Miki Agrawal: Disrupting Taboos and Transforming Bathroom Habits with TUSHY
Few individuals stand out in the world of entrepreneurship quite like Miki Agrawal. As the creative mind behind TUSHY, Agrawal has taken on the challenge of making bidets mainstream in the United States, a country where the bathroom fixture remains largely unfamiliar. Her approach? A blend of irreverent humor, artful marketing, and a genuine commitment to personal hygiene and environmental sustainability.
TUSHY’s product line offers a simple yet innovative solution to a common problem: maintaining cleanliness while reducing toilet paper usage. The company’s bidet attachment can be easily installed on existing toilets without a complex setup, making it accessible to the average consumer. They’ve even developed a portable version for those on the go, further expanding the reach of their hygiene revolution.
Agrawal’s marketing strategy for TUSHY is as unconventional as the product itself. In a culture where bathroom talk is often avoided, she embraces an irreverent tone that disarms potential customers and opens up conversations about personal cleanliness. This approach has proven effective in breaking down barriers and getting people interested in a product they might otherwise overlook.
The environmental impact of TUSHY’s products is a crucial selling point. Agrawal claims that using their bidet can reduce toilet paper consumption by 80%, significantly reducing paper waste and tree harvesting. This dual focus on personal hygiene and ecological responsibility resonates with environmentally conscious consumers.
TUSHY’s marketing campaigns constantly evolve, with recent efforts focusing on human poses and body language. Agrawal believes in pushing boundaries just enough to spark interest without offending. The brand’s voice, characterized by its humorous and irreverent nature, is designed to lower people’s guard and make them more receptive to the product’s benefits.
Visual elements play a crucial role in TUSHY’s branding. Their logo cleverly communicates the product’s function, featuring a stylized human bottom in a water droplet. Agrawal describes it as a “shower for your butt,” a phrase that memorably encapsulates the product’s purpose.
When it comes to advertising spend, Agrawal favors working with mid-sized influencers. She targets those with around 150,000 followers and a 10% engagement rate, believing this sweet spot offers the best return on investment. However, she’s not afraid to experiment with different marketing approaches, from artfully shot commercials to low-budget, high-impact videos featuring product reviews.
Long-form content is another critical component of TUSHY’s marketing strategy. Recognizing that many people need to become more familiar with bidets, the company produces explainer videos to educate potential customers. These videos demonstrate the product’s benefits and highlight its environmental advantages, such as the water savings compared to toilet paper production.
Agrawal acknowledges that not everyone will be won over by TUSHY’s products, regardless of the marketing approach. However, she remains committed to mainstreaming bidets in the United States, viewing it as part of a larger mission to challenge societal norms and improve people’s lives.
Beyond marketing, Agrawal emphasizes the importance of strong management in TUSHY’s success. Drawing from her experience with previous ventures, she brought in operations professionals early to ensure a solid foundation for the company’s growth.
Ultimately, Miki Agrawal sees TUSHY as more than just a bidet company. For her, it’s a vehicle for social change, challenging outdated norms and empowering people to rethink their daily habits. By combining innovative products with bold marketing strategies, she’s not just selling bidets – she’s promoting a new way of thinking about personal hygiene and environmental responsibility.
In Agrawal’s view, societal control often dictates how people believe they should do things. But with TUSHY, she’s offering an alternative, encouraging people to create their reality. It’s a lofty goal for a bathroom product, but Agrawal is determined to change the world, one tushy at a time.
Agrawal’s journey with TUSHY is just one chapter in her entrepreneurial story. She’s also the founder of WILD, a farm-to-table sustainable pizzeria chain, and THINX, which produces period underwear and supports children in impoverished countries. Her track record of success has earned her recognition, including being named among INC’s Most Impressive Women Entrepreneurs and Crain’s 40 Under 40 in 2016 and as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2017.
As a published author with two books and a third on the way, Agrawal continues to challenge the status quo across multiple platforms. Her dedication to improving lives and pushing boundaries extends beyond the bathroom, making her a true force for change in the entrepreneurial world.