Sunday, January 11, 2009

The SHAM-WOW

Quite honestly one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a package of SHAM-WOWs. It is a VERY unique and most useful product. My BIL, Matt, also received some and quickly commented on how he would never have to buy paper towels again. I laughed, but it wasn't until I searched out the commercial for the SHAM-WOW on YouTube that I realized this is an actual claim from the MARKETERS of the SHAM-wow (note the emphasis).


Most products we see on infomercials have been around for years. Clever people simply throw a new spin on them and go crazy with a marketing campaign to move some product. A classic admitted example is the Ginsu Knives. These knives are just knives. They have been around forever. One day an ad agency decided to run an experiment. They pretended like they were new, gave them a new name and voila (new word for me on the blog, quite fun) the product took the world by storm. The SHAM-wow is cracking me up. It's a stinkin' chamois. I love that there is a company out there touting this product like it was just invented yesterday.

Let me quickly pause to point out that I am LOVING the SHAM-wow. I use it to dry myself off after swimming. It makes me feel like an Olympic athlete. There is no latent evaporation when drying with a SHAM-wow, so I get out of the water and can be dry instantly and go about my business. We have also used it to clean up a water spill in the kitchen; and of course, I used it to dry the car after a thorough washing.


All that being said, as a service to you, the consumer, I want to caution you that I think you may be overspending on paper towels. $20.00 per month, as touted in the commercial, is a ripoff (no pun intended). I don't keep track of specific towel usage; but I would say, being very, very liberal, that we might spend approximately $53.64 per YEAR on paper towels. We buy these from our favorite supplier (Sam's Club, of course), and they last a long time. They are select-a-size to really double the useful life out of each roll. If you are really spending $240.00 a year on paper towels, I strongly urge you to invest in a warehouse club membership. It will be worth it in paper towels alone.


As I come up with new and fun uses for my SHAM-wows I will keep you posted. I'm thinking of trying to dry Maggie after her next bath. She loves the theatrics after a bath -- shivering as if she is near death. Perhaps the SHAM-wow will aid in a quicker, cleaner dry? Also I MAY experiment with a no paper towel week, just to see if it is possible to truly go through life with only a SHAM-wow.

And don't forget - the SHAM-wow is completely washable. You really should try them out for yourself. They're fabulous!


Have a great day -- and thanks, Shannon, for the SHAM-WOWs! They are great fun!!!

4 comments:

Matt and Randi McComber said...

I wear mine as underwear during sporting events, so that I never miss a play.

Happily Ever After said...

HAAH -- I don't care who you are, thats funny!!

Shannon said...

HAHA!!! So glad you like your Sham WOW! It was SHAM-tastic Christmas!!

Unknown said...

I have to admit, I am a SUCKER for infomercials. I have to have a 100% no-buy policy, or I'd have a lot of stuff in my house that I'm sure doesn't work but sounds so good when I see it on TV.

I really wanted the SHAM-WOW... even if it is a completely stupid name. Glad to know that if I ever break down and order, I won't be disappointed like I was with my Thunderstick, Pasta Pro, and other items that I've thankfully forgotten I ordered.