Like Big Butts?
Toto (US, Japan), the famous Japanese luxury plumbing fixture company is at it again. Advertising Age had a quick writeup about a new ad campaign over Times Square in New York City involving giant butts.
On July 1, the Toto Washlet company will unveil a giant two-story billboard wrapped around three sides of a Times Square building. And on that billboard will be giant two-storied rears, smiling down on the city. Why are they smiling?
Because the Toto Washlet is moder-day [sic] miracle of science (according to the press release). It “upgrades a standard U.S. toilet to state-of-the-art in personal hygiene. It cleans and dries with aerated water and warm air (both adjustable, via wireless remote, for temperature and strength). While over 17 million have been sold worldwide, the U.S. remains an untapped market.”
Oh yes. They are at it again. This is the Clean is Happy Campaign. It’s catching eyes. I first became aware of Toto’s preoccupation with launching the Washlet stateside through Trans-Pacific Radio’s TPR News Podcast (16 May 2007). Washlets, for those who don’t know, are the crazy toilets with heated seats, remote controls, all manner of bidets and air-dry jets, which I suspect could make coffee or french fries if properly configured. Here’s what they had to say about the situation.
Every year or so, we see a PR piece disguised as news reporting making the claim that Japanese toilet maker Toto is hopeful that its bidets and warm-seated toilets will soon catch on with consumers in the United States. A recent Japan Times article that struck this observer as somewhat ‘cheeky’ reported:
In the United States, explosive sales are unlikely in the coming years…Some observers say the number of plumbers there well-versed in the installation of Washlets is still limited, making it hard for the company to offer adequate after-sale service.
This line was taken from the company’s website, “[The] Washlet is the kind of product whose popularity and demand grow through experience of use and word of mouth. (sic)”
Gotta say - I’m not sold on the notion of the American market receiving the Washlet with plaudits and confetti. Skeptical at least. All I know is that I like toilet paper, and I hate the disturbing moment of confusion when I sit down on a heated seat and imagine that someone has just been there. Eeew. So for me, clean may be happy, but my clean is attainable without the gizmos in a Washlet. If you’ve tried one, weigh in on this one. Do you think it’ll fly? 
Also, for those who missed it…my buddy Nick discovered one of the TMI-dark-secrets of Japan - why the Washlet is really so popular. To laugh and find yourself pretty disturbed, and discover what they mean by “pamper yourself” - read Nick’s account. It’s “fun”. 
Ahem.