For 74% of Brits, the toilet is a “me-time” haven. So Publicis London and Cushelle have given them something to read while they escape daily life for a while – a flushable magazine called Porcelain, made entirely from sustainably sourced toilet paper.
The toilet is considered to be one of the few places where interruptions are off‑limits, especially in busy households, with around a third of parents and a quarter of partners admitting they regularly escape to the toilet to get a moment to themselves. And reading is an essential part of this ‘me time’ for one in six respondents.
The multi-purpose magazine is printed entirely on Cushelle toilet paper, using skin‑safe, flush‑friendly ink. Each page is perforated, allowing readers to read, tear out, use and flush.
Cushelle research found that once people feel the softness for themselves, they love it. The challenge was getting it into their hands in the first place. Publicis’ solution is a world first in product sampling, putting Cushelle’s soft luxurious paper directly into the hands of people with influence (influencers and their followers).
Written and edited by the ever-playful Kenny the Koala, Cushelle’s beloved brand mascot, Porcelain is 30 pages of light‑hearted articles, content including a ‘softword’, and parody adverts celebrating Cushelle’s product range.
The magazine builds on Cushelle’s Selfishly Soft platform, created by Publicis London in 2024, that encourages people to prioritise small moments of personal comfort, starting with the softness of Cushelle.
The campaign will run in the UK across print, PR and social, supported by a one-week influencer rollout featuring digital creators, Corys Worldd, Superronshits, Wilfred Webster, Lauren Raker, Dave Durkan and Loos of London.
The campaign’s paid influencer activity includes Porcelain toilet pamper boxes, curated by PR agency Holy Wow! and containing copies of the magazine, carefully packed in a satin-lined box, along with an Outback Eucalyptus scented candle, branded ‘do not disturb sign’ and quilted velour toilet seat cover, encouraging influencers to share their ultimate bathroom ‘me time’ rituals with their audiences. A limited number of copies of Porcelain will also be available through giveaways across the creators’ Instagram channels.
Noël Bunting, chief creative officer, Publicis London, said, “You’d think making a magazine out of toilet paper is easy. It isn’t. This was truly a labour of love, from the binding technique to making sure the ink was skin-safe. But it was worth it, because not only is it a world-first, but it brings some light-heartedness to the sampling game.”
Martina Poulopati, global master brand director at Essity, added, “Selfishly Soft has always been about giving people permission to enjoy small moments for themselves. Partnering with Publicis London allowed us to push that thinking further, combining creativity with craft to create something entirely new. Porcelain is playful and practical, but it also reflects the care, softness and attention to detail that define Cushelle.”
Credits:
Client: Essity (Cushelle)
Creative Agency: Publicis London
Chief Creative Officer: Noël Bunting
Creative Directors: Rhys Hughes, Barret Helander & Matthew Comras
Heads of Design: Ryan Connolly & Dave Stansfield
Designer: Oskah Manchip
Head of Strategy: Katie Hibbard
Strategist: Sorcha Mellor-Reed
Data Analyst: Christopher Wake
Chief Executive Officer: Trent Patterson
Managing Partner: Anna Crabtree
Business Leads: Jamie Longstreet & Phuong Hoang
Account Director: Gintare Lileikyte
Project Managers: Kiké Adetunji, Karina Górska & Reshma Prygiel
Head of Production: Megan O’Hagan
Producers: Bea Icke & Sid Daffarn
Porcelain Production: The Hub & Bookworks
Content Production: Bladesman
Producer: Angus Huntington
Editor: Ian Roe
Photographers: Archie Brooksbank & David Dyson
Retouching: Mark Wesley
PR: Holy Wow
