For Billy Mays, one final pitch
Can one of the most successful TV salesmen in history continue to move product from beyond the grave? It's a question with very practical implications for A.J. Khubani (left), CEO of direct-to-consumer merchandiser Telebrands. On Monday, Telebrands will roll out a national marketing campaign featuring Billy Mays (right), the infomercial star who died unexpectedly of a heart ailment last Sunday at age 50. The product in question is the Jupiter Jack -- "the new revolutionary cell phone accessory for your car that turns any car radio into a wireless speaker system" (yours for only $19.99 plus shipping and handling!). The spot was filmed a month ago. After learning of Mays's death, Khubani made the difficult and potentially controversial choice to go ahead with airing it.
"We struggled with this decision," Khubani tells DailyFinance. "There's no precedent, and we really don't know what's going to happen. There could be a tremendous backlash."
There's a lot at stake. The new infomercial will air in "every market in the country," Khubani says, and Telebrands spent millions on the airtime. The spot has been tested in several markets, on a very limited basis, in the weeks before Mays's death. "We've been watching the results, and they haven't gotten worse or better, which means people are buying the product because they like the product," says Khubani. "Quite frankly, I think it's the product that's going to carry the day, although Billy Mays certainly enhances it. Still, we're taking a big gamble on using a spokesman who's not with us."
Personal considerations also figured in, of course. "Having known Billy for so many years, he definitely would've wanted it to run," says Khubani. "He was a pitchman."
Khubani was among a number of executives from the informercial business who participated in a conference call this week with Roger Pliakas, attorney for the Mays family, to decide how to proceed with campaigns featuring Mays. "We decided collectively that this is what Billy would've wanted, and it's okay with the family," Khubani says. "Billy was the sole breadwinner for his family. They're looking for a continuing revenue stream from this and other products."
The Jupiter Jack spot will air as-is, but there has been some discussion of modifying it to acknowledge Mays's passing, says Khubani. Telebrands has also produced another spot as a backup, in case the one with Mays, for whatever reason, turns out to be a dud. "Billy might not be too happy about that," says Khubani, "but we have to be practical."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-02-2009 @ 4:13PM
Iridium said...
Mays and A.J. Khubani were peddlers of crap. I think Billy Mays actually thought he was doing the world a service. I know Khubani knows better. He knows he makes billions from gullible people.
The products they sell aren't worth $1 but you have to pay $20 or more for them. Nearly every product they have sold can be bought at a local hardware store for less money.
The Jupiter Jack is a terrible product because you still need to hold your phone to make it work properly. The microphone also picks up the conversation being played through your car speaker so you get an annoying echo.
But as we all know there is an endless market for scamming people out of their money. The majority of stockbrokers do it everyday.
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7-02-2009 @ 4:42PM
Leigh said...
Don't put all Stock Brokers in the same basket-
7-02-2009 @ 4:51PM
Nikki said...
Onviously the commercials work...you bought it didn't you, otherwise how would you know the quality? If you think it's a scam, don't buy it...people have free will and can choose whether or not to buy things.
7-02-2009 @ 4:24PM
Michele said...
Chef Boyardee found dead in vat of pasta.
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7-02-2009 @ 6:57PM
doug said...
what the hell are you talking about??
7-03-2009 @ 3:12PM
Tony said...
I do have to say that it is what it is and what it is a tragedy. This guy was simply a very nice guy. You could tell on his new series that he loved his familly and that they sure as heck loved him. One second he is here and then another second he is gone. Wow, I mean this is so strange the way life is. Has anyone heard of a memorial for him or anything?
7-02-2009 @ 5:27PM
peter said...
without stockbrokers there would be no stockmarket!!!
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7-02-2009 @ 5:58PM
Fred said...
7-02-2009 @ 5:27PM
peter said...
without stockbrokers there would be no stockmarket!!!
------------------------------------------------------------
Not true, ever hear of NASDAQ?
7-03-2009 @ 9:17AM
mavrick164 said...
Yea... It'd be called the bondmarket.
7-02-2009 @ 9:41PM
tony said...
"Billy was the sole breadwinner for the family", and he wasn't stupid either. You can be sure his wife has plenty of dough and he was insured to the gills. This Kubani guy just want's to squeeze every nickle out of BM dead or alive. Go ahead, Billy don't care.
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7-02-2009 @ 6:10PM
Tony said...
How odd it will be watching a dead that just passed away pitch a product. Not only is the company greedy but so is his family.
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7-03-2009 @ 9:16AM
George said...
Pitchman that our dear old friend Billy Mays was, I'll bet he would be hoo-rahing all over the place for HIS commercials to be played. They are his art, his legacy. He would want the show done. If you've never been a salesman you would never understand. The only thing I might suggest is that nice words about him be scrolled across the bottom of the screen as the pitch progresses.
7-02-2009 @ 6:57PM
Hattie said...
I have bought 2 products ( at a regular store ),the Slap Chop and the car scratches removal cream.The latter didn't work that well but I do like the chopper much better than one I bought years ago from a different company.
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7-02-2009 @ 6:58PM
OldTimer said...
I am grateful to Mr. Mays for his help in keeping my reflexes attuned to todays standards. The instant that I hear the first syllable or see the first flash of his face, I can hit the mute button at nanosecond speed.
OldTimer
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7-02-2009 @ 6:58PM
doug said...
iridium your an idiot!!you are just an angry little man who wants his puney little voice to be heard, i dont agree with khubani's decision to use the commercial, but it is a money decision and if you think his company is making billions like you said, than you haven't had to make many money decisions yourself.i dislike whiney little maggots that dont use their brains before they make stupid comments like yours.billy mays was a pitchman ,perhaps the best ever, but the man had a heart of gold and tried to make the dreams of the people he pitched for come true.you just think its cool to have some type of theroy the every thing is a rip off or scam, you think it makes you sound intelligent but you are so wrong my twisted little friend.why dont you get a job get a life and move out of your mother's basement so you can get rid of all your paranoid rants about our society and try to do something to change it.when was the last time you helped someone just becaue it was the right thing to do??? yea just as i thought you never have and possiblly never will ....what a jerk
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7-02-2009 @ 9:16PM
typoink said...
Wow, uh, you might want to settle down, champ. Iridium even points out that he didn't think Mays was being intentionally dishonest.
The truth is that many if not most of the products Mays pitched ARE either lousy or overpriced. Most are just slight variations on existing, much-cheaper products.
7-02-2009 @ 10:57PM
kmar20009 said...
Really, he had a heart of gold? Guess that's why they use gold for filling teeth and not heart surgery.
7-02-2009 @ 9:16PM
joe said...
It seem as though Billy really brings out the truth with insecure people
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7-02-2009 @ 9:16PM
Rick said...
Yeah what he said!!!
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7-02-2009 @ 9:16PM
Gangwolf said...
Most of these items are Chinese knockoffs designated for the American market. Billy made good money selling this garbage as I did when I worked for a direct selling outfit in California. The stuff we sold was pure junk, and can you believe this, I worked in Quality Assurance testing this garb for safety and functionability. Most everything that passed through my dept. was written up for something but the nasty buyers always over rode our decisions. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Of course. No, I think Billy would want the commercial to air as I am sure, where ever he may be, he'll be having the last laugh. RIP, Billy Mays.
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