Tyler Jay always wanted to be a PlopStar, but he had “issues” when pooping anywhere but his own home. He got disconcerted by the odiferous residue his feculence would impart in the atmosphere of his unfamiliar commode. In other words, he got embarrassed when he stunk up someone else’s bathroom. He looked for a solution and, like any self respecting entrepreneur, when he could find a suitable one, he invented one.
Mr. Jay’s marketing iss very tongue in cheek. The company tag line is: “Gotta poop? Fantastic!” His marketing approach likely comes from his other business – a company called Tandem. They make engaging videos for their clients. Tyler’s been making videos since he got out of college and his PlopStar video looks as polished as it is amusing.
What Plop Star actually does is mask the odor of poop. It’s a small tablet – about two inches in diameter – that you drop into the toilet bowl ten seconds before you let her rip. The tablet dissolves, releasing a citrus smell from the essential oils in the tablet. When you’re all done with number two, the bathroom still smells fresh. A box of thirty costs $12.99 on Amazon, which is where he sells most of his product. He likely wants to start selling in retail outlets and he hopes a Shark can help him with that.
My Take on PlopStar
I think this product is gimmicky but kind of amusing. Everybody poops, and it always stinks. People who act like theirs doesn’t, well I try to avoid them! We always kept a book of matches on the toilet when I was a kid to mask the stink. I guess that isn’t considered safe or PC anymore, hence products like this.
I won’t go out and buy this, but I’ll bet a poopload of people will. It’s easy to carry around, fairly inexpensive and it works. I’m not a customer, but I’m in.
Will Sharks Think this is a Star?
This pitch will get its fair share of laughs. Jay enters the Tank sitting on a toilet (I guess he gets wheeled in). That will surely set the tone. With quirky products like this, it’s tough to get a read on what the Sharks will do. They’ll either laugh it off or take it seriously. It will be interesting to see.
One scenario I see is Mark making an investment. He invested in Dude Wipes back in season 7 and that business is KILLING IT. They have product everywhere: major grocery chains, WalMart, Target, Walgreens – you name the store, they have product there. If Mark sees a synergy with this product and Dude Wipes, he’ll make an offer.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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