A Theory Of Toilet Paper Hoarding…

Harry Reichenbach was a publicist who died in 1931.

He was renowned for creating elaborate publicity stunts for promoting motion pictures during the early 1900s.

During World War I, the British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, recruited Harry for help.

It was very specific — how could the Allies create an irresistible offer to get German troops to surrender.

An offer is simply:

1. A promise of providing;

2. A product, service or solution;

3. With certain Terms and Conditions such as hen it is delivered, how it is delivered, etc.

Any good marketer enters the conversation already taking place in the customers mind.

So, Harry started interviewing German prisoners of war about life in the army.

Based on the insights, he created an irresistible offer.

The offer Harry created was if German troops surrendered they would get:

• The status of officer rank;

• Daily bread;

• Daily meat;

• Daily cigarettes; and

• A Comb.

What made the offer irresistible was he added daily toilet paper — 24 sheets of it.

It was the toilet paper that German soldier wanted the most.

That offer got printed up and the allies dropped 45 million fliers over enemy lines.

Because so many soldiers surrendered, Germany made it an offence to pick up anything off ground.

24 sheets of toilet paper was what stopped the German advancements in World War I.

This makes sense in the context of COVID-19 toilet paper hoarding…

When people feel fearful and uncertain (such as in war), they cling to comfort.

Toilet paper provides that for people.

And a war chest (pun intended) of it in your bedroom (or wherever people are hiding it), seems to provide much needed perceived faith, regardless of having actual alternatives.