Australia has the world’s highest rates of early-onset bowel cancer, a serious health concern that often goes unspoken. In a bold move to challenge taboos and drive life-saving awareness, Kleenex has teamed up with Bowel Cancer Australia for a unique nationwide campaign that encourages Australians to “check their poo.”
Led by agencies We Are Different and Hello, this impactful campaign leverages the everyday presence of Kleenex toilet paper in Aussie bathrooms to remind users to take bowel health seriously. In collaboration with The Ship, Kleenex has launched limited-edition toilet paper packs featuring an on-core “check your poo” message, as well as a new support hub at poocheck.com.au.
The campaign underscores the critical importance of early detection, as 99% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated if identified early. Joyce Li, Marketing Manager at Kleenex, highlighted the brand’s commitment to using its iconic loo rolls to support Australians: “Thousands of Aussies already trust Kleenex in the bathroom — and this crucial initiative transforms the humble loo roll into a bowel cancer awareness game-changer that helps Aussies to break the poo taboo.”
Stephanie Bansemer-Brown, Marketing and Publicity Manager at Bowel Cancer Australia, and herself a survivor of the disease, welcomed the partnership: “We are delighted to be partnering with Kleenex for this innovative campaign, using the brand’s iconic assets and customer reach to raise much-needed bowel cancer symptom awareness. What better place to break the poo taboo than during toilet time with Kleenex loo rolls.”
The campaign is launching in conjunction with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this June and includes retail activations, influencer engagement, owned social content, and earned media amplification to generate widespread conversation.
With this creative initiative, Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia are turning toilet time into a chance to take charge of health and fight back against one of Australia’s most pressing — but often hidden — health challenges.
