‘Shark Tank’ preview: Better Life cleaning products, John Paul DeJoria, and Teddy Needs a Bath
Whenever we see an environmentally-conscious product being pitched on “Shark Tank,” we want to stand up and applaud from an ethical point of view; however, there is an innate challenge that comes with this in that consumers want to save money. If they feel like a normal brand is going to perform the same or better and costs less, they are going to buy it regardless of whether it helps the environment. Few eco-friendly products do a good job showing that there is actual practical benefit to using them over anything else.
This is what Better Life for now seems to have figured out. Their presentation on tomorrow night’s new episode is great (as you can see in the sneak-peek video below) largely because it does show you clear results that it at least cleans certain surfaces better than the name brand cleaner. While we know that this is only one test, it’s an impressive one … as is one of the founders proving that it is safe by squirting some of it in his mouth. Seriously, he does that.
There are sales, an intelligent name, and passionate guys behind the product that should be pounding down Lori Greiner’s door to get this on QVC, but is this really the perfect pitch? Not necessarily, since the price for the consumer is still what is left to determine.
There are a couple of interesting little side notes about tomorrow’s episode to point out now:
1. This was actually given the production number of “501,” meaning that it was filmed before any other one that you have seen so far this season.
2. There is a guest shark in the tank in John Paul DeJoria, known for co-founding both the Paul Mitchell Hair Care line and also Patron Spirits. So basically, he’s the guy you go to if you want to have a great salon treatment with an expensive drink afterwards. John Paul is there in place of Robert Herjavec, who we will miss since he is one of the under-appreciated members of the tank.
3. The update this week will be on Teddy Needs a Bath, which reminds us of that “Calvin & Hobbes” strip where Calvin’s mom tries to proclaim that this is what a washing machine really is to a stuffed tiger: A giant bathtub.
Take a look at the full synopsis from this episode below:
“Two men from St. Louis have a line of safe, natural cleaning products—but will they clean up when it comes to a deal? A New Yorker inspired by cups at frat parties hopes for a $300,000 investment in his standard party cup with a hidden shot glass inside. An entrepreneur from Pleasanton, California has an electric, lightweight bodyboard which he claims could be the hottest new thing in water sports—will a Shark bite? And an entrepreneur from Arcadia, Florida, is pitching a tented root cover for newly planted trees that he claims will save farmers thousands of dollars in fuel and water. And the show updates viewers on last season’s Teddy Needs a Bath—a product from Nicole Townsend of Huntington Beach, CA, that helps clean stuffed animals safely. Why does she now say, ‘’Shark Tank’ made all of my dreams come true?'”
Click here if you want to check out some more “Shark Tank” highlights from the season, and we will be back tomorrow night with a full review of the episode after it airs.
Photo: ABC