Squatty Potty: The Unicorn Ad That Lifted Sales 600%

In 2015, Squatty Potty released "This Unicorn Changed the Way I Poop" — a mythical unicorn dispensing rainbow soft-serve ice cream while a costumed prince explains the science of colon posture. Made by Harmon Brothers, it became one of the most-shared ads of the year, crossing 100 million views and reportedly lifting the brand's online sales by roughly 600% and retail sales by around 400%.

What they ran

The ad takes an awkward, borderline-unadvertisable product — a stool that changes your bathroom posture — and makes it delightful and shareable. The prince is charming, the unicorn is absurd, and underneath the spectacle is a real, specific health explanation.

Why it worked

• It made the unmentionable shareable. Humor gave people permission to talk about (and share) a product they'd normally be embarrassed by.
• Spectacle carried real substance. The unicorn grabs attention; the actual mechanism (posture changes how you eliminate) does the persuading. Entertainment without a claim doesn't sell — this had both.
• The demonstration was unforgettable. Rainbow ice cream is the product demo. You can't unsee it, which means you can't forget the product.

What to steal

For an awkward or low-interest product, your job is to make it shareable and specific at the same time. Entertainment buys the attention; a concrete mechanism spends it.