A Mascot Flush with Facts

DefeatDD engaged NJI to design Poo Guru, a character illustration that aims to defeat diarrheal disease, the second-leading deadly disease for children under five, by sharing practical and cost-effective prevention and treatment solutions on World Toilet Day. Through NJI’s character illustration, prop design, and video animation, Poo Guru engages global audiences to “give a stink” about the problem. Each guru represents a different sanitation intervention. From a climate-conscious guru that reinforces the untapped potential of climate-resilient sanitation, to a feminist guru that highlights the disproportionately negative impact that lack of sanitation access has on women and girls, each guru has a story to share. Poo Guru fosters conversation around sanitation, destigmatizing toilet talk across digital platforms on World Toilet Day. The lighthearted, playful mascot’s engaging visuals amplify DefeatDD’s informational resources on simple prevention and treatment solutions that can save millions of lives. The mascot was also featured on NPR, (https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/11/18/1137423455/flying-toilets-sobering-stats-poo-gurus-debut-yes-its-time-for-world-toilet-day) resulting in over 48 million unique viewers for the character illustration.