As Seen On TV: Ten Infomercial Products Turned Cultural Phenomenons

Fans of late night television are used to seeing infomercials for weird gadgets and completely unnecessary items. Many of these products fall flat, but others have the power to create a cultural craze, motivating millions of TV viewers to call the toll-free number and place an order. What separates the run-away successes from the abject failures? The answer lies in creative salesmanship and intriguing presentation. Below are ten infomercial products that became cultural phenomenons due to the marketing minds behind them.

Snuggie

(source)

Better known as a cotton robe (worn backwards), the Snuggie was an unlikely success story. The creators of the Snuggie cleverly innovated on the simple idea of a blanket by adding sleeves. The Snuggie caught on to an extent few could have expected, quickly moving from a late night infomercial to an in-store bestseller. In fact, the original Snuggie has grown so popular that its inventors have since rolled out a follow-up product for dogs aptly names the “Dog Snuggie.” In 2009, USA Today published an article entitled “Snuggie Gets A Warm Embrace From Pop Culture,” in which the brand reported sales in excess of 4 million for the blanket with arms. The article goes on to discuss the new culture of the Snuggie, including college drinking games centered around the commercial, appearances on such popular TV shows as  The Late Show and Ellen, and online fan clubs with thousands of members.

Shamwow

(source)

The Shamwow has had an incredible level of success despite being little more than a glorified shop rag sold by an enthusiastic TV pitchman. In commercials, the amazing rag is presented as a “must-have” tool for any household, effective in cleaning up all manner of spills and leaks. Prior to its invention, the world was forced to rely on paper towels, which oddly seemed to get the job done quite well. So what is the true genius behind the Shamwow? Vince “Offer” Shlomi’s keen ability to create a wild success from a square of cloth. Shlomi’s pitch emphasized the super absorbency and handy re-usability of the Shamwow, setting it apart from regular towels and wipes. In fact, the Shamwow commercial has over 1.8 million views on YouTube. Despite being around two years old, the video receives daily views and comments, a true testament to the staying power of Shlomi’s (perhaps unintentionally) humorous salesmanship.

OxiClean

(source)

Similar to the products above, OxiClean was an ordinary, everyday item until it was turned into a cultural sensation through enthusiastic presentation. Manufactured by Orange Glo Inc, OxiClean owes its wild success to the late pitchman, Billy Mays, who cleverly convinced viewers that a strong laundry detergent could be so much more. Though many tried to resist the salesmanship, OxiClean commercials spoke to proud homeowners everywhere who watched in amazement as the product effortlessly ate through tough stains on fabric of all kinds. With such a powerful promise, it’s no wonder OxiClean grew into the notable brand that it is today. In 2003, when the product was most heavily promoted, AdAge reported the brand’s annual sales had reached $330 million, remarking that the company was quickly becoming one of America’s fastest growing. Almost a year after the death of Billy Mays, these same commercials are still successfully selling the cleanser to shoppers nationwide.

Slapchop

(source)

Eerily similar to the simple vegetable chopper we’ve all seen in Grandma’s kitchen, the SlapChop’s inventors promise that this little device will “make America skinny again” by giving us diced vegetables for our pizzas and sliced fruit for our salads. In these infomercials, Shamwow’s Vince “Offer” Shlomi admonished viewers to “stop throwing our money away” at the dastardly ice cream stores, which overcharge for their crushed nut toppings. By appealing both to the health-conscious crowd and the frugal shoppers, Shlomi turned the SlapChop into a hot-ticket seller, despite the fact that it was clearly an ordinary kitchen item. Shlomi’s commercial for the SlapChop was so successful that it spawned an entire YouTube craze, with the original commercial receiving 3 million views. It wasn’t long before the ad spawned countless parodies, including a popular techno/dance remix containing Vince’s most memorable phrases from the commercial. This remix, produced by DJ Steve Porter, has received over 9.6 million views on YouTube.

Contour Abs “Ab Belt”

(source)

It’s no secret that many people who would like to be in shape are put off by the intense physical effort it takes to achieve a toned body. Contour Abs, creators of the Ab Belt, knew this just as well as the rest of us and devised a way to sell pure fantasy to this large demographic. The Ab Belt promised the unthinkable: get rock solid six-pack abs by sitting on your couch, watching TV, and taking it easy. All you had to do was strap on a stomach belt and allow the electrodes to stimulate your muscles while you chilled out at home. The original Contour Abs Ab Belt was so successful that is spawned many knock-off products with equally questionable advertising messages. An infomercial for System Abs, a Contour Abs knock off, claims,”Hard work pays off eventually, but smart work pays too!” It is extremely unlikely that anyone actually developed cheese-grater abs from the comfort of their mattress, but the feasibility of the product had little to do with its success. The true reason why the belt became such a hit was because it sold America the unrealistic pipe dream of a slim, cut body without the workout. A simple Google search for the brand name “Contour Abs” returns dozens of pages of mixed reviews, angry blog posts, sales pitches, and knock-off product advertisements, demonstrating a continued, if discouraged, interest in the fantasy the belt claims to provide.

HD Vision Sunglasses

(source)

Promising to revolutionize real world vision “the way HD revolutionized TV,” HD Vision Sunglasses have grown from a small TV infomercial product to popular  sold-on-shelves eyewear. The sunglasses became a success largely due to their curiosity-inducing sales pitch, which affirms that the lenses provide improved color quality and increased definition. A higher-quality visual world is hard to turn down, especially since many HD Vision customers are prescription eyeglass wearers who need wrap-around sunglasses. HD Vision Sunglasses represent a long-trusted sales axiom: inspire fantasy within your audience and watch the sales roll in.

Mighty Putty

(source)

A handy cross between high-strength epoxy and Play Doh, Mighty Putty could be used to adhere practically anything to anything else. Creative salesmanship was the key ingredient for success and the legendary Billy Mays was hired to promote the adhesive. Predictably, the product began moving by the pallet. Though most people didn’t know exactly what they needed to glue, Mays’ enthusiastic delivery and powerful demonstrations (such as pulling a semi-truck by a chain with links made from Mighty Putty) had us convinced that a tube of paste could forever end our housework woes. With visions of handy-work projects that were likely never completed (0r even started), millions rushed to their telephones to place an order, transforming a malleable glue product into a nationwide success. Due in large part to the expert salesmanship of Mays, Mighty Putty made the crucial leap to store shelves that so few infomercial products succeed in making. Currently, Mighty Putty is sold by national retailers including Walgreens, Sears, and Ace Hardware.

Awesome Auger

(source)

The Awesome Auger appealed to every American who dreamed of a well-kept yard but didn’t want to put in the physical effort to make it happen. Master TV salesman Billy Mays took to the screen to promote the potting and tilling tool that turned any standard electric drill into an all-purpose gardening machine. The Auger promised to give us the garden we always wanted, “without the blisters, bending and backaches that come with it.” Similar to the weight loss products that didn’t require diet or exercise, the Awesome Auger was a successful product because it promised great things without much physical work on the part of the shopper.

Jupiter Jack

(source)

Purported to save lives and prevent traffic tickets, the Jupiter Jack used radio trip technology to broadcast phone calls through a car’s speakers. Sold as a small plug-in unit, the Jupiter Jack fit any standard phone’s headphone port and could broadcast to a chosen radio station when an incoming or outgoing call was made. The infomercial originally featured Billy Mays, but was re-filmed following his death in 2009. The new Jupiter Jack spokesperson is ex-broom and mop salesman Anthony Sullivan, who follows almost the same script Mays used only a few months earlier. The Jupiter Jack has become a popular hands-free alternative for those who don’t want to use a bluetooth headset and the infomercial has now been running consistently for almost a year, indicating that sales have been substantial enough to cover continued television advertising costs.

Esteban Guitar and Kit

(source)

Dark and mysterious, Esteban is a guru of Spanish guitar who promises to pass the art of the instrument on to you. Despite the fact that Esteban has enjoyed only modest success, he has frequently appeared on late night TV infomercials touting his musical expertise and legendary status, all the while trying to sell the viewer a second rate acoustic guitar and DVD course. Contrary to his exciting sales pitch, Esteban’s course never turned anyone into a guitar virtuoso. In fact, the DVD is full of romantic shots of Esteban tickling his guitar and simple instructions on playing basic Spanish scales. Despite this, his cheesy deliveries became a cultural phenomenon and Esteban appeared on various TV talk shows and famously, a series of Geico insurance commercials. Though Esteban has succeeded in selling his guitars on television and eventually in nationwide retail locations, the customers have been largely disappointed with the quality of the instrument. HarmonyCentral, the leading online community for musicians, contains pages of scathing reviews of Esteban’s guitars. One angry purchaser laments, “This guitar is what happens when you stay up late and watch slick produced infomercials that are designed to take advantage of trusting but uninformed consumers… Sorry Esteban, but to anyone who really wants to enjoy playing the guitar, don’t buy this one!”