Billy Mays: Difference between revisions

William D. Mays
William D. Mays
Born	July 20, 1958 (age 66); McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
Other names	Billy Mays
Occupation	Commercial & infomercial salesman
Known for	OxiClean,; Orange Glo,; Kaboom,; Engrave It,; Mighty Putty, ; Hercules Hook,; Steam Buddy
Spouse	Candace

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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.

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]

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]

Mays currently resides in Keystone, Florida, northwest of Tampa in a 2.1 million dollar home built in 2005.^[6] Mays is also a member of the Lake Robinson "Polar Bear Club."

Products advertised

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
Billy Mays Big Ball Enhancer
Gopher reach extending tool
Mighty Putty
Handy Switch
iCan Benefit Group
Swiffer SweeperVac
Steam Buddy
Calcium Lime Rust

References

^ Rigsby, G.G. (May 3 2002). "As seen on TV: Billy Mays hawks it all for a price - TV king: Mays builds fame, fortune through infomercials". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved 2007-04-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "Company sold, local pitchman keeps his job," St. Petersburg Times, July 24, 2006
^ Ahrens, F (2004-09-26). "Miracle Infomercials - TV's Hard Sells Are a $256 Billion Business". Washington Post. pp. F01.
^ "The Naked Mole-Rats of Marketing Award," Consumerama, November 4, 2007
^ Associated Press, Mitch Stacy (2002-12-29). "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. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
^ "Property appraisal, Mays, William D". Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. Retrieved 2008-05-15.

[TBBJ-1] Rigsby, G.G. (May 3 2002). "As seen on TV: Billy Mays hawks it all for a price - TV king: Mays builds fame, fortune through infomercials". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved 2007-04-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[sptimes06-2] "Company sold, local pitchman keeps his job," St. Petersburg Times, July 24, 2006

[WashingtonPost-3] Ahrens, F (2004-09-26). "Miracle Infomercials - TV's Hard Sells Are a $256 Billion Business". Washington Post. pp. F01.

[Consumerama-4] "The Naked Mole-Rats of Marketing Award," Consumerama, November 4, 2007

[CinInq-5] Associated Press, Mitch Stacy (2002-12-29). "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. Retrieved 2007-04-21.

[Hills_prop-6] "Property appraisal, Mays, William D". Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. Retrieved 2008-05-15.

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@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 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 (marketing)|as seen on TV]]" products. Mays is an avid user of the products he promotes.<ref name="CinInq">{{cite news |first=Mitch Stacy |last=[[Associated Press]] |title= As seen on TV, pitchman Billy Mays cleans up with shtick - In-your-face salesman peddles fixes for car dents to cleaning products.|url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/12/29/biz_billymays29.html |publisher=[[Cincinnati Enquirer]] |date=2002-12-29 |accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref>
-Mays currently resides in [[Keystone, Florida]], northwest of [[Tampa]] in a 2.1 million dollar home built in 2005.<ref name="Hills_prop">{{cite web | url = http://www.hcpafl.org/perl/re2html.pl?strap=1727235N1000000000060U&c0=1&c1=1&c2=1&c3=1&c4=1&c5=1&c6=1 | title = Property appraisal, Mays, William D | publisher = Hillsborough County Property Appraiser | accessdate = 2008-05-15}}</ref>  Mays is also a member of the Lake Robinson "[[Ice swimming|Polar Bear Club]]." Bill is also prolific curser. Though edited out for television, he likes to close his commercials with the line, "Tell 'em Bill Mays sent you Goddamn Cuntflaps, Fuck."
+Mays currently resides in [[Keystone, Florida]], northwest of [[Tampa]] in a 2.1 million dollar home built in 2005.<ref name="Hills_prop">{{cite web | url = http://www.hcpafl.org/perl/re2html.pl?strap=1727235N1000000000060U&c0=1&c1=1&c2=1&c3=1&c4=1&c5=1&c6=1 | title = Property appraisal, Mays, William D | publisher = Hillsborough County Property Appraiser | accessdate = 2008-05-15}}</ref>  Mays is also a member of the Lake Robinson "[[Ice swimming|Polar Bear Club]]."
 ==Products advertised==