Toilet Paper Makes for Tears in Angel Soft's Grandparents-Themed Ad

Toilet paper advertising traditionally doesn't make you cry: That's the province of facial tissue ads. But Angel Soft and Interpublic's Deutsch, Los Angeles, are bringing the tear-jerker format down the grocery aisle a bit with "Grander Parents," a video breaking today that recounts the story of grandparents who take in their son's angelic-looking daughter after he goes to jail. It's the latest in the brand's "Be Soft. Be Strong" effort, which began around Father's Day with the somewhat controversial "Happy Father's Day, Mom" video. "We're getting really good response from talking about how people need to be soft and strong, and why it's important to have that balance, and that you can be both," said Todd Wingfield, senior brand manager for Angel Soft, part of Koch Industries' Georgia-Pacific. "We're trying to tell real stories of families that are rising to the occasion." Beyond the videos, the campaign is generating consistent conversation in social media, he said, such as when Angel Soft asked on Stepfamily Day (Sept. 15) at what point their stepparents became their parents, eliciting thousands of responses. As with the Father's Day effort, the creative insight behind "Grander Parents" came from members of the agency team mentioning folks they know who were raised by grandparents, said Karen Costello, executive creative director at Deutsch. "We did get people talking" with the Father's Day video, Ms. Costello said. "And I hope we have that same interest in 'Grander Parents.'" There are enough family stories out there to keep the campaign going indefinitely, she said, with a "robust plan" for more family vignettes next year. This story also appeared on Adage.com.

Toilet Paper Makes for Tears in Angel Soft's Grandparents-Themed Ad

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