Miki Agrawal on Meaningful Branding and Leveraging Humor in Marketing - ABC Money

by Debora Marcus

TUSHY creator Miki Agrawal says she has never been embarrassed to tell people what she does. Her newest company, TUSHY, is working to make bidets mainstream by providing a small option that can be hooked to the toilet without a cumbersome setup or stress. There is also a travel-size version for people to take with them and use anywhere. Miki Agrawal’s brand is aspirational, artful, and respectful, while still leaning into the irreverent nature that really is necessary when talking about bodily functions in a way that gets people interested.

Bidets are common in many parts of the world, but in the United States, there are very few people who use them. Some avoid them because they are not sure what they really do or how they work, and there are others who are worried about the level of cleanliness they would receive. Agrawal’s site boasts the claim that a person can use 80% less toilet paper when they utilize one of TUSHY’s products, and that means she is helping the planet and advancing ideas of human hygiene at the same time.

TUSHY’s Marketing is Always Changing

The latest marketing campaign is focused on human poses and body language, on a scale that Agrawal believes everyone will start using. Serial disrupt-her Miki Agrawal intends to make sure her campaigns are inspirational and offer more information in ways that get people to gain more interest in why they should choose TUSHY products over standard toilet paper. Another thing that Miki Agrawal is very proud of is the brand’s voice. The funny, irreverent nature of it brings people’s guards down.

Why is this important? Miki Agrawal believes that otherwise, it gets boring. When things get boring, people lose interest. With TUSHY’s marketing campaigns, there are frequently things that people are not expecting. That is true to the brand, and the visuals that come with the campaigns are always artful. The goal is not to offend, but to push the boundaries enough to get people talking about what the company and the product have to offer, and how TUSHY can help their cleanliness and protect the planet at the same time.

Logos and Public Relations Both Matter

The logo, featuring a human bottom in a water drop, is designed to showcase the “shower for your butt” that Agrawal says the company offers. Getting people to move from using toilet paper to a bidet is not an easy task, especially in a country and culture where bathroom habits and needs are often taboo. Miki Agrawal is out to break those barriers. Admittedly, however, raising money was not easy at first. People did not want to invest in such a product. A couple of early investors funded Agrawal for $400k, and that was enough.

Commercials and Influencers are on the Radar

Asked about where the company’s marketing money should go, Agrawal is often quick to suggest influencers. The mid-sized influencer who has a 10% engagement and around 150k in followers is what she looks for. Those kinds of influencers work with enough people to bring in more interest for a product, and they have solid engagement that helps Agrawal feel confident that sales will rise by working with them.

Miki Agrawal has several commercials she really likes for the product, but her favorite is somewhat niche. The artfully shot commercial featured people washing things with the TUSHY nozzle, and Agrawal believes it will be the company’s best ad once people have a more mainstream understanding of (and interest in) what a bidet can do for their personal hygiene and for the planet.

Long-Form Video is Helping to Mainstream TUSHY

TUSHY Founder Miki Agrawal also uses along-form videos in her company’s advertising. When asked why, she explained that many people still are not clear on what bidets do, how they work, and the benefits they offer. Because of that, the company makes explainer videos that help people understand the value. She also wants to showcase how it takes 37 gallons of water to make a roll of toilet paper, and that 15 million trees are cut down for toilet paper every year.

One of the biggest goals of TUSHY is to bring bidets to the mainstream, and right now, long-form content educates and converts interested parties into loyal brand ambassadors. “May the best ad win,” says Agrawal, when it comes to long-form or short-form options. She also accepts that there will be some people who just will not use her product, no matter how it is advertised, and she knows she cannot please everyone.

One of the brand’s most popular videos features a friend of Agrawal’s, sitting on a toilet and reading reviews of TUSHY. While the ad cost nearly nothing to make, a lot of people seem to love it. It is performing well, and it shows that the company does not always need to spend a lot of money to get people interested in what they have to offer.

What’s the “Bottom” Line?

Asked about what was most important to success for the company, Miki Agrawal cites strong management. When maintaining her WILD restaurants, she finally brought in an operations professional and found that it made a huge difference. With TUSHY, she did not waste any time and brought in operations professionals right away, so the company could start out strong. Her goal is to elevate humanity and protect the planet, all at the same time, and she believes to do that she will need to break some societal preconceptions.

Agrawal points out that there is a lot of societal control, based on how people believe they should do things. She says it feels arbitrary and old, and it is time for something new. People can create their own reality, and as the Chief Creative Officer of TUSHY, she is out to focus on disruptive innovations and social enterprises in order to help people create what matters most for their lives. That might sound like a lot to ask of a bidet, but Agrawal is out to change the world, one tushy at a time.

About Miki Agrawal

Miki Agrawal is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of TUSHY. The company has created bidets for household use, hook up in less than 10 minutes, and cost under $100. Over one million satisfied customers are already using TUSHY’s products. Agrawal is also a wife and mother, and an identical twin. Before starting TUSHY in 2014, Miki Agrawal launched WILD, a farm-to-table sustainable pizzeria chain, and THINX, which makes period underwear and donates to help children in impoverished countries go back to school.

TUSHY focuses on helping people have better hygiene while simultaneously protecting the planet and reducing the impact of toilet paper. Along with her work there, Miki Agrawal has published two books, with a third on the way. She is dedicated to challenging the status quo in ways that can help improve life for people around the world.

The year 2016 saw Agrawal listed among the Most Impressive Women Entrepreneurs by INC, along with Crain’s 40 Under 40. That same year, she made the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine. In 2017, Agrawal was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She is clearly dedicated to her tasks, and a force to be reckoned with.

Originally published here.