Microlax launches BuktuPup to let travellers reserve toilets via WhatsApp

Laxative brand Microlax and dentsu are helping Indonesian travellers find clean toilets - by letting them book one, just like a hotel. BuktuPup ("Book-to-Poop") is a peer-to-peer platform where locals rent out private restrooms, offering travellers relief and hosts a new source of income.

In Indonesia, the search for clean public restrooms can derail even the best-planned holiday. This initiative offers a simple proposition: you're far from home, the public restrooms are questionable at best, and help is just a few WhatsApp messages away.

The BuktuPup microsite allows users to browse available restrooms by location, complete with user ratings, photos, and testimonials. Once travellers find a suitable option, they're directed to confirm the booking via WhatsApp - a platform already deeply integrated into daily Indonesian life.

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Cleverly, the platform also pulls in restroom data from Google Maps to ensure broader coverage, extending the service's utility even in more remote areas. As a result, it doesn't just answer a practical need - it builds a digital infrastructure around empathy and an invitation to rethink what health and hygiene brands can mean in real-world contexts.

"We know that the general public might feel uncomfortable due to travellers constipation while travelling to new, unfamiliar places, which is why we keep finding new ways to connect with existing and new users while solving their problems," said Indra Sugiharto, senior brand manager, Microlax Indonesia.

He added, "With initiatives like BuktuPup, Microlax not only helps travellers find clean restrooms but also lets them have a positive experience with our product on the spot. This new touchpoint makes it easier for people to explore Microlax, understand its benefits, and get the relief they need, right when they need it. It's all part of our mission as a brand to always make relieving constipation easier."

This real-world relevance also extends to the communities involved. Local residents can monetise their restrooms, bringing a new income stream - however modest - to often overlooked areas of the tourism economy.

Cipta Purnamagiri, creative group head at dentsu Creative Indonesia, sees it as a blend of creativity and responsibility: "BuktuPup tackles a universal travel challenge in a fresh, creative way, while allowing us to collaborate directly with local communities and creating real benefits for them as well. That spirit of collaboration and insight-driven creativity is what truly brought BuktuPup to life."

Since launch, BuktuPup has scaled to 213 toilet listings across 27 popular tourist destinations. It's also drawn industry recognition, including three Bronze awards at Indonesia's Citra Pariwara and a Bronze at Spikes Asia 2025 under Brand Experience & Activation in Healthcare.

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