Poker Deposit BonusWhy is the ShamWow Commercial So Damn Annoying?
June 28th, 2008 Paul Lucas
Have you seen the TV commercial for the ShamWow cloths? Check it out:
This ShamWow ad has to be one of the most annoying commercials to air on TV in a long time, but I’m not exactly sure what is so damn annoying about it.
Is it the overall cheapness of the production? It’s pretty much just a guy standing in front of a screen and behind a tabletop.
Is it the way Vince reminds you of the barkers at the county fair trying to amaze you with their product demos while you gnash on a corn dog en route to the Ferris wheel?
Is it because Vince is a scrawny twerp with a faux-hawk?
Is it that pretentious headset microphone?
Is it when Vince says, “Ya following me, camera guy?”
Is it Vince’s (New Jersey? Long Island?) accent?
The ShamWow commercial is like a bad song you hate but that you just can’t get out of your head!
This must be the first example of an infomercial giving away the game in its own name (who else would have the gall to call themselves ShamWow?).
Comment by Dominic — June 28th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
For me it seems more like he’s the illegitimate child of Billy Mays and Nancy Nelson. Billy is bad enough but two of these clowns hocking what is essentially the same product is unnerving.
Comment by Kyle Varnell — June 28th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Its like he went from carney to gun shows to tackle shows to state fair exhibit booth, then finally to tv. He exhibits all the archetypes of fair exhibitor life. The idea being that you get people of all socioeconomic and intelligence levels to stop and watch someone do something mundane yet entertaining. It definitely is a type of person who does this. They used to call them snake oil salesmen. But isn’t that the whole idea behind infomercials anyway?
Comment by Rich Land — June 29th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Notice how the cola that is seeping out from under the carpet, is GONE when the camera cuts? Didn’t he say they were going to do this in real time??? LOL
Comment by Russ — June 29th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
The problem is it is so choppy–note how when he ends a sentence there’s an edit to Vince starting a new one. His speaking is unnatural. That is exactly why it is so annoying.
That and he’s creepy.
And the microphone
And the silliness of it all…
Oh dear!
Comment by Chris — June 29th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
That edit at 0:22 gives away the whole scam.
Comment by Mel — June 30th, 2008 at 2:33 am
I bout those at a local department store, after a pretty girl did the exact same presentation, The product was still a prototype. The wipes were almost free and I also bought a mop.
Never underestimate the power of a pretty girl.
Comment by Visaman — July 2nd, 2008 at 2:52 pm
It’s the fact that he’s a screaming midget with a “creepy-eye” that seems to be upset with having to make these commercials.
Comment by Al Frank — July 3rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
didnt he say he wouldnt put pressure on it. he friggin punched it!
Comment by bilbo baggins — July 5th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I think he’s english doing a stereotypical American accent.
Comment by codemastaflex — July 7th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Well he’s a dream compared to Billy Mays. I want to throw the remote at the tv anytime I hear “Billy Mays here!” SO LOUD and ANNOYING!!!!
And how about the weird Progressive Auto Insurance girl? OMG, she is scary!!!
I see they replaced the weird Brit crawling in the grass “in search of the Internet”….one scary dude!
Comment by angie — July 8th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Jimmy McNulty?
Comment by Alex Sahounov — July 10th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
“Creepy” and “shamwow” is how I found this blog via google. One of the lamest commercials I ever seen by one of creepiest and weasle-like spokespersons ever.
Comment by J Anderson — July 11th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Maybe because he’s ugly like jim carey, thats why he is creepy
Comment by Sham Chow — July 12th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I’m definitely in the minority. I find the commercial entertaining. Phony, cheap and carney-like, yes. I like Vince, headset and all. I think it’s that he is so naive that he doesn’t understand how he appears or that he knows and doesn’t care. In either case, there’s a certain honesty to him that seems at odds with the whole image and message. I never get tired of watching this infomercial (but I’ve never bought the product and don’t plan to).
Comment by N.Jones — July 13th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I think the worst part is when it gives a few of the key points to the product, and one of them is “Made in Germany”. Who cares? My shirt is made in China, I don’t see them advertising that.
Comment by Tired at night — July 14th, 2008 at 12:42 am
How can I get a job as easy as his?
Comment by Emilin8r — July 18th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
You guys are all so WRONG! I am sure it is my old HS boyfriend who is a Broadway Star, a film star, and extremely talented, satirizing the whole “Head on” thing. It is brilliant marketing, and if it weren’t wonderfully funny, you wouldn’t still be talking about it here! Just laugh with him the next time you see it, and you will notice he is smiling with you and the character he is playing. Wait and see…
Comment by Lindsay — July 19th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Have anyone realised the weird stance he does when he says: Hi this is Vince from Shamwow?
Cracks me up every time
Comment by Bob — July 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I know you’re gonna love this-Vince has a MySpace profile with 31 friends,with Tila Tequila as one of his top friends. I wish I was making this up. Link: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=398376179. He has even more ShamWow videos on there,including a kid using it. Anyways,this infomercial is sort of annoying.
Love Fellow Reader,
Epiphany
Comment by Epiphany — July 29th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Why does he cover his face when the audio is dubbed “this lasts ten years?” That always gets me, I don’t know why. Just curious about it I guess. It’s such an obvious edit.
Comment by wer — July 31st, 2008 at 9:38 am
I wrote a little about that here:
http://www.infomercial-hell.com/blog/2008/07/28/youll-be-saying-wow-when-you-see-vince-in-the-full-length-shamwow-commercial/
I’m pretty sure when they first filmed the commercial they weren’t certain how many years they were going to claim the ShamWow lasts, so Vince intentionally covered his mouth so that you couldn’t read his lips. They did a terrible job with the dub.
Comment by Paul Lucas — July 31st, 2008 at 10:09 am
He has a lisp. He sounds like his mouth is full of the shamwow like he’s been chewing on it.
Comment by Tara — August 3rd, 2008 at 10:49 am
And he looks like a messed up, meth taking Leonardo DiCaprio with a NJ accent.
Comment by Tara — August 3rd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Does nobody else see why he has the fake microphone headset on? It’s because the right side of his mouth doesn’t work. I’m not knocking him for it, it’s just that the microphone is to cover up that the entire right side of his mouth doesn’t move at all.
Comment by eric — August 8th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Remember…you have to call in twenty minutes….we’re can’t offer this all day!
Comment by Jim — August 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
The Dude lies. “Call in the next few minutes, CUZ WE CAN’T DO THIS ALL DAY” yet they do it all day…”YOU”LL BE SAYING SHAMWOW ALL DAY” yet NOBODY does that, their famliy would beat them senseless.
He looks like he’s speaking into that giant mole that protrudes from his chin. There’s something on top of his head that looks like a swiffer refill. He, Billy Mayes, and the Progressive slut need to sit in a stinky car at a junk car lot until they are squashed, revived by paramedics and squashed again! I don’t say shamwow all day, I say peeyoo, ALL DAY!
Comment by lynn — August 16th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Wow if theres so many reviews about this being a scam, why haven’t they taken it off the air? sick.
Comment by Audrey — August 18th, 2008 at 1:31 am
I bought them and I LOVE them!! And I DID throw away my sponge!!! Don’t knock it till you tried it. Some things DO WORK!!
Comment by Janelle Kelley — August 21st, 2008 at 8:59 pm
who spends 20 dollars a month on paper towels?
Comment by ben — August 27th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I can’t believe that there is this many people that have the time to review an infomercial for absorbent towels. On the other hand, I’m sitting here reviewing the reviews which are mostly screamingly funny. Something twisted about Vince that I can’t put my finger on, maybe if I watch it a couple of hundred more times I’ll get it.
Comment by dave — September 1st, 2008 at 4:34 am
Where’s Beavis? We’ve found Butthead.
Comment by Rod — September 2nd, 2008 at 5:24 am