Over 16 seasons of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” the Sharks have seen thousands of pitches and invested over $200 million on air. However, success or failure with the Sharks doesn’t always translate to public demand.
The “Shark Tank Effect” can boost some businesses whether or not they get an investment. Simply appearing on the show can be enough to go viral and secure an interested consumer base. These business pitches attracted the attention of the Sharks for good and bad reasons, going viral in the process.
The Ionic Ear (Season 1, 2009)
Darrin Johnson proposed the idea of the Ionic Ear, a Bluetooth device that could be surgically implanted in the user's ear canal. Johnson’s product was meant to solve the problem of Bluetooth headphones that continually fall out; he asked for $1 million for a 15% stake.
Shark Tank Judge Barbara Corcoran called it “the worst pitch,” with other Sharks agreeing that it was one of the most ridiculous pitches they’ve heard. None of the Sharks were interested in investing in Johnson’s idea, with Judge Kevin O’Leary suggesting that the authorities should arrest Johnson for his extreme product idea.
After the show, Johnson failed to secure any investment and never moved the idea beyond development. It wasn’t just his idea that failed to sway investors; his presentation also didn’t go over well. “Johnson is humorless and doesn't prove his qualifications,” wrote Business Insider.
Johnson’s experience is a great example of a business idea that went viral for all the wrong reasons.
[Read more: 5 Business Lessons From Shark Tank's Daymond John]
Copa di Vino (Seasons 2 and 3, 2011–2012)
James Martin appeared on “Shark Tank” twice, going viral for turning down investment offers from the judges an astonishing two times. His product, premium wine packaged in recyclable, single-serve plastic containers, attracted the attention of Kevin O’Leary the first time—though Martin walked away from the offer to retain a higher percentage of his ownership.
By his second appearance, Copa di Vino was already successful on the market and Martin wanted an investment to keep up with production. This time, three Sharks made offers.
“Before Martin could decline again, [Mark] Cuban backed out and [Robert] Herjavec was so angered at the suspicion that Martin was going to decline again that he walked off set,” wrote Collider. “Now available in stores like Walmart and 7-Eleven, Copa di Vino has reportedly tripled in size since.”
Copa di Vino was acquired by Splash Beverage Group Inc. in a deal that reportedly included the brand’s innovative packaging—proving that the Shark Tank Effect can work even for those who reject deals.
Success isn’t always linear, even for products that make it in front of the Shark Tank judges.
The Squatty Potty (Season 6, 2014)
Bobby Edwards and his mother Judy Edwards went viral following their pitch for the Squatty Potty, a posture-correcting toilet stool. The product itself attracted a lot of attention, but it was the way the mother-son duo made their pitch—humorously and confidently—that resonated with consumers.
After striking a deal with Lori Greiner, the company saw a dramatic boost in sales, quickly becoming a multimillion-dollar business. In the months after airing, Squatty Potty’s sales soared—the company sold $12 million worth of product soon after its episode. In 2019, the Edwards family came back on Shark Tank with an update: They had achieved $250 million in lifetime sales.
The brand’s quirky, educational marketing (including viral online videos following Shark Tank) further fueled its popularity, making it a household name and cementing its reputation as one of Shark Tank’s most successful and discussed products.
[Read more: 7 Insider Tips from 'Shark Tank' Contestants]
Scrub Daddy (Season 4, 2012)
Founder and CEO Aaron Krause brought the Sharks a smiley-faced sponge that gets soft in warm water and hard in cold water: the Scrub Daddy. Krause’s product is often cited as one of the most successful Shark Tank pitches ever, after Judge Lori Greiner invested $200,000 for a 20% stake. Greiner helped get the Scrub Daddy into retail outlets and expand the product line to other cleaning products. Scrub Daddy went on to earn over $220 million in sales in 2023 and continues to be popular.
“Scrub Daddy has become a viral sensation thanks to its engaging and quirky social media presence. The brand consistently posts humorous and relatable content across platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where fans share their cleaning hacks using the product,” reported Onmanorama.
DoorBot (Season 5, 2013)
When Jamie Siminoff brought the DoorBot to the Shark Tank judges, no one was enthusiastic. Siminoff pitched a doorbell with Wi-Fi connectivity that let homeowners see who was at the door and speak to their visitor from their phones. Only O’Leary made an offer, which Siminoff rejected.
Siminoff kept working on the concept—which later became the Ring doorbell. The company started to gain momentum thanks to the Shark Tank Effect. And, in 2018, Ring sold to Amazon for $1 billion.
“Siminoff said on an update for ‘Shark Tank’ that aired Nov. 12, 2017, ‘Today we’re over 1,300 people, 10 core products, [sold in] 16,000 stores.’ Ring even landed Virgin Group billionaire Richard Branson as an investor after he saw one of the company’s products,” reported CNBC.
Success isn’t always linear, even for products that make it in front of the Shark Tank judges. But with the right pitch, patience, and a little luck, your product can go viral and generate the excitement it needs to grow.
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