‘Shark Tank’ preview: ZinePak, Noene, Buck Mason, Snag a Stool, and Pork Barrel BBQ update
First things first, we should tell you that “Shark Tank” is jumping ahead an hour! Starting tomorrow night, the series is going to be moving into a new timeslot at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. We cannot say that we love it airing against “The Amazing Race,” but we’re going to be here live providing you with quick-takes on all of the products and much more.
As for the contents of the episode tomorrow, you’re going to see everything from clothing to mobile apps to collectibles. While we’re not in love with any of these on first impression, we also don’t think any of them are complete duds either. Take a look at the synopsis below, and then we’ll have our first impressions:
“…Two women from New York City present their collectible products for celebrities’ super-fans; two men from Boston pitch a mobile app for reserving a bar stool in advance for popular nights and events; Midwesterners who transplanted to Venice, CA have a cool, classic men’s clothing line that is made in America, and an Atlanta man who spent a decade playing in the NFL has a revolutionary high-tech insole for shoes. Will the Sharks bite? Plus, get the follow-up story on Pork Barrel BBQ from season one—how have the two men from Washington, DC. fared since Barbara Corcoran’s investment?”
Buck Mason – This feels to us almost like the unofficial clothing company of Ron Swanson. It is more or less a line of men’s clothing that is designed to be timeless and minimalist. Also, it is made in America using quality products without having much of a middleman. There are a billion clothing brands out there, but kudos to this one for at least knowing who they are. It’s not proof that they will get an investment, though.
Noene – Another relatively-simple product. Noene is specifically emphasizing performance and function with their insoles, which they claim are extremely thin but still very much effective. We don’t know much about the insoles market, but it feels like there are one or two huge companies everyone is competing against. Also, we have no idea how to pronounce the name.
Snag a Stool – An app that helps you to get the spot that you want at a participating bar or nightclub establishment. Maybe it’s the OpenTable of bars, but we’re not sure if it will work nearly as well. For one, you have to get bars board to use it. Also, we always find that going out for a drink is a little more spontaneous, and sometimes you really don’t want to plan that sort of thing out too much.
ZinePak – We understand what the goal is for this product: To create immersive experiences revolving around music products. For example, they work with artists and labels to create special editions of their albums that include magazines, memorabilia, and other little valuables. If this was 1995, this idea would have killed! Our only concern is that so many people now just buy everything online and stick it on their iPhone.
Want to get some other updates on “Shark Tank” this season? Then head over here to see our most-recent review! Also, sign up here to bite into some other TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)