Follow the link in the title to a USA Today article on the Snuggie. The Snuggie is the latest product to make the jump to pop culture icon. Why has this product become so popular. There are a host of other blankets-with-sleeves (a.k.a. “robes”) on the market, from the “original” Freedom Blanket to the socially conscious but awkwardly named Slanket. One upscale version, the Nuddle, even includes a pocket in front for your hands and another at the bottom for your feet (the Nuddle is so upscale that it doesn’t have sleeves, it has slats).
Niche-marketed blankets didn’t catch on last winter, when home heating costs skyrocketed with rising fuel prices.
So why now?
According to their ads, 4 million Snuggies have been sold in the past 3 months. Could the downturn in the economy have anything to do with the increase in infomercials and sales of these products?
Have you ever fallen victim to one of these must have products? Think "Shamwow", "Chia Pet", "Loud and Clear", etc.
72 comments:
Snuggie is a catchy name and in order to sell a product you must have a catchy name. I mean, would you rather have robe or a Snuggie? The Slanket and Nuddle just seem goofy and ridiculous but a Snuggie sounds comfortable. I'm not sure why Snuggies have become so popular this year since the weather in our area doesn't seem to be cold enough for a Snuggie, but apparently consumers feel the need for this product. It does make sense that with home heating costs rising a blanket or "Snuggie" seems appropriate. If people want to be warm and conftorable then a Snuggie sounds like it will do the job. 4 million Snuggies in the last 3 months doesn't seem bad with the current state the economy is in; to bad winter is almost over. Personally I have never heard of a Snuggie and will most definatly NEVER buy one or anyother product that I see on an infomercial.
NOOOOOO jordan stopped my streak! Yeah, I'm not surprised by the new fad that is the snuggie. Many people buy things solely based on popularity. For exaample, most people don't buy crocs because they are "comfortable," they buy those hideous shoes because it was the latest craze in the shoe fad business. The Snuggie, even though it is a glorified robe, does have a pretty stupid name, but in terms of market value and profit it is definetly getting the job done.
I have seen the comercial for the Snuggie numerous times and it does look like a very inexpensive robe. I do feel the way our economy is in a depression has caused the Snuggie to become very popular. Also the infomercial for the product does a good job explaining why you would need a Snuggie. Many people fall victim to an infomercial scam, but it seems that the Snuggie is not one, or else it would not have sold so many in the past month.
I have already seen the cult of snuggie commercials, and i think they are hilarious. But the first time i saw the snuggie commercial, i thought "who on earth would buy this???" apparently...my dad. it just seems ridiculous, the commercial tells me that old blankets ruin my heating bill, and that its too hard to figure out how to put them on. mundane tasks such as answering the phone and changing the channel are impossibly difficult. but now i can answer the phone with confidence! according to the commercial, drinking tea, coloring a book, or holding a baby can only be done with a snuggie, not a regular blanket. AND with the snuggie, i could ruin my self-esteem and wear it in public. apparently, some people (stupid one's) would pay up to $60 for these backwards robes. then the bonus flash light? why a flashlight? and in the commercial, the woman is reading in broad daylight and feels the need for a flashlight!
The only times that I have seen "Snuggies" infomercials are on large news syndicates' channels. As for the forum a week later and in class, as television companies have received a sardid slap from the conservative administration through the economy, larger news stations maintained ratings for the most part. It seems to logically follow that since a majority of viewers watch the news, and either never subscribed or rescinded from the cable or satellite television plans, that the "Snuggies" have done quite well in a poor market by advertising through a static/stable commercial medium.
I believe the Snuggie is just another fad. The commercials are developed in a specific way in order to capture its audience. As a result, the Snuggie is portrayed as something comfortable and also convenient. People then believe that the Snuggie should be in every home, even though its a useless product. I really don't think there is a correlation between the Snuggie and the state of the economy.
Not only do I see the hilarious Snuggie commercials online, but everyone on internet forums are raving about the Snuggie. It's become kind of like a pop cultural phenomenon. When a Snuggie commercial came on at my friend’s house, he rambled on about how he wanted a Snuggie because it was "baller." Maybe they'll be gone in a few months, or they may become the iPod of comfort. Who knows?
I don’t see why people could want such a thing. I have never become victim to commercial fads. I had always been taught that commercials are just trying to sell crappy items that are overpriced. I do not know anyone who would want such a thing. I saw the commercial and I started cracking up laughing, I don’t see why someone would want to get it. The best things the commercials ever showed was sock’em boppers. That was an amazing item that I wanted to get from the TV but I considered it too over priced to buy it.
I don't believe this has anything to do with the recession. Popular trends arise due to chance and once a product like this gains momentum, it will sustain itself for a short period of time until some new item becomes popular. The ridiculous nature of these commercials attract people by failing in the conventional sense of marketing and achieving unintentional comedy thus causing people to talk/care about it.
Vince Offer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Offer) has a brand new marketing technique which has really taken off. I think because his technique is new and different from Billy Mays (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Mays), people are purchasing this new product. The catch lines("its made in germany, it must be good") really get people to want to crave this product. If this product was taking off because of the recession, then i think we would see more and more people buying this (http://www.lippiselkbag.co.uk/)fully body sleeping bag which allows mobility for your arms and legs. So I think, the increase has been caused by the fact that they have catchy commercials, and not that they are actually using them as a practical alternative to in-home heating.
I can see how this could come in handy! Whenever I'm cold, I just grab a blanket and start going about my business but it always happens that the blanket falls off or must be rearranged. With the Snuggie, it seems like people wouldn't have to go through the hassel to fix their blankets. But it also seems like they're just another form of a really big sweater. I didn't want to wear a sweater in the first place, that's why I would want the Snuggie (duhhh)! Plus, you'd have to buy like a ton of Snuggies to share with guests, whereas with a blanket, you can share! I wouldn't want to buy a Snuggie because that just seems like a waste of money to me. It's somewhat of a silly idea, I don't understand how it's selling!
The Snuggie and Sham-wow seem to have appeared at the right time. I must admit that the Sham-wow caught my attention and I was inches away from buying one at Target a few weeks ago. But who can resist a towel that soaks up three times its weight of a couple ounces?! And who can resist an elongated backwards bathrobe?! Apparently 4 million suckers caught on. The fad probably has hardly anything to do with the recession, and more to do with consumer gullibility. But who cares? The companies are making money and we're staying warm and dry.
I would guess the Snuggie caught on because of good advertising. I've seen the commercial, and as dumb as I remember it being, I now know what a Snuggie is. So, whenever I'm looking for a blanket with sleeves, I'm probably going to buy a Snuggie and not a Slanket.
The snuggie. A robe. Backwards. What is the world coming to? Now-a-days it is not what you sell, rather how you sell it. And evidently the snuggie does this rather well, the same goes for shamwow and all the other unneccesary items that sell so very well. By seducing the buyer with an amazing price and a must-have product, any item can be sold.
Snuggies have broken the trend of people not paying much attention to infomercials. For some reason these products have caught on like wildfire... whether it be the slightly corny advertising, the medium through which the ad is sent or just the consumer. People get into habits of falling victim to trends in shopping... most of the time it happens to people without them even noticing until the fad dies off. Right now is the time to embrace the Snuggie fad... I'll never use that sentence again... But just like the fabric the Snuggie is made of, the fad itself will one day wear out.
People should be wearing Affliction...
I'm not really surprised about the Snuggie being so popular. People definitely thrive off catchy names and advertising, but I believe this product is completely unnecessary. Do Americans really feel the need to buy a product just as good as the average blanket in such a horrible time of economic decline? I must agree with you though Blue, i really think people just buy whatever is in fashion or considered "popular".
The Maiefski Rogers combo is wreaking the stock market at this period in time get you some! Ok so this snuggie this is stupid as...heck. does it not cover the back of you? so the people sitting outside in the commercial are supposed to be at a "cold" sporting event, how are they not freezing because their backs arent covered! whatever thats not even the worst of it...the colors are bbbaadddd. why cant they go with normal colors like black, white, or red or something? they have to go with like slime colored green. this has nothing to do with the economy its just stupid people buying stupid stuff......ROSS. People see it and are like ONLY 9.99!!!! i must have one its under 10 dollars! whomever invented this ROBE should be put in prison.
Maiefski out
Maybe because more people are unemployed sitting at home and unable to pay their heating bills, they really have a need for this product, and since all of these unemployed people are sitting at home watching TV, they are bound to see the ads. These ads air with great frequency and despite the fact that they are borderline ridiculous (it's suggested to wear them to sporting events, while very few normal people would actually do that)the product seems attractive and useful. When I was young, getting me to want something was basically the same as putting it in a commercial on TV (anyone remember "FLOAM" or "LIGHT BRIGHT"?) but now I am incredibley skeptical of all products on infomercials. It's quite ironic that in the time it took me to become the neccessary "18 or older to call", I feel no desire for the products whatsoever. If they are successful enough to wind up in stores, perhaps I will consider buying a "Snuggie", but until then, I'll stick to my blankets at home.
Like everyone else, I have seen these obnoxious commercials, and personally do not understand why people buy these products. By watching these commercials, it only frustrates and annoys me, and makes me want to ignore what these people are selling. The sham-wow is one of the worst commercials I have seen, along with Billy Mays OxyClean.
the snuggie appeals to the idea of a blanket that lets your hands be free and not trapped beneath the the weight of a blanket. Although it is pretty much a robe, it is longer both on the sleeves and the length. this is better than the robe because the robe only keeps part of the body covered. And i agree with Jordan. Who wants a Nuddle or slanket? when you can have something as cuddly sounding as the snuggie?
People like to jump on the bandwagon and no one can say no to a snuggie. Infomercials will do anything to make their product appealing and even though the snuggie is kind of ridiculous (one size fits all, I don't think so!!) it's selling like crazy. People watch a lot of tv, and the snuggie commercial is on all the time, so people are being influenced now more than ever to buy the oversized blanket with sleeves.
I actually have to admit that I fall for these types of commercials too much. The commercials may be unbelievably corny and just plain ridiculus but for some reason I always wanted a Shamwow or maybe even a snuggie. The products are actually very practical, but I often question the quality of the product and if the products really work. The prices are very appealing as well, who wouldn't want 2 snuggies and 2 book lights for only $14.99? I don't think that the downturn in the economy influenced the increased sales of snuggies. I agree with Blue, the snuggie is just another fad.
While the name and idea seem enticingm it is not something i'm silling to put money down on. If a person is really that cold while not put on a hoodie, or socks? But personally thats just because I'm not one for buying things on infomercials. It does however seem quite efficient, but still annoying in a sense. With the enconomy in the shape it is in and people striving to save money, why spend it on a silly broduct such as a blanket with sleeves? especially now that winter is coming to an end. So props to whoever inveted it, I'm sure they are rich, but i think I'm quite content with my blankets and robes for now. Now invent on in pink or another fun color, rather than 3 primary colors, and then we'll talk.
--Jen Iles
The Snuggie is the most ridiculous thing I have seen in a long time. As the article said, why not just put on your robe backwards? Or put on a sweater? Seriously people, what has our world come to? Thanks to clever advertising and countless commercials, the Snuggie has become popular. All I have to say is REALLY? Next thing you know, they will have Jessica Simpson and Vanessa Anne Hudgens wearing Snuggies to advertise their commercials. 4 million Snuggies were sold, yet corporations are closing down because of the recession. I wonder if there is a Snuggie stock because it really seems like it is the only thing succeeding on the market today.
The reason the snuggie became such a fad has to do probably with its catchy name and also because its commercial comes on a bunch of times. Theres nothing really special about the snuggie. Its just a robe but put on backwards! Its quite surprising how much of these they sell though even during the recession.
I was just watching the Marquette-UConn game and there was a guy in the crowd wearing a snuggie with his teams logo painted on it holding up a sign that read 'SNUGGIE'...
I don't think the "Snuggie" fad has anything to do with the recession. Informercial products become popular through word of mouth and opinions of consumers that have purchased the product. The commercial does a good job in listing reasons why one would need a Snuggie, but I don't really understand why it's THAT much better than an ordinary blanket or sweater. I hope people will realize how unnecessary this dumb product is.
I don't think snuggie has any association with our current recession. I heard that there is even a Facebook fan club with over 4,000 members. It is just ridiculous because so many people have one. I believe that it is just a fad. The people who created these are definitely making tons of money though.
The Snuggie sounds so comforting and warm how could you pass it up? It could be that someone says "Hey I bought a Snuggie the other day," so whoever they told must go and check out what this so called Snuggie is. Of course looking at it and picturing yourself wrapped up in a Snuggie is quite appealing. It's just one of those thing you have to have.
Honestly I have no idea why the snuggie has caught on over the past year. Although it may be somewhat of an alternative to a heater, it really is not much different than a blanket or robe. However the idea has caught on, and it has become popular today. Mostly I believe this has caught on because it is a fad, and eventually it will die out. However it is quite surprising how many have been sold. As for me falling for this kind of advertisement...nope. However many of them are interesting, while others are quite laughable.
I think the Snuggie has become more popular because people are now staying at home more often. Instead of going to a crowded theater and spending $10 to watch a movie with other people screaming at the screen people would rather watch TV on their couches wrapped up in a Snuggie. I actually wanted a Snuggie. They look extremely comfortable and enjoyable. The name also draws people in. When you hear the word Snuggie you think of something comfortable and warm, but when you hear Slanket, your mind goes elsewhere...
I find this Snuggie ad to be another one of the million ridiculous infomercials out there. In comparison to the Sham Wow, this is another fad that everyone will go through for some time and people will soon enough find something wrong with the product or get tired of it. I believe that this ridiculous and useless product has nothing to do with the downturn of the economy. And I hope that I will never fall for one of these annoying infomercials.
The snuggie is the clothing icon in the granola movement. I am in the process of purchasing one because it is great. My purchase is based only on the fact that I want warmth while changing the channels and like the commercial plan on wearing it at many Elkins sporting events.
I believe we should inprison nick miefsky for slandering the Snuggie name hes just mad that he didn't invent such a great product.
Austin Darsey
Snugie is a name aimed at people who like "cute" things. Whether or not its practical or even original is a different matter. It extremley rare to see a TRULY original idea because of the diveresness of human population and how greatly people are affected by the simplest random media, there is always someone who has a similar idea to yours or a similar way of thinking. All the good ideas have been taken by someone else. The ones that reach mainstream are just lucky. In the end, its tru, the snuggie IS just a glorified robe, which makes the whole concept stupid and outlines how stupid the mainstream followers are in their conformity.
It is actually quite obvious why the snuggie is so successful. Because the product is so ridiculous people buy them to be funny. Many people have the desire to to be the guy who stands out in a crowd. The snuggie appeals to those people. The commercial pretty much tells viewers that the snuggie product is useless unless your use is to look funny. I almost considered making the snuggie purchase. Snuggies, however are opposite the stock market. When more people buy snuggies the humor value decreases. This trend may be seen in The Granloa Movement; the more people involved the less cool it is.
People are lazy and stupid. They see the commercial and think "oh that's convenient" and don't even realize there are already other options. Also, because of the humor factor in how absurd the advertisement is, various comedic shows will parody or just plain make fun of it, and in effect, it gets more advertisement. The name has also caught on, and probably half of the Snuggies were bought for somebody else as a joke.
I don't think that the reason people are buying all the informercial products now is because of the bad economy. The Snuggie is actually very comfortable and soft. (My mother has bought one) They play the informercials so much that everyone gets to be know them and when they hear about how popular it is and it is possibly making the demand rise.
I have never heard of a Snuggie in my life. When I watch TV, I leave to go get food or do something else during commercials and come back when the show is back on, so I have not encountered one of these infomercials. I wouldn't really be into a Snuggie because I like that blankets make it feel like something's hugging you, rather than wear a robe where cloth is smothering your arms. I'm not saying I'm anti-sleeves, but the whole reason I like blankets is because they don't have sleeves.
I think I bought a Chia pet back in the day. I suck at taking care of things though, so I think I forgot about it after the first day.
I found the advertisement quite catchy and to be honest I was thinking of getting one too. It looks so comfy and warm, something that would be perfect during winter to use at home. But is that the reason why economy is going down? I highly doubt so because people spend their money on many "silly" things, its not just this 'Snuggie' that brings the economy down.
Ann Tharakan
what the heck. I havent ever heard of a snuggie. it sounds like a teddy bear or something. And I seriously doubt that it has anything to do with a recession. you buy blankets because their soft not cause you lost your job. also this thing looks really.. (I would use a vulgar term but this is for pye's class). I'm all for soft blankets, but why would it need to have sleeves? its always nice to cuddle up with a blanket when you're cold plus you can keep your hands warm by keeping them in the blanket instead of out of it. and instead of this snuggie, might I suggest a robe?
Personally, I have never seen or heard of a “Snuggie” until reading this article. I do not really think the recession has much to do with the Snuggie’s tremendous popularity. I see this as another pop culture (much like the pet rock) that has gained huge amounts of popularity for no reason. As with most fads, I am sure the demand for Snuggies will drop as the public moves on to the next useless item to rave over. All my opinions about such fad items aside, they do look pretty comfortable.
People buy Snuggies for the same reason they buy pet monkeys; there funny! If I has a Snuggie I would wear it EVERYWHERE! including graduation instead of the 100$ gown and there for go granola. Personally I think the Snuggie is the best invention sense the light bulb. Now, I don't have to get my arms cold when I answer the phone, doing the groceries, work the remote, read a book, use my laptop, or even enjoy a snack while staying snuggly warm. -Cooper
The only thing that really made this a story is the terrible name choice; the product itself seems functional even if it could simply be replaced by a proper sweater. I guess they found a market in between clothing and blankets that no one had tried to market their product towards. If someone turns on their TV looking for something to spend their money on than these advertisements must seem less ridicules because else I don’t know how they are getting sold.
While infomercials seem no where near watchable and I can barely stand them personally, there is a point to the many deals they give out. It's probably just possible for next winter when a recession might be worse they have cheap versions of a blanket when they can't afford to run the heater. Honestly though if infomercials really wanted to sell, they should sell some cheap knock off of an every day item for summer use, when using the ac becomes a must. I can stand the cold. I have plenty of blankets, what the heck do I need a snuglanket sleeve thing for? :p
Paul Rabalais
I personally do not think these "snuggie" blankets with sleeves are attractive. Sure the name is catchy and cute and I've seen the infomercial and you see this family at a baseball game with them on..I mean come on. It is very easy to fall victim to these items, especially with the nifty sounding names. I know my family saw the infomercial for "The Miracle Blade" (which is a good product and would all advise you to purchase ;])and we use it all the time. I'm sure after a while this fad of "the snuggie" will pass on just like oxy clean and many others.
I'm suprised by the success of the snuggie.I thought the commercial was lame and exaggersted the inconveniences of a regular blanket. I personally wouldn't want one. I suppose i've never fallen for any infomercial product but then again i'm not eighteen and i don't have a credit card so it wouldn'y really make a difference whether i wanted one or not.
So says Sean...
Heaven knows why this product is so popular; sometimes things just come along that hit the right audience at the right time. I suppose the snuggie hit the right group, and it's spreading. Honestly, I don't see the appeal as much as I do for other infomercial products. The practicality factor doesn't kick in for me. I could just as easily put on a sweater, but I'm definitely a fan of whatever can bring a business success. I'm also quite intrigued by the sham wow, I want one, it looks like it would be amusing to just drop in a bucket of water and watch it absorb things.
The snuggie advertising has been increasing and that is why they are selling more now than ever. Also with all of the 667,000 more people laid off of work, they have more time sitting at home watching these infomercials. With the economy going down a cheap way to stay warm is a good way to save money on heating bills.
I think that these product fads are all based on the mentality of the consumer. Some consumers may want these Snuggies just to stay warm or maybe they weer cheaper than buying a blanket and more convenient for what they needed them for. Or maybe they just wanted it to fit in with the rest of the crowd. Or maybe some people decide not to buy them JUST because they are popular and they want to be different. Or maybe there are people in this world that realize the uselessness of some of these products. The Sham-Wow may be super absorbant, but newspaper and towels get the job done too. The Snuggie may have sleeves but a blanket or robe does the same thing. It all comes down to whether or not consumers want to pay the price for popularity.
I've seen Snuggie commercials. They look dumb. But I guess I can see why the recession may have something to do with buying things from infomercials. Infomercials make everything cheaper and you can get like 5 for the price of one because the makers of the product just want to sell as much as possible, so giving away several for the price of one makes it seem like a good deal, even if the product is crappy. For example, my dad bought those hangers that are supposed to save closet space, but they just look really messy and it came with two orders. so its really jsut a waste of money even though it seems like a good deal
I think it's just the catchy name. Who wants to buy a Slanket? That doesn't sound warm or comfortable at all. But I didn't know there were any other versions before this article. I have seen the commercials and it is was poorly made. I just laughed and wondered who would buy that. People would rather pay money than just turn their robes backwards.
Hopefully this "snuggie" fad will go away soon because they seem so unneccesary. To me, all a snuggie is, is an extra long backwards robe. On the infomercial they say they are perfect to use when you go to outside games such as soccer but, how many people will actually have the courage to admit they own such a silly product like the snuggie and wear it in public? I guess their marketing techniques are really working because I can think of three people of the top of my head that own one and I just want to ask them why?
Honestly, it is true that Snuggie seems to be a popular consumer product, but only because it is advertised. To me, the idea of a Snuggie is just like wearing a jacket or a bathrobe backwards. In any case, why can't people just put on a jacket if they are cold. A jacket keeps people warm and allows mobility just as much as, perhaps even more than, the Snuggie. It really amazes me how people will buy anything that is new but provides for the same uses as something they already have. Personally, jackets and sweaters look better than a Snuggie; I would never be caught in public if I were to ever lose my mind and buy such a product.
Wow, this is hilarious! I have never seen a Snuggue infomericail, probably because I don't spend most of my time watching T.V. I have to agree with most of my collegues with the statement that this is just another "fad." Because it looks comfortable, is inexpensive, and everyone else has one, many people are bound to jump on the bandwagon. I do have to disagree about the causation of the bad ecomony in the high sale of this product. There is an obvious correlation, but this may have an unkown factor "c", (such as people's fad routines) that could have caused such a high sale.
In all honesty, I have no idea why the Snuggie is so popular. It's a backwards robe. There's nothing incredibly special about it. I guess that "Snuggie" is just a catchy, popular name. After looking at the commercial on youtube however, I realized that the Snuggie has a few valid points. They make a good point in saying that it is easier to do things with your hands, such as reading a book or holding a baby while wearing the Snuggie. The fact that it is so popular has probably cause other people to "get on the bandwagon" and buy it too. But I still stick to the opinion that the Snuggie is ridiculous.
I doubt the economy has much to do with the Snuggie's sudden popularity. It's probably just a weird fad. Half the people who buy them probably just think they're funny. Personally I don't think it'd be worth paying for. If someone gave me one, sure, I'd probably use it, and I do think it's a little annoying when I'm all warm under a blanket and then I have to take my arms out to do something, but if it bothers me that much, I'll just put on a hoodie.
I actually saw a snuggie commercial earlier this week. The first reaction that came to my mind was, who would actually buy such a product? To my surprise “already, 4 million have been sold." I think that is ridiculous. I think the reason why so many have been sold is because the commercials are so cheesy that word gets around. Even USA Today did an article about it. One reason that I could see someone purchasing an item like this was for it to be like a ‘gag’ gift. I still cannot get over the fact that people would actually pay money for this item when they already have a robe. It shows how lazy people are, instead of wearing their robe backwards, they would want to spend money on a blanket with sleeves.
First of all, people, the little bit about the Snuggie ruining our economy was a joke. You don't have to disagree with it because they are trying to be funny. That said, Snuggie's are pathetic. People only buy them from the commercials, not because their friends are advising them to get it. The part behind the sleeves is way to small and it makes the parts of your body that are actually closed off from the world unbearably hot. Don't buy a snuggie.
Ok, so maybe the snuggie is just a glorified backwards robe, but they're probably making a ton of money off of it so they're doing something right. I happen to love my snuggie. And a backwards robe is way more convienent then a regular robe when you're sitting on a couch or something. They're very unnecessary, but i like them regardless. I also like the sham-wow. and it works so well.
I have never "fallen" for one of these types of products for a very very long time. I learned the hard way. I learned how to research what I want and to hear from other owners of the product before I buy anything I'm not sure of.
And about products like "Sham-wow" or however you spell it. They are just knockoffs of the "real" products. Businesses like "sham-wow" sacrifice quality to be able to mass produce them. I know how a shammie should feel, I use one everyday being a diver.
I think its kinda funny how 4 million of these "snuggies" have already been sold. It just really goes to show you that any anybody has the power to make a product and earn millions from it no matter how impractical it appears. This product just seems to be getting a little to much popularity and I can't really see why. I'm sure their are plenty of things similiar to this so why is this particular product soooo popular?
Jessica Rodrigues
I do not believe there is a connection between the Snuggie and the economy, I mean these infomercials with ridiculous products have been showing up on tv since before our economy was bad so i do not think they are directly related. The Snuggie is just another product that people buy uselessly.
While it would intuitively seem like recessions would shrink sales for these useless items, empirical data has shown otherwise. One hypothesis is that, due to a larger unemployment rate on account of the dwindling economy, infomercials now have a larger audience of unenthused television watcher to advertise to. Regardless of what these infomercials sell, from dressed up sponges termed shamwows to shotty knife sets, these commercials will always succeed in selling their product to a certain percentage of their audience. Assuming that more stupid people are being laid off than intelligent people, the percentage and audience size would both increase resulting in a much larger demand for useless junk.
I think the whole idea of the Snuggie is hillarious. It's basically a backwards robe, so why are they selling so many? People get sucked into infomercials all the time. Whenever I'm watching tv and one comes on, they just seem to suck me in, and they make them seem like great ideas. I can see the Shamwow maybe being something useful, but I've heard that they don't work at all. It's just good advertising that causes people to buy things like this.
Honestly no, I have never fallen victim to one of these dumb commercials. It is true that after watching one for a while you do get somewhat drawn into whatever product, but if you take a step back, it is easy to realize how silly it is. As far as the Snuggie, I mean its kinda cool I guess and if I was banking I might want one, but as of right now, the marginal cost certainly outweighs the marginal benefit.
Well this is the new version of the chia pet and all of the other famous infomercial products. Give it a few more months before people stop caring. It's not surprising in the least bit that so many people have fallen into this fad. "If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll want some milk too." If everyone is buying the Snuggie, I want one too! (Not me per say.)
Kenny Hoyt says....
I find it quite surprising that four million people have bought the Snuggie. To me the commercial always seemed a little dumb. I have noticed though that with the fall of the economy we have also witnessed the rise of the infomercial. I cannot think of a reason for this because infomercials usually sell useless items, so it seems that when the economy falls people would be more weary in buying from off of the television. On a side note I want a Shamwow. My birthday is July 13, just letting y’all know.
Snuggies are stupid. Snuggies are the worst things ever invented. Snuggies are completely why we're in a recession. Snuggies are causing people to use less electricity, that's terrible!! Snuggies are saving people money, what the hell!!!
I think the snuggie commercials are hilarious. It is a decnt concept but they commericals make it seem like a necessity, which it is clearly not. The facts they they emphasize the fact that you must expose your arm to the cold when using a regular blanket is a bit melodramatic.
I wouldn't personally buy a snuggie because I think that turning a robe around would acheive the same purpose. But I think that one of the reasons that it is doing as well as it is is simply because of the name and the noteriety it receives from such an original name. People see the name and are immediately intrigued and interest sparks purchases.
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