Flash, Fixation, and Flushing
Because I don't live in New York, and have thus not yet seen the giant two-storied rears smiling down on passers-by from high above Times Square, I had to discover the Washlet via AdCritic Interactive. Of course, after that initial tip, I learned all I needed to know about this "revolution in personal hygiene" from the amazing clean is happy site itself.
I'm not sure what is more impressive about this site: the remarkable technology that allows you to go to the bathroom and have a "hands free" experience; the use of Flash and video (which is undeniably great); or the way ML Rogers turns getting your bum sprayed by a self-sterilizing wand into a quality of life issue.
Given the innuendo and double entendre that drives the fairly self-parodic (one commentator wrote, "If I were to make a parody website this would be it") humor behind the "clean is happy" campaign, it's no surprise that most folks writing about it have a hard time reigning in their inner child. AdAge refers to it as "cheeky," Alissa at mediabistro.com's UnBeige calls it '"assvertising," and John at menuism.com's blog writes demurely about the "pleasant buttocks" which adorn the site and the outdoor advertising. For my part, I still can't watch the site without cackling in infantile glee and then, just as the designers no doubt envisioned, gleefully sharing it with others.
All scatology aside, the site is clever, well-designed and, as far as interactive advertising goes, fairly effective. Flash designers, graphic designers, and marketers in the personal hygiene category could all learn something from it. It might even make you happier.
