If this ad about poop went viral (45M views) You can too.
PooPourri didn’t just sell toiletry. They flipped a cultural taboo into a shareable message, and made $300M+ doing it.
TLDR: ‘Girls Don’t Poop’ by PooPourii was VSL style ad featuring Bethany Woodruff delivering an ultra-feminine spiel about a not-so-feminine issue
It was a playful, unexpected, and quirky way of describing a toilet-related product, and that’s exactly why it went viral
Despite the comedic tone, the ad clearly states, “Yes, it is a real product, and yes, it really works.
Results
Over 31 million views in its first year, YouTube's 5th most-watched ad of 2013
Prompted lucrative follow-ups like "Even Santa Poops" and “How to Poop at a Party”.
Drove massive brand growth: 9,000+ stores by 2014, 17 million bottles sold by 2016, and a company valuation nearing $300M
The brand reported a direct lift in sales and conversions after this video went live
Viral Moment
Marketing Type: The “Girls Don’t Poop” ad is technically a VSL (Video Sales Letter)… but with a twist.
PooPourri sold diectly by introducing a problem (embarrassing poop smell),
Agitated it with vivid language and scenes, then presented their product as the solution.
Direct-response structure used by PooPourri
✔ Hook: “You would not believe the motherload I just dropped.”
✔ Problem: Public bathroom shame, especially for women.
✔ Solution: Poo~Pourri, explained clearly.
✔ CTA: Visit the website, try it now.
✔ Product demo included: Shows how it works in a funny, exaggerated way.
A textbook VSL flow, but with humor-based branding with performance-style product education.
Making it a hybrid.
Why It's More Than a Traditional VSL?
Direct response + Brand awareness hybrid 👇
Unlike many VSLs, which use basic slides or talking heads, PooPourri used a more commercial-like production.
Almost like a mini skit or SNL parody, unlike most VSLs that are more formal or info-heavy.
It wasn’t just to sell; it aimed to break a cultural taboo, go viral, and build long-term brand equity, which it did.
You could call it a “Cinematic VSL” a script-first, skit-like, humorous ad designed to entertain + educate + convert.
The Challenge
Poop spray sounded like a joke product, most people didn’t believe such a thing worked, let alone wanted to talk about it.
They struggled to scale with traditional ads, small-scale word-of-mouth & boutique sales couldn’t grow fast enough.
Not to mention the stigma and silence around the product category, bathroom odor was a private issue, especially for women.
The brand needed to change the cultural narrative. Quickly.
We knew we had to do something different, take the shame out of the bathroom and make people laugh.
— Suzy Batiz, Founder of Poo~Pourri
Revenue Data (as reported by Poopourri)
$1M+ in revenue before the ad
But growth had stalled, product was a novelty, not a must-have.
After the video:
Over 31M views in the first year
$4M in additional sales within months
9,000+ stores stocked it by 2014
17M bottles sold by 2016
Company valuation hit $300M+ by late 2010s
(Source: Forbes, Wired, Wikipedia)
What can I change now? (Steal what works)
Use high-contrast casting & tone
Poo~Pourri cast a poised, posh woman to talk about taboo bathroom humor → instant contrast = viral gold
→ Try: Pairing your product with an unexpected spokesperson or tone
✅ Turn the objection into the joke
They didn’t hide the problem. They amplified it.
“You would not believe the motherload I just dropped…” – that line turned into a meme.
→ Try: Making fun of your product’s perceived weakness as your hook
✅ Story-driven product demo
It’s not just funny—it clearly explains how the product works.
Visuals + metaphors + a poop timeline = unforgettable education
→ Try: Replace “salesy” product demos with story-based ones full of drama, metaphors, and analogies
✅ Slogan it like a movement
“Girls don’t poop” isn’t just a joke—it’s a societal myth they challenged
The brand positioned itself as the solution to that falsehood
→ Try: Creating a rally cry around the myth your product busts
🗝 Take away
Make the uncomfortable… unforgettable.
The fastest path to virality is contrast:
🚽 Polite + gross
💼 Elegant + absurd
🧼 Real problem + over-the-top delivery
Poo~Pourri didn’t just sell a product.
They flipped a cultural taboo into a shareable message—and made $300M+ doing it.
Fun Fact
Bethany Woodruff, the Scottish-American actress in the spot, later recounted being hired after a BYU theater audition.
She embraced the “poo girl” identity and says she still gets recognized for owning the role with confidence and humor
Hit Like ❤ If this was at all insightful, thanks
Comments
@ MakeSushi1
whoever wrote this script was a genius
@ lynnmwongela8268
I love how she talks. Like it's sarcastic but also not I can't explain it but it's fvcking amazing
@ DanielaBodoh
This is the only ad that I will never, ever skip.
@ bernadetterocha3693
Literally the moment before she stated it was a real product -- I was wondering if it was a real product! 😂
THIS is how you market a product. I am definitely purchasing this.
@ kali0589
Have you bought it?? My brother gave it to me as a stocking stuffer today for Christmas and it actually works. Every public toilet should have one in the stall. Especially bars!
😭😭😭