#kohler

There is an unmatched, unhinged energy to early 1980s marketing. Kohler decided that the best way to sell high-end gold bathroom fixtures was to create a surrealist fever dream. Why is there a woman in a pink one-piece swimsuit and a magician's top hat squatting in the middle of a desert wasteland at twilight? Why is she holding a purple glittering disc on a string? We may never know, but it sure makes you want to remodel your bathroom into a surreal art gallery.

“While Mr. Kohler has described himself as ‘more of a natural guy,’ he has always had tremendous respect for people who opt for toilets. He certainly did not intend to shame anyone for using them. Our CEO’s remarks that he prefers to wade into the creek in his backyard to defecate were clearly taken out of context, as was his statement that it just feels easier and more convenient to relieve himself in a plastic bag or garbage can. But consumers should not lose faith in the Kohler brand because of those declarations or the fact that he says he knows a lot of other plumbing-supply CEOs who don’t use toilets either.” At press time, the company had published an apology video of it CEO smiling and praising the quality of Kohler products while using one of its toilets.

Union workers rolling up signs for strike against Kohler