A final round of applause for the business mogul.
Joseph Pedot — the marketing guru behind the chia pet plant sensation and its memorable TV jingleChi, chi, chi, chia!” — died on June 22 at the age of 91. Pedot is also known for popularizing the optical switch device The Clapper.
Remembered as a “legend” by longtime colleague Michael Hirsch, Pedot has transformed a once loss-making chia pet product into a profitable business with cultural relevance.
A pro at selling products through haunting slogans, Pedot’s approach to finding hits and subsequent ads is straightforward: “It’s fun, it’s simple, it adds value,” Hersh told Yahoo Finance over the phone. told to Mr. Hirsch worked with Mr. Pedot for over 40 years.
And the philosophy worked. The terracotta figurine that grows sprouts is one of America’s best-selling products, with more than 25 million sold in the United States to date.
Hirsch added, “He was very good at monitoring return on investment (ROI) and always made sure there was a path to future returns at the end of the day.” .
Peddot began his career as a student at the University of Illinois. In 1955, he founded his agency Pedott & Peters. There he got his first TV commercial. But it wasn’t until years later, while searching for new clients, that he discovered the powerful potential of his Chia Pets.
After being dismissed as a “ridiculous product” by the head of sales at a major drugstore chain, Pedot realized there was untapped value in the product, later saying: University of Illinois Alumni Publications “We just needed better advertising.”
Shortly after, Pedot offered (and bought) the rights to Chia Pets from importer Walter Houston and, according to Hirsch, “threw away everything but the product.”
Pedot moved manufacturing to Tecate, Mexico, rebranded his figures, and with his unique and unparalleled advertising approach, Chiarum This debut was the first widely distributed Chia pet under the newly formed Joseph Enterprises.
More plant-growing animal figures followed, eventually leading to the company’s first major licensing deal with Warner Bros. Characters from Looney Tunes.
For many years, Mr. Peddot ran Joseph Enterprises, where he not only made Chia Pets famous, but also developed the clapper light switch, first sold in 1985 and memorable for its catchy design.clap on, clap off” TV commercial.
Both products kept in the Smithsonian Institutionand Chia Pet is also in a New York Times time capsule that opens in the year 3000.
Pedot sold his business in 2018 to the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, a global distributor of licensed consumer products. Hirsch said the deal helped keep Chiapet “relevant” and allowed him to keep Pedot’s legacy alive.
“All of our success is due to his vision and determination to keep going,” Hirsch said. “His reputation was that he was a tough but fair negotiator. People always walked out of a deal with Joe with a smile on his face…he wanted to make sure everyone wins. “
And in the process, Pedotto also won.
Sheena Smith Anchor for Yahoo Finance. Follow Smith on Twitter @SeanaNSmith. Any tips on deals, mergers, activist status, or anything else? Email seanasmith@yahooinc.com.
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