You Tube Video Causes Self-Stirring Cup Fad

By November 30, 2006


This video is featured on You Tube’s main page. It’s a self-stirring cup, nothing new (apparently), but the video caused a run on similar cups in stores. From Hammacher Schlemmer’s website:

SOLD OUT
Due to the popularity of this item, we are unexpectedly sold out. Please contact customer service at 1-800-321-1484 regarding future product availability.

What is it about seeing some regular people enjoying a product that makes people want to purchase it? Do people just really need a $30 self-stirring cup, but didn’t know it existed? Will this cause a teaspoon glut? Lately, we noticed advertisers trying to replicate “You Tube” or “blog” style videos in their commercials… but it’s just not the same, is it? —MEGHANN MARCO

Self-Stirring Mug [Hammacher Schlemmer]

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Comments

  1. acambras says:
    November 30, 2006 at 4:10 pm

    Like the guy living in his Nissan for 7 days? I hate that guy.

    He’s not the first person to live in a car. It’s called HOMELESSNESS.

  2. homerjay says:
    November 30, 2006 at 5:04 pm

    The sound that cup makes is creepy.

  3. Pelagius says:
    November 30, 2006 at 5:06 pm

    What is it about seeing some regular people enjoying a product that makes people want to purchase it?

    This is exactly what advertisers have forgotten. Instead of demonstrating the product and why we should buy it, we get funny skits and arthouse short films that have nothing to do with the beer/car/self-stirring cup being advertised.

  4. Metschick says:
    November 30, 2006 at 5:10 pm

    How lazy do you have to be to need a self-stirring cup? What next, pre-chewed food?

  5. gypsychk says:
    November 30, 2006 at 5:26 pm

    I’m done reading this page. Can someone please invent a self-clicking mouse so I can get on with my life?

  6. Dustbunny says:
    November 30, 2006 at 5:58 pm

    Actually, I could see this being very handy for when you’re drinking hot chocolate and the cocoa powder keeps clumping up at the bottom of the cup.

    Yes, I’m lazy, why do you ask?

  7. eeebee says:
    November 30, 2006 at 6:27 pm

    Too bad they are out of them. I drew my husband’s cousin in our family $30 limit gift grab, 40 year old male lawyer who has everything. This would have been perfect just for the novelty of it.

  8. Charles Star says:
    November 30, 2006 at 6:59 pm

    Watching people enjoy the product was apparently the key to the success of the Foreman Grill. When it was first being sold on a home shopping channel, sales were tepid until George (in the background and not really thinking about it) just plucked a hamburger off of the grill and started eating it. The phone banks went nuts and a rehash of the old sandwich maker became a kitchen must-have. (Or so the story goes in Salton’s history of the grill.)

    Did I mention that I love my Foreman Grill?

  9. cindel says:
    November 30, 2006 at 7:16 pm

    People are really becoming lazy aren’t they?

  10. Solo says:
    November 30, 2006 at 7:47 pm

    If it’s possible to get rich by selling a pet rock, imagine the success of a mildly usefull, yet gimmicky product!

  11. Eyebrows McGee (now with double the baby!) says:
    November 30, 2006 at 8:36 pm

    You could just get one of those chem lab thingies that does basically exactly the same thing as this cup, with the little spinner magnet and the stage you set the beaker on to make it spin.

  12. acambras says:
    November 30, 2006 at 9:02 pm

    Or go up to the attic and find an old record player or SpinArt turntable. :-)

  13. The Reviewer says:
    November 30, 2006 at 9:08 pm

    I have one of these, but not from overpriced Hammacher Schlemmer that place is a rip off. You can get them for 9.99 with a cow logo. Here http://www.simplybovine.com/products/moomixer.php
    I love mine, I drink chocolate milk every day and this cup really makes a good stirred cup, they now have a jumbo sized one for 14.99 which I am sure I will pick up soon.

  14. The Reviewer says:
    November 30, 2006 at 9:10 pm

    I have one of these. But it is not from over priced hammachaler snachalllyourcasher It’s called the moo mixer. It wokrs well and is only 9.99. They have a jumbo one out now for 14.99. http://www.simplybovine.com/products/moomixer.php

  15. factotum says:
    November 30, 2006 at 9:35 pm

    Simple minds, simple pleasures. What was so funny to the guy in the video?

  16. synergy says:
    November 30, 2006 at 9:40 pm

    I would say the stainless steel-looking mug would cost more than the cow one since it looks like a regular mug. The cow one doesn’t with the separate handle. It looks more like a mini-blender.

  17. Solo says:
    November 30, 2006 at 10:13 pm

    What was so funny to the guy in the video?

    A far fetched sexual reference maybe. And the sound. The sound is funny.

  18. nikoniko says:
    December 1, 2006 at 2:19 am

    This is how I prefer to stir my coffee:

    http://www.gametrailers.com/umwatcher.php?id=11006

  19. Jesse in Japan says:
    December 1, 2006 at 1:47 pm

    Dude, that thing is awesome! Imagine drinking your cocoa while it’s still stirring!!

  20. manateemedia says:
    December 6, 2006 at 7:11 am

    Stirring mug available at
    http://www.stirringmug.com