• by Les Luchter , November 28, 2023

 

“Call Roto-Rooter, that's the name, and away go troubles down the drain.”

In today’s digital age, Roto-Rooter no longer tells consumers to just “call” for their blocked drain problems, but the last portion of the iconic jingle -- turning 70 years old next year -- lives on in the brand’s messaging.

And this holiday season, Santa and his “cheeky” elves are clogging up the toilet.

In a humorous :30 claymation-animated spot, the elves are only flushing candy canes down the drain. But the spot ends with Santa entering the bathroom as the Roto-Rooter man sticks around and -- sing now -- “away go troubles down the drain, Roto Rooter.”

Creative agency Bandolier Media has also produced a :15 cutdown, with the campaign running on cable, streaming and social media. Media buying is handled in-house.

Roto-Rooter plans on making the commercial a holiday tradition, Roto-Rooter spokesperson Paul Abrams told Marketing Daily: “We believe the finished spot taps into the happy sentiment and nostalgia that surrounds Christmas in America."

Bandolier is no stranger to Roto-Rooter campaigns, with past spots including 2021 movie take-offs of “Casablanca,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Love, Actually” and “Dirty Dancing” (“nobody puts baby in a flooded corner”).

And last year, Roto-Rooter debuted a Thanksgiving spot to mark Turkey Day, which generates so many clogged sinks as well as clogged toilets.

Indeed, Roto-Rooter said earlier this month that it’s actually the day after Thanksgiving that generates the most plumbing emergencies. “Retailers call it Black Friday,” a press release declared, “but Roto-Rooter calls it Brown Friday due to the amount of sewage and wastewater they deal with.”

While this year’s final figures aren’t in yet, a Black …er Brown Friday increase 50% over an average Friday “has been very consistent year over year,” Abrams said.

In addition to the preparation of large meals and the aftermath of that, Roto-Rooter also points to household guests resulting in more flushes, showers, dishwashing and laundry.