Serious Toilet Humor
Character Animation & Motion Design
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Plumbing issues and bathroom etiquette is no joking matter unless that's your goal. Sometimes the best way to get your point across is by injecting a little fun into a serious matter.
The idea was to create something just silly enough that it would catch the eye of the casual passing employee or email reader. The use of humor could draw interest as well as awareness to the issue in ways warning signs never could.
Client:
Harris Heath
Project Type:
Character Animation
My Role:
Creative, Animator
The Build
How do you make light of toilet and bathroom issues without getting too ridiculous? The solution was to create a character that is both cute and holds some authority on the subject, a toilet paper guide to the bathroom. Voiceover was used to present and keep the serious details separate from the slapstick humor. A lively music track and fast-paced animations were used to keep the viewer's attention and emphasize the beats of the narrative.
What
This
Needed...
What this video needed to be as entertaining. Something that got people to watch and at least be aware of the issue. By blending comedic character animation with these issues we hoped to create something that people would talk about. Something that might just stick in their minds the next time they are in one of these situations.
The Result
Problem:
Difficult Subject Matter
Unknown Impact of Issue
Approach:
Memorable Humor
Statistic Based Narrative
Obstacles:
Private Subject Matter
Avoiding Mandate Preaching
Solutions:
Present Impact Based Facts
Use Humor to Accent Details
What happens in the bathroom stays in the bathroom. To address issues no one likes to talk about we need to be creative and memorable. The result was a goofy animation that delivered a serious message. The underlying humor of the animation lets the hospital address a difficult issue in a way that wouldn't make people uncomfortable.
The goal of the project was to make the issue known, appeal to a work community, and promote understanding behind mandates. Who knew an awkward toilet paper character could do so much?
What we got...
