The Snuggie is a blanket with oversized sleeves that allow users to use their hands without fully unwrapping the blanket. It became popular due to a memorable TV commercial, but also faced criticism for its questionable sales tactics and the need for a product that solves a non-existent problem. The Slanket is a similar product marketed through TV shopping networks.
Some marketers excel by selling a previously unknown problem to consumers, then offering a never-before-seen solution to that problem at an unbelievably low price. Such is the case with a new form of blanket known as the Snuggie. This product incorporates oversized sleeves that allow the user to use their hands without fully unwrapping the blanket. The blanket can be worn around the house as a robe, although there is no closure device included in the design.
Other benefits of the Snuggie include easier access to your phone or books. Users can also enjoy snacks without having to unwrap the entire blanket. The blanket is designed to be one size fits all, due to its extra long length and oversized sleeve openings. The fabric is described as a plush fleece, although it is not as dense as traditional blanket material. The fleece material used in the construction is closer to the thin, foamy fleece blankets often found on hotel beds.
The Snuggie became a fixture of pop culture following the release and repeated airing of a memorable if somewhat bizarre television commercial. The commercial depicted members of an extended family enjoying the benefits of the product, from a mother talking on the phone to a father using his laptop on the blanket. Younger children could be seen reading books or eating snacks while wearing them. At one point, the entire family sits in the stands, each wearing a Snuggie, bearing more than a casual resemblance to monks encased in robes.
Due to this ubiquitous and relentlessly optimistic television commercial, the blanket became a target for many social pundits and satirists. A popular video parody overdubs the original audio of the commercial with a new voiceover promoting the Cult of Snuggie. Others have commented on the product’s questionable sales tactics, with shipping and handling costs nearly matching the price of the product itself. There are also critics who question the need for a product that supposedly solves a non-existent problem.
However, Snuggie may not be the first of its kind. Another inventor successfully marketed a sleeved blanket called the Slanket several years earlier, but it carries a higher retail price and is only marketed through dedicated TV shopping networks like QVC. The success of the Slanket likely encouraged competitors like the Snuggie to enter the niche market of consumers who enjoy the “cloistered monk” school of fashion.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
