The Cult of the Snuggie threatens to take over America! Or at least, a substantial number – four million – late-night couch spuds, according to Maria Puente recently in USA Today.
Snuggies went on sale in August, began TV advertising in October and started shipping to retailers in December and have sold four million, count them four million to date.
“Snuggie got the highest rating ever for any product, even (among) people who had to wait,” said Scott Boilen, president and CEO of Allstar products Group of Hawthorne, N.Y., which conceived and markets the China-made Snuggie.
The Snuggie, an oversized fleece blanket with sleeves, stars in an ubiquitous TV ad so cheesy it’s practically art, and apparently wildly entertaining. The ad shows people wearing Snuggies at a sporting event, cheering and high-fiving each other while dressed … sort of like medieval monks.
Bolen said, “Every once in a while, a product transcends advertising to become part of pop culture.”
Indeed, Snuggies seem to be everywhere. See them on Facebook – nearly 250 groups, pro and con; one fan club lists 5,999 members. Watch them on YouTube – nearly 300 parody videos posted, including one titled “the Cult of the Snuggie,” with 146,00 views as of Tuesday.
Jay Leno makes fun of them: “Lard-ass quilt was the original name! Why not just put your robe on backwards?” Ellen DeGeneres spoofed them, trying one on during her show. Fox News spotted someone wearing a Snuggie in the crowd at President Obama’s inauguration. There are even snarky Snuggie-love sites on the Internet, such as Snuggiesightings.com, where fans post photos, videos and “news.”
The Snuggie concept is not new, nor is it the only such product on the market, but the Snuggie proves once again that an attractive price (two for $19.95, plus free book light online and on TV about $14.99 for one in stores) and clever marketing can take you far in American retailing.
Directing Response, a resource for direct response marketers, producers and media buyers, is produced by Teddy Parker, Executive Producer for ChopShop Direct. She can be reached at 949-838-0355 or via E-mail at teddy@chopshopdirect.com.
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Posted at 8:41 pm on 02/10/10 | No Response yet | The Editor in
