Comments on: Charmin Does Something Useful: Toilets in Times Square http://www.thirdwayblog.com/pg/charmin-does-something-useful-toilets-in-times-square.html Straight Talk on Advertising from the Client Side Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:29:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: John Turner http://www.thirdwayblog.com/pg/charmin-does-something-useful-toilets-in-times-square.html#comment-38719 Wed, 16 May 2007 00:23:00 +0000 http://www.thirdwayblog.com/pg/charmin-does-something-useful-toilets-in-times-square.html#comment-38719 Americans distrust street-access toilets. In Europe you find them everywhere, including those charming pissoires in Paris. In Asia cleanliness phobias are even stronger than here, yet the Japanese manage to operate street-access toilets without controversy. In America a street-access toilet is always fought against and always complained about. It's likely the Charmin toilets were only allowed as a temporary measure due to "community outrage" and "popular opposition". Meanwhile the streets stink of ammonia and what you stepped in probably wasn't left there by a bear.... Americans distrust street-access toilets.

In Europe you find them everywhere, including those charming pissoires in Paris. In Asia cleanliness phobias are even stronger than here, yet the Japanese manage to operate street-access toilets without controversy.

In America a street-access toilet is always fought against and always complained about. It’s likely the Charmin toilets were only allowed as a temporary measure due to “community outrage” and “popular opposition”.

Meanwhile the streets stink of ammonia and what you stepped in probably wasn’t left there by a bear….

]]> by: Jennifer http://www.thirdwayblog.com/pg/charmin-does-something-useful-toilets-in-times-square.html#comment-14080 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:31:02 +0000 http://www.thirdwayblog.com/pg/charmin-does-something-useful-toilets-in-times-square.html#comment-14080 This is good news! I haven't thought much past "free and hopefully clean toilets in Times Square," but I'm sure if the public's reaction is like my own, they'll be well recieved. As you said, let's hope the service is up to snuff, and that if they're popular, maybe they'll stay longer than expected. If more companies take to fulfulling a public need as part of their advertising or PR, my only concern would be that local governments may not address these needs as well. While free public services are wonderful, companies' market shares and ad budgets come and go, and I wonder what will happen if we come to rely on them too heavily. Hope you're doing well- got your comment on Toxic Shock, and was going to email you, but can't find your address! Drop me a line sometime. This is good news! I haven’t thought much past “free and hopefully clean toilets in Times Square,” but I’m sure if the public’s reaction is like my own, they’ll be well recieved. As you said, let’s hope the service is up to snuff, and that if they’re popular, maybe they’ll stay longer than expected.

If more companies take to fulfulling a public need as part of their advertising or PR, my only concern would be that local governments may not address these needs as well. While free public services are wonderful, companies’ market shares and ad budgets come and go, and I wonder what will happen if we come to rely on them too heavily.

Hope you’re doing well- got your comment on Toxic Shock, and was going to email you, but can’t find your address! Drop me a line sometime.

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