In a world where even the mundane can be transformed into a captivating experience, Luisa Orlandi, New Business Director at Billion Dollar Boy, spearheaded a campaign that turned public toilets into a playful spectacle.
Tasked with promoting SC Johnson’s Duck-branded Toilet Time Arcade game, Orlandi and her team took on the challenge of making Margate’s Main Sands public toilets the epicentre of Britain’s most fun bathroom experience.
Through a creative collaboration that blended brand identity with vibrant, personality-driven content, the ‘Breaking Boredom’ campaign didn’t just promote a product—it reimagined the way we think about toilet time.
What was the brief?
SC Johnson launched a Duck branded interactive, mobile-first Toilet Time Arcade game in its pursuit to ‘break toilet boredom’.
Billion Dollar Boy was briefed to launch the ‘Breaking Boredom’ campaign to support this ambition, grow awareness and engagement of the game, as well promoting the toilet cleaner brand’s two new fragrances - Tropical Level-up and Garden Arcade.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
We wanted to create Britain’s most fun toilet experience to bring the ‘breaking boredom’ concept to life. It was a very collaborative approach with the brand who were willing to show their playful side to capture the vibrancy and fun of the campaign.
We identified the personality-driven approach of creators to achieve that, supported by an experiential activation with a physical toilet makeover.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
We had to create a campaign that would encapsulate the ‘Breaking Boredom’ message of the campaign while aligning with the product’s core function and the brand’s identity.
We alighted on an eye-catching activation that would bring the message to life with creators able to add personality and extend the reach of the campaign beyond the physical location of the stunt and to audiences at home or on-the-go on their phones.
Once we had agreed on the concept, we needed to identify a launch location and alighted upon Margate Main Sands Public Toilets. It’s a destination that stands for nostalgia, play and entertainment with its nearby arcade games creating a natural affinity to gaming.
It was also a location that would ensure footfall, especially over the busy May bank holiday weekend. Located between Margate train station, the beach, and the iconic Dreamland Amusement Complex, the toilets are in constant use.
We had to transform the toilets to create a memorable toilet experience but also to reflect the vibrant culture of Margate. The creative vision of the creators we worked with helped to transition the project from concept to reality.
What was the production process like?
The production process was a collaboration with the brand and creators. We gave them creative licence to explore their artistic visions and unique personalities during the campaign. The makeover included colourful interiors and an eye-catching external mural, designed by artistic creator, Regan Gilflin.
The campaign was promoted by Niall Gray and Imogen Andrews, whose traditional parody roles as TV presenters, brought comedy to the launch. Appearing in their first ever branded activation together, they shared Instagram Reels with their 136k audience to amplify the campaign’s reach beyond Margate.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
Margate Main Sands public toilets are one of Britain’s most notorious public toilets, so giving them a makeover to launch the nation’s most fun toilet experience was in itself a significant physical challenge.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
The toilets were filled with products from Duck’s limited edition range with two fragrances - Tropical Level-up and Garden Arcade - and equipped with: a ‘claw crane’ arcade game for visitors to win prizes, which was played over 1,000 times; QR code toilet rolls to access and play Duck’s interactive, mobile-first Toilet Time Arcade game; and toilet attendants appearing in toilet-themed fancy dress to bring the game to life.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
Because the mural isn’t branded, it has since been adopted by the local council as a permanent feature and has been a popular addition to the area among local residents.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
Toilets get a bad wrap, especially public toilets such as Margate Main Sands’ toilets which suffer from constant use. Duck wanted to create a fun toilet experience that was just as whimsical and joyful as the city, and the environment, they sit in.
The main message of the campaign was to amplify the purpose of the Toilet Arcade Game by ending toilet boredom and making toilet experiences more pleasant.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
Billion Dollar Boy pitched for the campaign in December 2023, with the activation going live during the late May Bank holiday and supported by a further two-week paid amplification campaign across Instagram
Can you describe the creative spark or inspiration behind the initial concept? Was there a specific moment or insight that ignited the idea?
We started with the guiding ambition to level up the UK’s worst toilet. We identified Margate Main Sands public toilets because of the area’s high footfall during the bank holiday and because of its natural affinity to gaming given the nearby arcades.
How did you ensure that the concept aligned with the brand's values, goals, and target audience?
With its functional Duck product marketed to a mass consumer audience, SC Johnson was ready to truly embrace its fun side with the launch of its Toilet Arcade game.
It needed a creative campaign to replicate that in the real world and with creators amplifying the message on social media, we were able to bring the ‘Breaking Boredom’ message to the streets of Margate and beyond.
Were there any alternative concepts or ideas considered during the ideation phase? If so, what led to the selection of the final concept?
A public toilet in Blackpool was actually officially named the worst toilet in the UK but it was being dismantled by the local council at the time of the campaign launch, so we had to pivot.
Can you discuss any collaborative or interdisciplinary aspects of the ideation process, such as working with other departments or external partners?
Internally, we worked across the creative and production teams to ideate and execute the campaign. The account team identified the creators, and the paid team supported on the social amplification.
Our client services team was on hand to support the client through the briefing process and post-campaign analysis, with assistance from our data team. Externally, we worked an experiential crew, and a production company including a videographer and motion graphics designer.
What role did consumer research or market analysis play in shaping the concept and its execution?
We looked into market analysis of where we wanted to activate. Found Margate among popular seaside destinations with potential for an eye-catching installation to stand out, and quality of toilets and found a press clipping.
Can you discuss any unique or unconventional production techniques or approaches used to bring the idea to life?
The creators brought their unique style as parody TV presenters to the campaign which added humour and imagined the campaign in a more relatable and engaging way that we could then share more widely.
We also filmed a timelapse of the mural’s creation to bring the behind-the-scenes content to life. Billion Dollar Boy also sent out 13 influencer boxes to travel creators and local media outlets to create buzz around the activation.
How did you ensure that the concept remained innovative and stood out in a crowded marketplace?
It actually wasn’t a crowded marketplace, which is why we chose it and why the campaign stood out. There were no other competitors launching similar activations and we chose a unique location that matched the brief while also reaching a large audience.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
The campaign is designed to grow awareness of the brand and the game, as well as he ‘Breaking Boredom’ campaign message. It delivered 3.7 million impressions, 3.6 million Reel plays, over 50,000 engagements and a 14.3% engagement rate – far exceeding industry benchmarks of 1.6%. The brand also saw a significant uptick in monthly users for the game which is directly attributable to the activation.
Credit list for the work?
Regan Gilflin designed the external mural.
Comic creators Niall Gray and Imogen Andrews appeared in their first ever branded activation together.
