Smartass challenges the shitty parts of the TP industry
Nature’s Calling
Holy crap, frenzied panic buy, empty shelves, no pasta, canned food or soap but the real talking point seems to be the lack TP, bog roll, toilet tissue or whatever you call it. The shelves have been completely 'wiped' out.
Why does every FMCG TP brand look, act and sound the same? They use keywords like ultra-plush, ultra-sensitive, extra-soft, and extra-strong, and employ soft delicate imagery such as clouds, feathers or cuddly animals. All evoking brand attributes of caring, kindness and relaxation. But not New Zealand brand Smartass, designed by Design Dairy, who have taken a wisecrack and cheeky approach to the TP industry. They speak to the child inside of us that still enjoys toilet humour.
Each Smartass roll is wrapped separately, and instead of the cuddly animals, Smartass has gone with a donkey, aka ass. Other imagery includes pipes and funnels, trumpets, toilet brushes, nuclear explosions and lengthy intestines. A few feature rolls are wrapped with bright colours and the Smartass minimalist wordmark. All set in a lowercase font which suggest they're friendly and approachable. The "a" character of the sans serif font has a roundness that nicely represents a roll of TP.
Smartass also challenges other shitty parts of the TP industry, for example nothing is wrapped in plastic, it's made without trees and doesn't include harmful inks, dyes or scents. It’s sustainable loo roll made from bamboo and sugarcane. The great thing about bamboo is it's one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, certain species can grow 91 cm within 24 hours. So, it quickly replenishes and self-regenerates from its own roots and doesn't require replanting like timber.
Another example of a humorous eco Tree-Free TP?
Who Gives A Crap donate 50% of their profits to help build toilets for those in need. Recently they created a special edition range with Australian design agency Garbett Design. The Playful Edition was inspired by children's mix-and-match books. Colourful flat-style illustrations of whimsical faces, torsos and legs that can be stacked in different ways creating characters that live in your bathroom cupboard.