Kleenex targets school toilet stigma with national behaviour change campaign

Kleenex is taking aim at one of childhood’s most avoided topics, launching a national behaviour change campaign to tackle the stigma around using school toilets.

At the centre of the campaign is I Can’t Wait! My First School Poo, a children’s book authored by Jessica Rowe with input from parenting expert Genevieve Muir, designed to normalise what many kids are too embarrassed to talk about.

The campaign is grounded in new research showing 70% of Australian school children are holding in their poo at school due to embarrassment, highlighting a widespread but rarely discussed issue.

The data points to a broader challenge. Only 27% of parents say their child feels comfortable using a public toilet, while nearly half (44%) are aware their child has “held it in” at school, raising concerns about both confidence and physical health.

Kimberly-Clark managing director ANZ David Tyack said the findings reflect how early experiences shape behaviour.

“We spend a lot of time listening to families and understanding the everyday moments that shape bathroom experiences. Our latest research showed that anxiety about using the toilet at school is far more common than many people realise, and it can have a real impact on children’s confidence,” he said.

An initial print run of 2,000 copies will be distributed free across 200 childcare centres, libraries and occupational therapy clinics nationally, with a digital version also available via the Kleenex website.

The book forms part of Kleenex’s broader “Get Comfortable” platform, developed by Omnicom Advertising and OMD, which aims to shift long-standing taboos around intimate wellness through conversation and repetition. PR agency We Are Different led the earned-first strategy, positioning the book as a cultural entry point to spark discussion across parents, educators and communities.

We Are Different founder Stuart Terry said behaviour change requires more than awareness.

“This is a behaviour that doesn’t change through awareness alone, but through conversation, normalisation and repetition,” he said.

The campaign also includes a national TVC and broader rollout across PR, social and community channels, as Kleenex looks to move beyond product messaging into everyday behavioural moments.