Bathroom Blogfest 2007 - Extreme Solutions

Happy Hallowe'en!

Day 3 of the Bathroom Blogfest. Today, it's about Extreme Solutions.

Kelly Mooney introduces us to Kohler's Sexy Toilet Test-Drive and Jo the plumber who will show you how to flush just about anything... What a fun way to demonstrate the Kohler Class Five Flushing Technology! Go on, give it a try.

[When it comes to extreme bathroom technology, I can't help but think back fondly on Home Improvement. Remember the Binford series of products? What about the Man's Bathroom, complete with beer fridge, surround-sound TV, automated mouthwash dispenser, and 3000 watt mirror lights? Arghhhh.]

Holly Buchanan refers in This is why we love guys to a short film titled "Fast Crapper". No clip of the film, but the photo is extreme enough to have you howling.

Stephanie Weaver mentioned in Bathroom Blogfest Starts Today these two extreme solutions:
+ The House at "Poo" Corner, the Korean toilet-shaped house, built in support of a very serious organization.
+ Robyn McMaster from Brain Based Biz describes toilets in Chongqing, China in Creativity Stirs the Unexpected in Toilets. Her photos supplement Stephanie's, and her perspective after 6 weeks in Chongqing definitely highlights extremes.

From the 07/13/07 Wall Street Journal comes China, Newly Fastidious, Spiffs Up Public Restrooms by Mei Fong. It's a fascinating description of plumbing, conservation, social mores, and modernization. And don't forget numbers. We forget how many people live in China. [By the way, the Chongqing toilets described above reside in a four-story building: "a public porcelain palace, complete with soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets and urinals spread out over 30,000 feet." Wow!] How's this for a quote: "Ultimately, toilets are a competitive edge of a nation." Imagine, then, what they are for a retailer?

From Kris Hoet of 'Cross The Breeze comes I need to go. Imagine a virtual ladiesrooms experience... to sell internet banking. [Bedankt, Kris. This is pricelessly extreme! The French version captures the humour, too.]

Rivkin & Associates' The Naming Newsletter lists in Naming Portable Toilets: Tanks a Lot the top names. New Jersey's seems pretty tame compared to Louisiana's or Florida's.

If you're not sure how carefully to monitor your bathrooms, Jonathan Trivers in the 02/19/2007 issue of FCW describes in "Home Depot: Stop completing the dream" a reason to make it a priority:

"Bob had to use the restroom at Home Depot. However, someone had smeared the toilet seat with glue and Bob got stuck on the seat, on the toilet, in the men's restroom in Home Depot in Boulder, Colo. He cried for help for 15 minutes, and employees did not respond. Bob is not taking this sitting down; he is suing Home Depot."

Finally, from Cool Hunting, check out how a company promotes its laxatives in a bus shelter in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Extreme solutions. Extreme examples. They capture the imagination and get one thinking about bathrooms as a competitive edge.

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Participating in the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest are:
Kate Rutter—Adaptive Path
Laurence Helene Borel—Blog Till You Drop
Iris Shreve Garrott—checking out and checking in
Susan Abbott—Customer Experience Crossroads
Maria Palma—Customers Are Always
Becky Carroll—Customers Rock!
Toby Bloomberg—Diva Marketing
Stephanie Weaver—Experienceology
Linda Tischler—Fast Company Now
C.B. Whittemore—Flooring the Consumer
Ed Pell—K+B DeltaVee
Helene Blowers—Library Bytes
Claudia Schiepers—Life and its little pleasures
Katie Clark—Practical Katie
Sandra Renshaw—Purple Wren
Reshma Anand—Qualitative Research
Marianna Hayes—Results Revolution
Carolyn Townes—Spirit Women
Sara Cantor—The Curious Shopper
Anna Farmery—The Engaging Brand
Dee McCrorey—The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur
Katia S. Adams—Transcultural

Don't forget to check the Bathroom Blogfest group site.

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