How Does America Roll?

Cottonelle Brand Teams With Tori and Dean to End the Age-Old Debate: Over or Under?

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Jan 27, 2010, 04:00 ET

DALLAS, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Time spent in the bathroom offers plenty of opportunity to ponder life's great questions: Why am I here? Was Rome built in a day? If a tree falls in the woods ...? While the answers to these questions will likely be endlessly debated, the Cottonelle brand aims to solve one of life's great puzzles once and for all -- namely, should the toilet paper be hung so that it rolls over or under?

The brand is teaming with actors and real-life married couple Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott today, Thomas Crapper Day(i), to determine how America rolls so that it can put an end to the "Great Debate" for good. Tori and Dean are encouraging couples, roommates, siblings and co-workers to select their preference by voting either over or under at www.CottonelleRollPoll.com through March 6.

Tori is a firm believer in rolling over. "Over is just more chic," says Tori. "Dean and I agreed to hang our toilet paper at home whichever way America rolls – so please vote at CottonelleRollPoll.com!"

Dean, on the other hand, is an under kind of guy. "Under just says Zen to me. When it rolls over, the toilet paper seems so aggressive. Calmly rolled under, it's symmetrical and orderly and there when I need it."

And the Survey Says ...

To get the conversation started, the Cottonelle brand surveyed 1,000 American adults ages 18-65+ on their toilet paper hanging habits. Among the surprising survey findings:

Half of those surveyed pay attention to which way the toilet paper is hanging, and 1 in 5 gets annoyed when it's hanging the wrong way.
Men are more likely to notice and be annoyed if it's not to their liking.
One in five queried (19%) confessed to changing the way the toilet paper is hung even when in someone else's home. Overs are more likely to go that far, with more than a quarter (27%) admitting to doing so.
Ease of grabbing and habit are the main reasons why those surveyed hang their toilet paper a certain way.

"With the results of our survey in, it's clear that we have hit a nerve with the American public," says Cherie Kamin, Cottonelle brand Associate Manager. "We've found that this is one of those topics that people feel strongly about – they often don't express it until they're asked. This campaign is all about people choosing how they want to roll."

So, What Does How You Roll Say About You?

Are there certain character traits associated more closely with people who roll over as opposed to under? And what about those who are indifferent to how their paper rolls? To find out, the Cottonelle brand consulted Dr. Gilda Carle, psychotherapist and internationally-renowned relationship expert, for her observations on basic character traits associated with how people roll. According to Dr. Gilda,

If you roll over, you like taking charge, crave organization and are likely to over-achieve.
If you roll under, you're laid-back, dependable and seek relationships with strong foundations.
If you don't care as long as it's there, you aim to minimize conflict, value flexibility and like putting yourself in new situations.

Whichever way it rolls, one thing everyone can agree on is that the best toilet paper is one that is strong, soft and there when you need it. To learn more about Cottonelle brand products and the Cottonelle Great Debate campaign, please visit www.Cottonelle.com. To vote, visit www.CottonelleRollPoll.com.

About Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott

Tori Spelling is a versatile actress whose career spans theater, television and film. Spelling and husband Dean McDermott are currently filming the fifth season of their hit Oxygen reality series, "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," which they created and produce. In April 2009, Spelling published her second memoir Mommywood. The book is a follow-up to her New York Times bestselling memoir, sTori Telling, but focuses on her life as a mother. Her third book, uncharted terriTORI, will be released this spring.

McDermott is a veteran film and Gemini-nominated television actor who has had starring roles in such series as 1-800-Missing and Due South, as well as the Kevin Costner directed motion picture Open Range.

Tori and Dean have two children together: Liam Aaron, 2, and Stella Doreen, 1.

About Dr. Gilda

A licensed educator, Dr. Gilda Carle holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from New York University, with a concentration in psychology, sociology, and social psychology. Her doctoral research explored self-esteem, role expectations, and interpersonal communications. She pens the "Ask Dr. Gilda column" on match.com, is associate professor of business, psychology, and communications at New York's Mercy College, and she has authored three best-selling books: Don't Bet on the Prince! How to Have the Man You Want by Betting On Yourself, He's Not All That! How to Attract the Good Guys, and Teen Talk with Dr. Gilda: A Girl's Guide to Dating.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 138-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

(i) Though credited by many as the inventor of the flush toilet, Thomas Crapper did not actually invent it (John Harrington did in 1596). Crapper did, however, do much to promote its widespread use by advocating its sanitary benefits. He held numerous patents on inventions to help modernize indoor plumbing through his company, Thomas Crapper & Co. LTD. The word "crap" is thought to have derived from the Dutch krappe and came into usage centuries before Crapper's birth. Thomas Crapper Day honors the anniversary of his death on January 27, 1910.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark