#29: Infomercials—What OxiClean & Shamwow Can Teach Us About Messaging That Sells

Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai

StoryBrand.ai

Marketing, Story, Bmsu, Businessmadesimple, Brand, Business, Bms, Storybrand, Entrepreneurship, 474622, Storytelling

4.8 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 July 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Infomercials may seem cheesy, but they often get one thing right: the sales pitch is clear, dramatic, and fast. Most business owners present their products like they’re chatting over coffee, not realizing they’re competing with autoplay videos and an infinite scroll of distractions. The result? Content with no energy, clarity, or urgency. Subtle doesn’t sell. That’s why the repetitive, over-the-top style of these high-energy TV sellers still works. So what makes those pitches so effective, and how can you apply the same tactics to grow your brand?

This week, hosts Don and Kyle are unpacking two of the most legendary product pitches in TV history: OxiClean with Billy Mays and ShamWow with Vince Offer. They break down why these commercials still work, from soundbite stacking and urgent CTAs to the art of bold, dramatic language that holds attention. You’ll learn how the right pitch can create a billion-dollar brand (even for a towel). Tune in to learn how you can write better copy, make stronger pitches, and finally understand why clarity beats cleverness every time!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the Why That Work podcast presented by storybrand.a.I.
0:07.7	If you've ever wondered why certain brands, trends, or cultural phenomena find success while others don't,
0:12.6	you're in the right place. Every week we unpack why something worked, then give you actionable insights that you can use in your own life.
0:19.5	Now let's dive in with your hosts, Donald Miller and Kyle Reed.
0:24.9	Don, do you remember this guy?
0:26.7	Yes.
0:27.4	Here's my favorite thing about this guy.
0:29.4	His name, you can't make it up, is Vince Offer.
0:33.0	There's no way that's his real name.
0:34.7	I really hope it is, but I agree with you.
0:37.0	That's amazing.
0:38.3	But today I want to talk about the brilliance of crazy pitch guys. I've got an ad for Billy
0:44.5	Maze oxyclean and then our man, Vince Offer, the sham wow.
0:35.4	Are we gonna, are we gonna,
0:38.0	we're gonna look at some of these? So here's what I want to do.
0:39.0	I want to, I've got both of these and here's what I,
0:40.6	the premise of this episode is I want to watch both of these offers.
0:43.2	These pictures. going to look at some of these. So here's what I want to do. I've got both of these. And here's what I, the premise of this episode is, I want to watch both of these offers, these pitches. One shamow. What's the other one? OxyClean. So that's Billy May's is OxyClean. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to watch these. We're going to watch them all way through. So people we'll be able to see them on the screen, and then I want to talk about what they got right. Okay. Okay, sound good.
0:46.7	All right.
0:54.4	So first one is oxyclean.
0:54.7	So let me get this going.
0:56.4	This is our first. So people will be able to see them on the screen, and then I want to talk about what they got right. Okay. Okay, sound good.
	...

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