Billy Mays

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This article is about the American salesman. For the English football (soccer) player, see Billy Mays (footballer).
William D. Mays

Born July 20, 1958 (1958-07-20) (age 49)
Flag of the United States McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
Other names Billy Mays
Occupation Commercial & infomercial salesman
Home town Pittsburgh, PA
Known for OxiClean,
Orange Glo,
Kaboom,
Engrave It,
Mighty Putty,
Hercules Hook,
Steam Buddy
Spouse Candace

William "Billy" D. Mays (born on July 20, 1958) is a television commercial and infomercial salesperson most notable for promoting OxiClean, Orange Glo, and other cleaning, home-based, and maintenance products. His signature loud high-energy approach to pitching an array of products and beard has gained Mays a substantial amount of recognition.

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[edit] Early life

Mays was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. After graduating high school he began his career as a salesperson on the Atlantic City boardwalk, selling the "Washmatik" portable washing device to passersby. Working alongside many seasoned pitchmen, he developed his trademark style of salesmanship. Mays later traveled to home shows, auto shows and state fairs across the United States for a period of twelve years selling various maintenance products and tools, including cleaning products and food choppers.[1]

[edit] Rise to prominence

At a Pittsburgh home show in 1993, Mays struck up a friendship with rival salesman Max Appel, founder of Orange Glo International, a Denver-based manufacturer of cleaning products. He was then hired by the company to promote their line of cleaners, OxiClean, Orange Clean, and Orange Glo, on the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, Florida.[2]

Customer response to Mays' sales pitches were enthusiastic, with a sharp increase in sales after his first day on the network, although some reviews have been poor. For example, Washington Post staff writer Frank Ahrens called him "a full-volume pitchman, amped up like a candidate for a tranquilizer-gun takedown."[3] The website Consumerama similarly panned Mays' style, comparing his appearance to "a bouncer in a cut-and-shoot' bar" and describing his delivery as "the 100% real bizzle dizzle". Consumerama awarded him its "Naked Mole-Rats of Marketing Award" for "shameless consumer abuse." [4]

Following the success of the Home Shopping Network campaign, a line of successful television commercials and infomercials for the products was produced, featuring Mays demonstrating the effectiveness of the products to viewers hands-on. He typically begins such commercials with "Hi! Billy Mays here for [advertised product]." Their success led to OrangeGlo International being named among the top ten privately growing companies from 1999 to 2001 by Inc. magazine, and its eventual buyout by Church and Dwight. Appel credited Mays' salesmanship for much of the company's success.

Mays is the CEO and founder of Mays Promotions, Inc., based in Dunedin, Florida. His services as a pitchman became highly sought-after, and he has appeared in commercials for many diverse "as seen on TV" products. Mays is an avid user of the products he promotes.[5]

The successful pitchman's most recent marketing campaign serves as a pioneer event. Mays is the new voice of iCan Benefit Group, LLC., "the first company offering Health Insurance Billy Mays has been excited to endorse." TV commercials for affordable health insurance, featuring Billy Mays telling the iCan℠ story, began to air nationally in May 2008. [6]

Mays currently resides in Keystone, Florida, northwest of Tampa in a 2.1 million dollar home built in 2005.[7] Mays is also a member of the Lake Robinson "Polar Bear Club."

[edit] Products advertised

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  • OxiClean
  • Orange Clean, Orange Glo
  • Hercules Hook wall hangers
  • Simoniz Fix It Scratch Remover
  • Ding King automotive dent remover
  • Zorbeez absorbent towels
  • Lint-B-Gone lint brush
  • Samurai Shark knife sharpener
  • Liquid Diamond car waxing product
  • Awesome Auger Ground Auger, Weed Auger, and Power Extender gardening tools
  • Turbo Tiger vacuum cleaner
  • FreeFone wireless phone holder
  • Handy Switch remote light switches
  • Micro-Men Duster
  • FoneFree wireless cellphone headset
  • Easy Off Bam!
  • Sealtite Tire Sealant
  • Currie Motors Chrysler Credit Hotline
  • Vidalia Slice Wizard
  • Vidalia Chop-it
  • Bloomin' Onion Maker
  • Steam Buddy wrinkle remover/creaser
  • Cutco Kitchenware
  • Bedazzler (Platinum Edition)
  • Street Options Auto Accessories
  • Energize energy supplement
  • EngraveIt
  • Kaboom!
  • Never-Scrub tile cleaner
  • Sandstrom OnTV
  • Mighty Mend It
  • Big City Slider Station
  • Gopher reach extending tool
  • Mighty Putty
  • Handy Switch
  • iCan Benefit Group, LLC.
  • Swiffer SweeperVac
  • Steam Buddy
  • Calcium Lime Rust

[edit] References

  1. ^ Rigsby, G.G.. "As seen on TV: Billy Mays hawks it all for a price - TV king: Mays builds fame, fortune through infomercials", Tampa Bay Business Journal, May 3, 2002. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. 
  2. ^ "Company sold, local pitchman keeps his job," St. Petersburg Times, July 24, 2006
  3. ^ Ahrens, F. "Miracle Infomercials - TV's Hard Sells Are a $256 Billion Business", Washington Post, 2004-09-26, pp. F01. 
  4. ^ "The Naked Mole-Rats of Marketing Award," Consumerama, November 4, 2007
  5. ^ Associated Press, Mitch Stacy. "As seen on TV, pitchman Billy Mays cleans up with shtick - In-your-face salesman peddles fixes for car dents to cleaning products.", Cincinnati Enquirer, 2002-12-29. Retrieved on 2007-04-21. 
  6. ^ Billy Mays - The New Voice of iCanSM. PRWEB (2008-05-21).
  7. ^ Property appraisal, Mays, William D. Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. Retrieved on 2008-05-15.