Whether you recognize them by name or by sight, Snuggies are a commercial albatross around our necks (or TVs, rather). As Time points out, you’ve almost certainly seen the commercials for them, and there are those of you that are actually buying them.
An entire retail enterprise is being made out of the concept that blankets aren’t convenient enough for staying warm. And apparently, with its originator, “The Slanket,” Snuggies are 50 years in the making.
Now, I can’t actively support Snuggies (give me a microfiber fleece blanket any day of the week), however I have to give them credit where credit is due, and their launch and re-branding efforts have been impeccable.
True, Snuggies themselves (at least commercially advertised Snuggies) have only been around since this past September, but their essential product has been around for thousands of years: the robe.
After all, isn’t that what a Snuggie is, a backwards robe?
Potato, potato.
Regardless of how long the generic design for the Snuggie has been around, their aggressive advertising campaign has moved from laughable late night TV informercial to the prime-time promotional spotlight. And it’s working; people are being convinced that the blankets they already have are impractical. Using the economic climate to stir up emotion, Snuggies claim to lower your heating bill by keeping you warm. Eschew what you already own in favor of spending money to save money!
By taking advantage of reduced ad rates, the public’s reduced spending ability, and the seemingly unstoppable need for Americans to wastefully spend, Snuggies secured themselves a place in the market.
And even with Snuggie dissenters like myself (and there are lots of us…) pointing out how truly foolish these things are, they seem to have positioned themselves in the market quite nicely, and have embodied the phrase “any publicity is good publicity.”
Choice comments noted below might suggest that that old cliché doesn’t apply here, but then again, I’ve written an entire post on a “garment” I detest, so perhaps it all just boils down to getting people talking, and the Snuggies have certainly done that.
Choice Comments about the Snuggie
“Watch the video and tell me the marketing people who put this together did so with a straight face. There is simply no way.”
“Death to Snuggie!”
“It’s almost like an SNL informercial skit brought to life.”
“OMG! They all look like ministers of Satan! Especially the old dude in his chair!”
“Anything that isn’t sold on TV that ISN’T sold by Billy Mays is bogus.” (ed. I can support that, with Sham-Wow Vince as the exception that proves the rule. You following me, camera guy?)
Jackie for AMP3pr.com
Updated by Danielle Oct 30 2017
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