A 'Siren' Category Yields a Winner at Last
Plus: Richard Karn returns & some promising products for pet owners
Happy Spring! 🌱 Right on time, campaigns for spring cleaning products have been climbing the DRMetrix. Last week, it was a cordless vacuum for those challenging nooks and crannies (see “What to Do When Your Product Really Sucks”). This week, it’s another nifty tool for hard-to-reach places. Check it out below.
Correction: Speaking of my report on Emson’s Ruvio (since updated), I listed the wrong producer in the credits. The correct producer is Opfer Communications (one of your 2022 True Top Producers). I regret the error.
Chart Watch
Blade Maid
Pitch: “Hundreds of dust-collecting fingers attract and trap dust like a magnet”
Marketer: Allstar Products Group
Producer: Hutton Miller
This campaign is another example of the smart strategy behind Baseboard Buddy, a 2017 True Top 50 hit. That was the first time Allstar showed that a narrowly focused cleaning tool could be a winner. In this case, the success is especially interesting because dusters have had a pretty poor track record since the Golden Age.
It all began in the pre-Swiffer days with the Telebrands monster hit Static Duster. Ending the year at #4 on the 1997 Jordan Whitney Top 100, the campaign was an absolute blowout sensation at Walmart and other mass-market retailers.
Telebrands dutifully followed the ‘Phoenix Rule,’ attempting to resurrect the item after the required 7-10 years. The result was 2007’s Go Duster.
That campaign ultimately did not live up to the hype, however. It ended the year at ‘only’ #33 on the Top 100 and did just OK at retail.
After that, the category became a Siren. Notable projects that ultimately flopped include Magna Clean and Tiger’s Tail in 2013, Spiffy Spinner in 2015 and Bumble Bee Duster in 2017.
Perhaps going narrow was the secret all along? It’s an interesting idea. As alluded to earlier, P&G’s Swiffer Duster took over the category circa 2003. Inexpensive, convenient and available at every grocery store in America, it basically made other dusters obsolete. Well, for general dusting anyway.
One thing at which Swiffer Dusters are not great is reaching difficult places, which is what created the opportunity being exploited here. If DR marketers know anything, it’s that consumers are always looking for an easier (read lazier) way to do chores. A duster that promises to “clean the top, bottom and sides” of your ceiling fan blades in one stroke is music to their ears.
As for the commercial, Hutton Miller (🏆 2022 True Top Producer) always brings its A-game to every creative. I especially enjoyed the “dust bowl” bit at the beginning of the spot. Great concept, fun special effects. Those guys have elevated problem openings to an art form!
They also never forget to hit those tried-and-true lines that sell. Magnet analogies — they’re not just for door mats!
Recent Tests 🔒
It’s not just spring-cleaning season. It’s prime time for the garden/yard category as well, and Richard Karn is back with a new version of a familiar product.