With staff teleworking, firm gives away its toilet paper

One-day drive-by may spur others to follow suit, owners suggest.

Like in many businesses in Atlanta and elsewhere, marketing firm Trevelino/Keller employees are mostly working from home these days to quell the spread of the coronavirus.

The sudden shift in practice created a goodwill opportunity. An empty office has left the firm with a supply of toilet paper, which founders decided to give away.

“In times like this, we need a bit of levity to break up the stress associated with ever-changing dynamics due to the coronavirus,” says Genna Keller, principal at Trevelino/Keller.

The company invited people to drive by its West Midtown office Monday evening with windows rolled down. Then, employees wearing gloves tossed rolls into the windows.

Keller hopes other businesses whose facilities are suddenly sitting vacant will follow suit.

“We see the potential for the platform to address other impending household needs and are exploring additional ways we can use it to help the Atlanta community,” she said.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, retailers across metro Atlanta and the nation have had a hard time keeping toilet paper and other paper products in stock. Even Amazon is running short.

Steven Taylor, a clinical psychologist who studies the impact of pandemics, told CNN that to some degree perceived scarcity is driving demand.

“People, being social creatures, we look to each other for cues for what is safe and what is dangerous,” he said. “And when you see someone in the store, panic buying, that can cause a fear contagion effect.”

Eric Abercrombie, a spokesman for Georgia-Pacific, told the Birmingham News that it is currently seeing twice the typical demand from retailers, but insists it will not run out.

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM Trevelino/Keller marketing firm co-founders Dean Trevelino (left) and Genna Keller get assistance from Marshall Hood during their toilet paper toss at the West Midtown location in Atlanta on Monday. Trevelino and Keller are asking businesses to donate to their cause.

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM Atlanta resident Rachel Jimenez catches a roll of toilet tissue tossed to her by Trevelino/Keller marketing firm co-founder Genna Keller during the toilet paper toss in Atlanta’s English Avenue neighborhood Monday.

ALYSSA POINTER/ ALYSSA.POINTER@ AJC.COM Rolls of toilet tissue were sitting idle as Trevelino/Keller’s employees work from home, so the firm decided to donate them to people in need of the scarce commodity.