Products Made Famous by Television
Television has this strange power to make you want things you never knew existed. One minute you’re watching your regular programming, and the next you’re convinced you need a blanket with sleeves or a grill that drains fat.
Some products become household names because of a clever commercial or a well-placed appearance in a movie. Others just happened to be in the right place at the right time when millions of viewers tuned in.
The products that succeed on TV share something in common. They solve a problem, even if you didn’t know you had that problem until the commercial told you about it.
They demonstrate results in real time. And they make the whole thing look so easy that you think, “Why don’t I have one of those?”
The Singing Planter That Sprouted a Phenomenon
Chia Pets emerged in the early 1980s with one of the most memorable jingles in advertising history. That “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia” sound got stuck in people’s heads and stayed there. The concept was simple: spread chia seeds on a terracotta figurine, water it, and watch green sprouts grow like hair or fur over the next few weeks.
The product became so embedded in American culture that The New York Times put one in a time capsule to be opened in the year 3000. Think about that for a second.
Someone decided this clay planter belonged alongside significant historical artifacts as a representation of modern civilization. The Chia Pet wasn’t trying to change the world.
It was just a novelty item that people found amusing. But that jingle and those television commercials turned it into something bigger.
The Boxer Who Sold More Grills Than Knockouts
George Foreman had nothing to do with designing his famous grill. He was a two-time World Heavyweight Champion who happened to lend his name and face to a kitchen appliance.
That decision earned him more money than his entire boxing career. The company paid him $137.5 million in 1999 alone for the rights to his name and likeness.
The grill itself was marketed as a lean, mean, fat-reducing machine that could cook healthier meals quickly. The slanted design let fat drain away into a separate tray, which appealed to people trying to eat better without sacrificing flavor. Since 1994, more than 100 million units have been sold worldwide. College students loved them because they fit in dorm rooms.
Busy parents appreciated the speed. Everyone liked how easy they were to clean.
Television commercials showed Foreman himself using the grill, which added credibility. He wasn’t just a celebrity endorser.
He became synonymous with the product to the point where people still call it the George Foreman Grill, not whatever the manufacturer’s official name might be.
A Blanket With Sleeves That People Actually Wore in Public
The Snuggie sparked debates about whether it was brilliant or ridiculous. The answer turned out to be both.
This oversized fleece blanket with sleeves lets you stay warm while keeping your hands free to hold a remote control, read a book, or use a phone. The commercials were cheesy in the best possible way, showing people wearing their Snuggies at sporting events and family gatherings.
More than 20 million Snuggies sold after the infomercials launched in 2008. People bought them as gag gifts, then actually used them.
Sports fans organized Snuggie-themed events. In 2010, over 43,000 Los Angeles Angels fans showed up to a game in their Snuggies and set a Guinness World Record.
The product became bigger than its original marketing suggested it would be.
The Exercise Device That Became a Cultural Punchline
Suzanne Somers turned a simple resistance training device into a phenomenon during the 1990s. The ThighMaster was designed to be placed between the knees and squeezed repeatedly to tone thigh muscles.
The commercials featured Somers demonstrating the product while offering testimonials about its effectiveness. The device became so popular that it transcended its original purpose and entered pop culture as a symbol of infomercial excess.
Comedians made jokes about it. Television shows referenced it.
People who never exercised a day in their lives knew what a ThighMaster was. That kind of recognition is marketing gold, even when some of the attention comes from mockery.
The Cleaning Product That Lost Its Loudest Advocate
Billy Mays became the face of OxiClean in the early 2000s with his booming voice and enthusiastic demonstrations. He would show viewers how the oxygen-powered cleaner could remove seemingly impossible stains from carpets, clothing, and upholstery.
His energy was infectious, and his confidence in the product was absolute. OxiClean became a household staple that remains popular today.
The product works well enough that it survived beyond its pitchman. Mays died in 2009, but OxiClean kept selling because it delivered on its promises.
The television commercials created awareness and trust, and the product itself kept customers coming back.
The Candy That Nearly Missed Its Moment
Reese’s Pieces were struggling in the early 1980s. Hershey needed to find a way to make the peanut butter candy more appealing to consumers.
Then Universal Studios came calling with an unusual opportunity. They wanted to feature a candy in their new film about a space creature who befriends a young boy.
The creature would be lured to the boy’s house with a trail of candy. Steven Spielberg originally wanted M&Ms for the scene, but Mars declined the offer.
They were nervous about associating their product with an alien movie when they didn’t know how the film would be received. Hershey said yes.
They committed $1 million to promote the film in exchange for the right to use E.T. in their advertising. The gamble paid off spectacularly. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became one of the highest-grossing films of all time when it was released in June 1982.
Within two weeks of the premiere, Reese’s Pieces sales tripled. The candy went from an underperforming product to a cultural icon associated with one of cinema’s most beloved characters.
Mars had turned down what became one of the most successful product placements in history. Hershey took the risk and reaped the rewards.
The Acne Treatment That Recruited Celebrities
Proactiv launched in 1995 with infomercials featuring its creators, dermatologists Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Katie Rodan. The three-step acne treatment system was designed to prevent breakouts rather than just treat existing ones.
Early commercials were straightforward, focusing on the science behind the product and showing before-and-after photos. As the product gained traction, Proactiv started featuring celebrity endorsers.
Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, and other famous faces shared their experiences with acne and how Proactiv helped them. The strategy worked.
People trust recommendations from people they admire, even if those people are being paid for their endorsement. Proactiv generates an estimated $1 billion in annual revenue.
The product created an entirely new category in skincare by combining marketing savvy with dermatological expertise. Television provided the perfect medium to demonstrate the product over time, showing how consistent use could produce results.
The Knives That Could Cut Through Anything
Ginsu Knives became legendary for their demonstration-style commercials in the 1970s and 1980s. The ads showed the knives slicing through tomatoes, cutting through tin cans, and still maintaining their edge.
The demonstrations were dramatic and memorable, making viewers believe these knives possessed almost magical properties. The name “Ginsu” was created to sound Japanese, even though the knives were made in Ohio.
Marketers understood that consumers associated Japanese manufacturing with quality steel products. The commercials emphasized that these knives would never need sharpening, which appealed to people tired of dull kitchen knives.
The phrase “But wait, there’s more!” became associated with Ginsu commercials and infomercials in general. That escalating offer structure, where more items kept being added to the deal, became a template for countless other television marketing campaigns.
The Sponge That Smiled Its Way to Success
Scrub Daddy appeared on Shark Tank in 2012 and became one of the show’s biggest success stories. The product was a smiley face-shaped sponge made from a special material that changed texture based on water temperature.
In cold water, it became firm for tough scrubbing. In warm water, it softened for gentle cleaning. Business maven Lori Greiner invested $200,000 for a 20 percent stake in the company.
That decision turned out to be one of the smartest investments on the show. Scrub Daddy has sold over 10 million units and generated hundreds of millions in revenue.
The product appeared in major retailers and became the top-selling sponge in America. The success came from a combination of smart design and television exposure.
Shark Tank provided instant credibility and access to a massive audience of potential customers. The demonstration on the show proved the product worked as advertised.
That combination of factors turned a simple sponge into a household name.
Set It and Forget It
Ron Popeil was an infomercial legend who sold everything from the Pocket Fisherman to the Veg-O-Matic. But his crowning achievement was the Showtime Rotisserie Oven.
The countertop rotisserie could cook a whole chicken or roast while the viewer went about their day. Popeil’s catchphrase “Set it and forget it” became so well-known that people who never bought the product could recite it.
More than 2.5 million units sold. The infomercials ran late at night when viewers were most susceptible to impulse purchases.
Popeil understood the psychology of television shopping. He demonstrated the product thoroughly, showing every step of the process.
He addressed potential objections before viewers could think of them. He made the complicated seem simple and the unnecessary seem essential.
Dancing in Short Shorts
Richard Simmons turned exercise videos into entertainment in the 1980s. His “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” series featured Simmons leading dance aerobics to classic pop songs while wearing short shorts and displaying his signature enthusiasm.
The videos were filmed with a live audience in a room filled with balloons, giving them a party atmosphere. Simmons sold approximately 20 million exercise videos over his career.
His approach differed from other fitness personalities because he focused on making exercise fun and accessible rather than intimidating. He celebrated people of all body types and fitness levels.
His infomercials emphasized joy over punishment, which resonated with viewers who felt excluded by traditional fitness culture. The videos generated over $200 million in revenue and made Simmons one of the most recognizable fitness figures in America.
Television gave him a platform to reach people in their homes, where many felt more comfortable exercising than in a gym.
The Super Absorbent Cloth and Its Energetic Pitchman
ShamWow burst onto late-night television with commercials featuring pitchman Vince Offer. He demonstrated how the synthetic chamois cloth could absorb vast amounts of liquid, famously showing it soaking up an entire spilled drink.
The name itself was a play on the phrase “Sham? Wow!” suggesting viewers might be skeptical at first but would be amazed once they tried it. The commercials were fast-paced and packed with information.
Offer talked quickly, cramming multiple demonstrations and offers into each spot. His tagline “You’ll be saying ‘wow’ every time!” stuck with viewers whether they bought the product or not.
The ShamWow became a cultural reference point for infomercial excess, appearing in parodies and comedy sketches. Despite the mockery, or perhaps because of it, ShamWow sold millions of units.
The product worked well enough to justify the hype, and the aggressive marketing ensured everyone knew about it. Television gave the ShamWow the attention it needed to break through in a crowded marketplace.
The Foot File That Made People Cringe
PedEgg launched in the mid-2000s with infomercials that were deliberately gross. The egg-shaped foot care tool removed dead skin and calluses by grating them off like cheese.
The commercials showed close-ups of people scraping their feet and the dead skin collecting inside the device. It was uncomfortable to watch, but it demonstrated the product effectively. The PedEgg earned nearly $450 million during its television run and sold over 50 million units.
The product filled a genuine need for at-home pedicure solutions, and its low price point made it an easy impulse purchase. The design was clever, with the egg shape making it comfortable to hold and the enclosed collection chamber keeping the process relatively clean.
Television marketing allowed the PedEgg to show exactly how the product worked, which would have been difficult to convey through print advertising or in-store displays. The demonstrations proved the product delivered results, which encouraged purchases.
When the Screen Becomes the Store
Television transformed shopping by bringing products directly into living rooms. Viewers no longer needed to go to a store to discover new items.
The screen showed them what they needed, demonstrated how it worked, and provided a phone number to order immediately. That convenience changed consumer behavior and created an entire industry around television marketing.
The most successful products featured on television shared common traits. They solved specific problems in ways that were easy to understand.
They showed results in real time during demonstrations. They created a sense of urgency through limited-time offers and bonus items.
And they made viewers believe their lives would genuinely improve with this purchase. Some products became bigger than their television origins.
The Chia Pet, George Foreman Grill, and Reese’s Pieces transcended their marketing to become cultural touchstones. Others came and went, leaving behind nothing but memories and a few units gathering dust in closets.
But all of them proved that television has a unique ability to create desire for things you never knew you wanted until someone showed you why you needed them.
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