pops up.
Another ad of the genre in which the long-suffering smirky super-woman puts down her hopelessly inadequate, cretinous male partner.
how does cleaning the toilet… help with bad aim and disgusting male toilet habits.
the point is they piss anywhere outside the toilet and all over your bathroom. you even admit it in your add,,,.. and then say it’;s all fixed by some stupid tiolet cleaner,
si glad I employ cleaners.
too many years of scubbing whole bathroom to remove urine. totallyt disgusting anbd in NO WAY HELPED BY A TOILET CLEANER!!!1`
I have banned all harpic products from my home, and have no intention of purchasing any of their products again. This ad is as funny as being told you have cancer. Whoever thought this good needs their head read. If by insulting half the population you think will increase sales you are sadly mistaked. I fail to see how this could not be seen to be sexist, if something similar was screened about women all hell would break loose.Double standards arenot acceptable
TThis add is a disgrace and another male bashing add. Advertising companies are losing sales not gaining. A friend (female) who cleans the toilets at the local pool said the female toilets are much worse, excrement, sanitary pads are constantly blocking toilets, if not on the floor. Stop portraying this myth that only men are to blame for everything.
This add is why I will never buy a Harlic product again. Clearly the numbskulls at this agency no nothing about women’s toilet habits. First class discrimination.