Advertising on Toilet Paper

From: Barb K.

Sent: August 21, 2012

To: undisclosed recipients

Subject: Fw: Advertising on Toilet Paper

I'm sorry for wanting to share this article but thought it was interesting in a crazy way. Barb.
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There is nothing new about reading in the bathroom, although a couple of young men are doing their best to change the way we do it by filling the restroom walls of businesses full of toilet paper printed with advertising and coupons.

The concept began with a grunt-session between 22-year-old Jordan Silverman, his cell phone and the age-old activity of a king reading on his throne. After presenting the idea to his brother, Bryan Silverman, an 18-year-old student at Duke University, the two co-founded the Star Toilet Paper Company, which is now one of five finalists in Entrepreneur magazine’s College Entrepreneur of 2012 competition.

According to Bryan Silverman, he wasn’t that impressed with his brother’s idea at first, but after recognizing a key selling point to potential advertisers in marketing to a captive audience, he was on board.

And don’t worry, you’re not going to have to deal with things like washing off the imprint of restaurant coupons from your backside or using the actual printed coupons after taking them on a wild ride in a public restroom.

The two-ply toilet paper is printed using a soybean-based ink, and readers will be able to obtain coupons by scanning printed codes on the paper with their cell phones or by visiting the company’s website.

So far, the brothers have about 50 advertisers currently on board, each of them paying $99 for 20,000 advertisements that appear on approximately 160 rolls. Businesses that decide to use their toilet paper will receive it at no cost.

Readers of Entrepreneur magazine will determine the winner of the competition. Other concepts in the running include solar building materials, a disposable medical suture device and a lever-operated mechanical wheelchair attachment. (Source)