On a mission to help parents raise the first unembarrassed generation, Kleenex has launched a national awareness and behaviour-change campaign encouraging Australians to ‘get comfortable’ with their intimate wellness.
The new ‘Get Comfortable platform’ by Omnicom Advertising challenges long-standing toileting taboos, grounded in the insight that embarrassment and stigma continue to shape Australians’ relationship with everyday bodily functions.
By tackling the issue head-on, Kleenex is encouraging a more open, healthier conversation around intimate wellness – showing there’s a better way.
Moving from conversation to behaviour change, Kleenex has launched I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo – a first-of-its-kind children’s book for parents and educators designed to normalise one of childhood’s most avoided experiences.
Developed by We Are Different as the centrepiece of an earned-first campaign, the book transforms a taboo topic into something shareable, discussable and culturally relevant – driving conversation across PR, social and communities, while embedding the message where it matters most: with kids, parents and educators.
The campaign is underpinned by new research revealing 70 per cent of Australian school children are holding in their poo at school out of embarrassment — with consequences that go beyond the classroom.
“At Kleenex, we spend a lot of time listening to families and understanding the everyday moments that shape bathroom experiences. Our latest research showed that anxiety about using the toilet at school is far more common than many people realise, and it can have a real impact on children’s confidence,” said David Tyack, managing director ANZ at Kimberley-Clark.
“With practical tools like I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo, we’re helping normalise everyday experiences and start conversations early – ultimately inviting kids, parents and educators to Get Comfortable. It’s a role we’re proud to play.”
“This is a behaviour that doesn’t change through awareness alone, but through conversation, normalisation and repetition. That’s where earned-first thinking plays a critical role,” added Stuart Terry, founder and director at We Are Different.
“We created the ‘I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo’ book as a simple, culturally relevant way to start those conversations early – putting the idea directly into the hands of kids, parents and educators. For a hundred-year old brand like Kleenex, trusted in homes for generations, this is a natural space to play. This heritage gave us permission to move beyond messaging and help shape everyday behaviours, amplified through PR, creators and real-world touchpoints.”
Kleenex’s Get Comfortable campaign will roll out nationally throughout the year, with further moments designed to continue the conversation and embed behaviour change at scale.
