Who Is Winning the Toilet Paper Wars?
Once abundant, toilet paper is now a scarce commodity and a symbol of the COVID-19 crisis. 
This new, high-demand household staple has caused people to go into panic buying. Nielsen report that sales are up 120% when compared to the same time last year.
So what should a toilet paper brand do during this crisis? One, Charmin is sticking with it’s animated bears and its “I’m Charmin clean” commercials. The second big toilet paper maker, Cottonelle is showing that brand is bigger than just sales.
Cottonelle is discouraging toilet paper hoarding in new 30-second commercials that will run through April. It’s hashtag for the campaign is #ShareASquare. Cottonelle is also teaming up with the United Way Worldwide COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund.
As you watch TV or see an ad searching or OTT in streaming video, watch for those who know that the world just changed like it did on 9-11. Video is all about connecting with people on an emotional level. Ignoring what has happened seems like you run the risk of alienating stakeholder and opening yourself to competition from stronger messaging.
You may be “Charmin clean” today, but Cottonelle is cleaning up in the emotional branding category. 
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle.
After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant.
He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.”
Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.”
One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College.
Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board.
Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.