r/socialmediaI sold ad space on my toilet and it went viral (100M views)
This will sound absurd, but it’s completely true.
A few months ago, I started selling ad space on my toilet with the goal to make $1,000,000.
It started off as a joke and quickly became not a joke, with 25 major companies spending over $125,000 to purchase ad space.
The series has gone completely viral and even got me on the news.
I think it’s a fun story so I want to break it down here - why it’s working, what it’s like working with these brands, and how you could do something like this yourself.
\*\*How it happened\*\*
\- I got the idea from the Red Paperclip story: split my toilet into sections, put a price on each one, better spots cost more, and projection map every logo on with its own animation
\- I made a fake demo with Microsoft Teams to test it. It blew up and brands flooded the comments, but none of them were serious, they just wanted the impressions
\- So I manufactured the first real deal. I showed MoonPay all the other brands commenting, they said yes, and I used that yes as leverage to close everyone else
\- I posted once a day for the first two weeks. Every video told viewers to tag companies, and the more companies joined, the more wanted in
\- Then I switched to a flat fee that keeps going up, plus a King of The Throne top spot. So far 25 companies have bought in, spots from $1,000 to $17,000, over $125,000 total, and 100M+ views on my projection mapping videos
**Why it's working**
\- It's a good story. "Unemployed guy tries to make $1,000,000 from his toilet" is a lot catchier than "experienced marketer makes ads," even though both are true
\- I'm the underdog, so the audience sees themselves in it and feels like they could do it too
\- It's never been done and it can't be copied. People sell ad space on other things now, but there's only one toilet guy
\- People actually want to watch these ads and cheer for the next one. That almost never happens
\- The Quality Paradox: the video I spend 5 minutes on beats the one I spend 5 months on. People want the guy figuring it out, not the polished final product
**What I learned from working with 30 brands**
\- Every brand is different. The hands off ones let me do whatever I want, the hands on ones had specific messaging. I had more fun with the hands off ones
\- $10,000 sounds insane for one video until you realize I'm the entire studio: idea, script, design, animation, VFX, marketing. A studio charges $100,000 for that, and the brand gets my audience on top of it
**How you can do this too**
\- Cold outreach doesn't land brand deals. It works for freelance clients, but brands come to you when you prove yourself
\- Views aren't proof. Brands need to see the exact concept they're buying
\- Make your own series that involves brands: remake logos, design merch, make fake products, whatever fits you. It has to be yours and you have to actually enjoy it
\- Be your own agent. Half of me makes the videos, the other half fights to get them seen
\- Take the long shots. I sent dozens of DMs and emails to news stations and media, 99% got ignored. Worst case is a minute of embarrassment, the upside is unlimited
\- None of it works if it isn't unapologetically you
Hope you enjoyed! Lmk if you have any questions