16. The product shill who created a brand name
Ron Popeil initially worked as a salesman and presenter of products invented by his father, Samuel Popeil. In 1964 he founded Ronco, a brand which quickly became known through the use of infomercials. Ronco brought consumers such products as the Veg-O-Matic, the Chop-O-Matic, the Popeil Pocket Fisherman (“biggest fishing invention since the hook”), and the inspired Inside-The-Shell Egg Scrambler. Mr. Microphone, which allowed the user to hear him or herself over a nearby radio encouraged potential singing careers. For those losing their hair, Ronco offered GLH 9 (Great Looking Hair formula #9). Bald spots and thinning hair were replaced by the promised Great Looking Hair, applied from an aerosol can. Popeil became an early target of comedians poking fun at his selling style, including Johnny Carson and Dan Aykroyd. The latter demonstrated the Bass-O-Matic, whirling a whole fish in a blender to produce a beverage, on Saturday Night Live.
To be fair, some Ronco products lived up to their promise, including the Showtime Rotisserie Oven (“set it and forget it”) and its variations. But most never overcame the carnival sideshow reputation they gained through the infomercials. Some were simply cheesy. The Egg Scrambler was simply a needle which penetrated the shell and whipped around, powered by batteries. The Dial-O-Matic, offered to complement the Veg-O-Matic, was a reconfigured kitchen mandolin. Ron Popeil died in July 2021, having seen his company, Ronco, enter bankruptcy and liquidate three years earlier. But wait…there’s more. Ronco continues to maintain an online presence after having been acquired by HD Schulman International Trading. Some of the original products are thus still available, and most of the infomercials can be viewed online.