Toilet Torcher Destroys Porta-Potties

On March 24, 2009, The Boston Metro reported that a “toilet torcher” had set fire to some 20 Porta-Potties causing $50,000 worth of damage at Construction sites around the San Francisco Bay area.  Seeing an opportunity to exploit the tragedy, the Clorox company announced a $5,000 reward and a years worth of cleaning supplies for any information leading to the capture of the elusive arsonist.  The Clorox Company issued a press release and a full page add in the San Francisco Examiner in an attempt to “flush out the outhouse arsonist” and has set up Potty Patrols so that citizens can “plunge into action”.

I’ll have to say that this is a clever campaign and I applaud the PR team for having a good sense of humor.  But $5,000 and a year’s supply of cleaning products.  Come on.  Can’t they do better than that?  Clorox had net earnings of 461 million in 2008 and 5.273 billion in sales.   If they are serious about bringing the “toilet torcher” to justice, they should jack up the reward to say $50,000 and offer a life time supply of Clorox products including useful stuff like Kingsford Charcoal, Brita Filters (yes these are Clorox brands) and the recently acquired Bert’s Bees personal care line.  I think this would be a deal sweetner certain to plunge the citizenry into action.