Shop Talk

Target wants shoppers to squeeze the (supersized) Charmin

Grab that shopping cart – you’re going to need it.

To lure post holiday shoppers this year, Target has scrapped its typical plan of stocking its stores with exotic home goods sourced from across this globe.

Instead, it has cleared out the Christmas trees and holiday lights to make room for a mini warehouse club.

Target is stocking 12-packs of giant up & up paper towels for $13.49, and 24-packs of triple roll Charmin toilet paper for $17.99.

Mixed in with the bulk-sized packages, Target is putting in “treasure hunt” items  — a tactic used at No. 1 U.S. warehouse club giant Costco. It will be selling Ed Hardy handbags and shirts for between $34.99 and $64.99, and Ralph Lauren polo shirts for boys and girls for less than $25.

But Costco doesn’t have to worry about Target becoming a direct competitor – at least not yet.  Kathee Tesija, Target’s executive vice president of merchandising, told Reuters the retailer will only offer what it is calling “The Great Save” until February 21. But if you’re lucky and that supersized package of Charmin is a hit with shoppers it might just wind up in Target’s normal product assortment.

(Image provided by Target)

From Charmin, $10,000 to meet people in Times Square toilets

Want to earn $10,000 working in Times Square this holiday season?  No, no.  Not that way! Rudy Giuliani cleaned all that up.   P&G’s Charmin toilet paper has a different job for you.  The company is looking for five “Charmin Ambassadors” to work in its portable rest rooms in Times Square this holiday season.   The people must be “super-fun” and “enthusiastic.”   The job description: “Greet and entertain bathroom guests.  Then blog about the experience.  All candidates must really, really enjoy going to the bathroom.”    Except for the blogging part, I think my 15-month-old would be perfect for the job.

(Reuters photo)

Nothing sells like a little potty humor

In the news you may have missed category, a couple of household products makers are trying to grab your attention with a dose of elementary-school styled laughs.

First, Clorox is bringing some giggles to a blazing issue in its backyard.  Nearly 30 portable toilets have been set on fire in San Francisco according to Clorox, which is based in nearby Oakland, California.

“With more than an estimated $50,000 in property damage and potential fire hazards, this is no bathroom joke,” Clorox said.   So here’s what Clorox has planned.  It started the ”Operation Flush the Outhouse Arsonist” campaign to, as the company says, “help bring the potty pyromaniac to justice.”

The company, which makes its namesake toilet bowl cleaner and other products, took out an ad in today’s San Francisco Examiner.  In the ad, which features a picture of a porta-potty, Clorox offers a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of whomever is the potty pyromaniac.  The company is also giving away a year’s supply of toilet products to the person who gives the information.  Here’s the Examiner’s take on the news.

Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble wants to help people find a place to go when they need, well, a place to go.   P&G’s Charmin toilet paper brand on Tuesday showed off the “Sit Or Squat” web site and applications for the iPhone and Blackberry that helps users find clean public bathrooms.   In case you were wondering, yes, this is the first time a toilet paper brand partnered with a downloadable mobile application, according to P&G.  The SitOrSquat site lists more than 52,000 toilets in 10 countries.  Depending on the ratings of users, a toilet is called a ”sit” — clean enough to sit on, or a “squat” — well, you get the idea.

(Reuters photo of portable toilets lined up in Washington in January)