Bathroom Advertising

No idea, aside from paying everyday people to put giant RedBull cans on their car, has sparked my interest like bathroom advertising. It is a double sided coin that must examined carefully.

The only real problem with using the bathroom and an advertising medium is that it may make consumers feel uncomfortable. People already feel that they are bombarded with messages. Putting more messages in the one place people feel they will be left alone, may make them feel overwhelmed. It should also be considered how associating brands with this activity may affects consumer's overall perception of the brand.

The benefit is that it delivers results. Think about it. There's not much entertainment in the restroom. A lot of people read in the bathroom of their home, but they have no reading material with them when they are in public restrooms. This assures they will read your message. It has even been shown that if they make repeat visits to the restroom, they will read the message every time they go. There is also a 40% stronger retention rate than with other media impressions. The viewing time, as compared to billboards, printed ads, posters, and fliers, is more than six times longer. Perhaps most compelling is the fact that 92% of people surveyed could recall the name of the advertiser without prompting.

In any case, it is unlikely that bathroom advertising will stop at this point. The reactions seem favorable enough, and the amount of attention paid to these ads makes it doubtful that advertisers will abandon this medium anytime soon.