Graxton's Diet Baking Soda Staple Tee

GRAXTON'S DIET BAKING SODA: A LESSON IN MARKETING PROWESS

In the bustling era of the 1970s, the world was witnessing a myriad of innovations. Among them was Chris Hamad, an ambitious entrepreneur with a penchant for the extraordinary. Chris wasn't a chemist, nor was he particularly knowledgeable about household cleaning products. But what Chris lacked in technical expertise, he more than made up for with his marketing genius.

One day, while attempting to clean a stubborn stain off his shirt, Chris had an epiphany. "What if there was a cleaning product that was lighter, more eco-friendly, and had half the ingredients of regular cleaning powders?" he mused. Without wasting any time, Chris set out to create this revolutionary product. He mixed regular baking soda with a few other ingredients he found in his kitchen, including some leftover flour and a pinch of salt. The result was a powdery substance that looked almost identical to regular baking soda but had a slightly different texture.

Without testing its cleaning capabilities, Chris, in his typical overzealous fashion, named it "Diet Baking Soda." The name was a stroke of genius. In an era where diet sodas were gaining popularity, the term "diet" was associated with being healthier and lighter. Chris thought, "If it can work for sodas, why not baking soda?"

Now came the challenging part: marketing. Chris invested heavily in creating a vibrant packaging design for Diet Baking Soda. The box was a bright shade of green, symbolizing eco-friendliness, with bold letters proclaiming its "50% fewer ingredients!" He also hired a popular celebrity of the time to endorse the product. Commercials aired during prime time, showing the celebrity effortlessly cleaning various surfaces with Diet Baking Soda while dancing to a catchy jingle. Print ads showcased before-and-after pictures, emphasizing the product's supposed superior cleaning power.

But the real masterstroke was Chris's decision to offer free samples in supermarkets in costume as a man simply known as Graxton. Shoppers were intrigued by the unique name and the promise of a healthier cleaning alternative. Once they tried the free sample, they were hooked, not necessarily because it cleaned better, but because they believed they were part of a modern cleaning revolution.

Word spread like wildfire. Diet Baking Soda became the talk of the town. People were buying it in bulk, fearing they'd run out of this miraculous cleaning agent. Retailers struggled to keep it on the shelves, and Chris had to ramp up production to meet the overwhelming demand.

However, as the initial hype began to wane, a few discerning consumers started to notice something: Diet Baking Soda wasn't particularly good at cleaning. In fact, in some cases, it was downright ineffective. Whispers of its ineffectiveness began to circulate, but Chris was one step ahead.

Instead of defending the product's cleaning capabilities, he shifted the narrative. He began marketing Diet Baking Soda as a "gentle cleaner" for delicate surfaces. New commercials showcased it being used on fine china, silk garments, and antique furniture. The message was clear: Diet Baking Soda might not be the most potent cleaner, but it was the safest.

This clever pivot extended the product's life on the shelves for a few more years. However, as more effective and genuinely eco-friendly cleaners entered the market, Diet Baking Soda's popularity began to wane. By the late 1970s, it had become a niche product, mostly forgotten by the masses.

Yet, the legend of Chris Hamad's marketing prowess lived on. Business schools taught the case of Diet Baking Soda as a prime example of how exceptional marketing could sell even the most mediocre of products. And while Diet Baking Soda might not have left a lasting mark on the cleaning industry, it certainly left an indelible one on the world

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SHIRT INFO

The Staple T-Shirt feels soft and light with just the right amount of stretch. It's comfortable and flattering for all.

• Solid colors are 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton
• Ash color is 99% combed and ring-spun cotton, 1% polyester
• Heather colors are 52% combed and ring-spun cotton, 48% polyester
• Athletic and Black Heather are 90% combed and ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester
• Heather Prism colors are 99% combed and ring-spun cotton, 1% polyester
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz./yd.² (142 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk fabric
• 30 singles
• Side-seamed construction
• Tear-away label
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping

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