Annals of naming: Charmin becomes Cushelle

by Danny Altman

Like the U.S., Europe is dominated by a few brands of toilet paper–Lotus, Scottex, Cottonelle. And if Swedish giant SCA gets its way, Cushelle (you know it as Charmin) will soon be one of them. SCA is pouring 11 million euros into a rebranding campaign to make Cushelle the roll to beat.

So what was wrong with Charmin in Europe? As a name, does Cushelle feel any different from the other big corporatey brands? Not to us. In fact it sounds cloyingly close to Cottonelle. Maybe that’s why they’re employing a koala on the package as a “cuteness magnet.”

But in Europe, every country has its own personality. So wherever you go, there are also local brands you can depend on. You can wipe with 40 grit sandpaper (Andrex) in the UK or with live kittens (KittenSoft) in Ireland. You can be polite with toilet paper that says thank you (Danke) in Switzerland. Or you can be totally carefree (Tenderly) in Italy.

No matter which way you go, according to the World Wildlife Fund, Europe is headed in the wrong direction here. Long famous among American travelers for abrasive (read recycled) toilet tissue, it looks like Europeans are finally caving in to the cushy American lifestyle. This does not sit well with environmental organizations. It turns out that super soft TP like Cushelle gets its pillowy softness from virgin forests. Maybe that’s why koalas are always so pissed off.