Kleenex has launched a national behaviour-change campaign aimed at tackling one of the more persistent taboos in Australian schools: children avoiding using the bathroom.
Developed with Omnicom Advertising, We Are Different and OMD, the ‘Get Comfortable’ platform looks to normalise conversations around intimate wellness and reduce stigma.
From awareness to behaviour change
At the centre of the campaign is I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo, a children’s book designed to help parents and educators address the issue early.
The initiative is built on research showing 70% of Australian school children hold in going to the toilet at school due to embarrassment, highlighting the scale of the problem.
Tackling stigma head-on
David Tyack, Managing Director ANZ at Kimberly-Clark, said the campaign responds to a widely overlooked issue.
“Our latest research showed that anxiety about using the toilet at school is far more common than many people realise, and it can have a real impact on children’s confidence,” he said.
“With practical tools like I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo, we’re helping normalise everyday experiences and start conversations early.”
Earned-first approach
Stuart Terry, Founder at We Are Different, said the campaign focuses on cultural change rather than awareness alone.
“This is a behaviour that doesn’t change through awareness alone, but through conversation, normalisation and repetition,” he said.
“We created the ‘I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo’ book as a simple, culturally relevant way to start those conversations early – putting the idea directly into the hands of kids, parents and educators. For a hundred-year old brand like Kleenex, trusted in homes for generations, this is a natural space to play.”
Main image: Kleenex