Imagine selling toilet paper online using a subscription-based pricing model. Oh, and calling it Who Gives A Crap. Oh, and sitting on a toilet for 50-hours to raise $50,000 in crowd-funding donations resulting in some permanent muscle damage. Oh yeah, and helping save the world along the way. Big ask? Damn right, it is. But my guest today is absolutely up for the challenge.
Social entrepreneur Simon Griffiths of online toilet paper brand Who Gives A Crap (Tweet him here) is a man on a mission. In 2007, after turning down his dream job offer as a corporate high-flyer, Simon moved from Australia to South Africa to immerse himself in his true passion: development aid. There he discovered that the biggest problem faced by NGOs and social entrepreneurs is a lack of funding. Since then he has launched three social businesses of his own, all focused on revolutionising the way society thinks about and engages in philanthropy. Simon’s latest venture is an ethical home products company. Its flagship product is Who Gives A Crap, an environmentally friendly toilet paper that uses 50% of its profits to build toilets in the developing world.
Listen in and discover:
- The correct way to hang your toilet paper ;0)
- What it means to be a social entrepreneur
- The concept of consumer-driven philanthropy
- How the Who Gives a Crap toilet paper brand was born
- Plus discussion around successful crowd funding, viral video creation, subscription business models
- Plus plenty more
I also tackle a question from a listener about how to find guests for his new podcast
Let’s waste no time and get stuck right into episode 218 of Australia’s #1 marketing show. Go!
Episode Timeline
- 1:14 I share how having a broken arm has impacted positively on my work
- 3:23 A listener asks a question about how to find guests for his new podcast
- 7:13 A reminder about the exclusive listener offer from 99Designs
- 8:47 A reminder about how to get your online marketing sorted with Netregistry
- 9:32 Introducing today’s guest – Simon Griffiths of Who Gives A Crap
- 12:24 Big opening question: I ask Simon if he hangs his toilet paper over or under
- 13:25 Simon talks about taking his pants off on the TEDx stage
- 14:26 Why Simon chose to become a social entrepreneur
- 19:05 The day Simon had an epiphany and Who Gives A Crap was born
- 20:53 Consumer driven philanthropy discussion
- 23:07 What are Gen Y thinking when it comes to choosing brands to buy
- 26:44 What is Who Gives A Crap toilet paper, and how does the business work?
- 28:49 How Simon went about crowd-funding the idea
- 30:20 How Simon generated $1M of publicity through a simple video stunt
- 36:11 Where is Who Gives A Crap now?
- 36:30 Selling toilet paper online
- 38:25 Talking about the subscription model
- 40:33 The importance of a low poke through rate!
- 42:05 Why don’t more people know about Who Gives A Crap?
- 45:05 Getting a video to go viral
- 49:15 My top 3 learnings
- 51:14 Small Business Big Marketing Forum update on a Speaking From Stage webinar that was run this week plus other marketing questions being asked
- 53:06 Marketing quote of the week
Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode
- 99Designs design marketplace: For logo design, brochure design, and more. Grab your exclusive listener upgrade at this link.
- Netregistry: Get your online marketing sorted!
- Who Gives A Crap online store – Buy their toilet paper here
- Simon Griffith’s TEDx talk
- 6 Reasons To Test facebook Ads For Your Business
- Other interviews mentioned:
- Join the The Small Business Big Marketing Forum now to listen to the exclusive Q&A I did with Paul
- Crank My Marketing – Join the Forum
Tweetables
My Top 3 Learnings
This week’s top five learnings from my chat with Who Gives A Crap’s Simon Griffiths:
1. The subscription model is a great way to do business
2. Give some thought to what the viral video would be for your business
3. Encourage word-of-mouth
Over to you!
Let me know YOUR #1 takeaway from this episode by leaving a comment below.
My guest and myself personally read and respond to every comment.ives a ccrap, All you can do everything. Our writers are well-educated professionals, competent in different fields of studies. At our team created this service. All you can do is send us a request “Do my paper for me”, and much more! Every student knows how difficult writing a request “Do . writing a paper for college All you need to ask someone “Please, write my paper”, provide necessary information about your assignment immediately! We can buy papers online; our site you just want to fulfill this wish our site you just want to do everything. Our writers are well-educated professionals, competent in different fields of .
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20 thoughts on “218 – Who Gives A Crap. Not a question, but a toilet paper that’s saving the world. Listen in for some marketing nuggets ;)”
Wow! **Great** listener question–and I have some really relevant lessons learned right smack dab on the topic Jacob’s upcoming podcast is about. Even more on target is a Santa Barbara startup that has an innovative solution addressing just the type of issues mentioned by Jacob and I’m sure they would love to be included.
Not sure at all if it’s kosher to leave my contact email in a comment here, so will wait to see if there is a response with a green signal or not. On that note, Timbo’s comment about using a hotmail email and not one from a relevant domain is quite relevant here.
Especially was also motivated by Tim’s mention about a podcast being successful when the podcaster approaches it from the frame of reference that Jacob is starting from! I’ve just started a podcast based on some niche types of life experiences, and have had really encouraging responses come through as a result.
On another note, this is another fantastic episode! I feel so much more confident now by being an over guy instead of an under guy….
Great that you got so much inspiration from this episode, Steve. Feel free to leave your contact details here … Hopefully Jacob will see them. Best of luck with your show. And thanks so much for listening to mine. Timbo.
Great… Jacob if you email me I can probably give some content for at least 1 episode, maybe 2…. 🙂 steve@innovetech.com
I did like the toilet or should I say dad jokes. I have not seen Simon’s rolls, but does he have his website printed with his logo? I think that would catch peoples attention and raise awareness. Also, he should give out a little card/sign to let guest know that they are wiping for a cause, and let them know they can get some too. Just heard a reference to Who Gives a Crap on Micalya’s Clark’s podcast (in the forum): Tradies Business Show. The plumber interview gives out Simon’s paper to every customer. More plumbers should do this.
Loved the podcast as usual Tim…I had to save it for my road-trip across the states for Christmas back in Chicago. Merry Christmas!
very good to see someone of that age …. giving a crap lol so to speak well done. The dad Jokes are sooooooo worth the listen.
thanks for this one
Cheers
Jen
Thanks Jen – I had to work hard to keep a lid on the Dad jokes. So many possibilities!
Thanks Nick. Love your ideas. I’ll be sure to let Simon know about them. Maybe you should go in to the poo ticket business ;0)
Just listened to this one yesterday. Very inspiring, pity about the nerve damage! I’ve seen the loo paper in a cafe in Rye and had definitely heard of it but I too am surprised there’s not more about this amazing ‘product with a purpose’ out there. Could you get corporates with a social conscience on board by giving them a week’s subscription? Perhaps a strategic partnership or two?
Loved the interview, thanks Simon and Tim.
Could be a whole campaign in itself with the right partners. Could be promoted as ‘We give a crap’ or ‘They give a crap’ as subscribers.
Loving your thinking, Jess. I agree. As I mentioned in the interview with Simon, why aren’t we seeing more of this?
Thanks Jen, the puns are the best part of the job 🙂
Thanks Nick, we try to get our website out there with our logo as much as possible, but also want to keep our design as clean as possible. As a result, we have our website on the back of every roll, and on the core (when you finish a roll). We also offer bathroom posters to all of our corporate customers, but I think there’s more we can do in this area! Thanks for your ideas!
We’d love to work with more socially conscience companies – if you have any contacts, do put them in touch! Great idea on a free trial subscription too!
Do you think targeting some of the university buildings in Melbourne’s CBD would help? I might be off track here.
Universities are generally tricky because they put contracts out to tender, then are locked in to buy from the tender winner for a number of years. We find it’s often easier to win contracts with small companies, or larger companies who can see that the social mission is worth building some flexibility into their procurement strategy (but these are harder to find – we’d love some help!)
Have you tried the Green Building Council and Council House 2 in the CBD, perhaps the Melbourne City Council even?
We’ve tried the Melbourne City Council, but not Green Building Council. We’ll give them a shot. Thanks for the tips!
Hi Tim, is there a reason you don’t do video. As a marketer and and advertiser you can see the unique and timely advantages of such. Why isn’t there a Melbourne Coffee podcast? Let’s do one together. Jonathon@promisedlandcoffee.com
Hi Jonathon, I guess I’ve decided to do one thing well. I do love the idea of a podcast about coffee, but just don’t have the space for it right now. Hit me up again later this year.
HI Simon, Looking forward to see you in Darwin soon, your whole story is quite inspiring. I would like to get them may be in Charles Darwin University or the company I work in. When can we talk? thanks