• by Paul Allen , December 1, 2009

So the other day, I'm watching TV (I'm in advertising, so I'm obliged to do so). And who do I see presenting me with the opportunity to own the Awesome Augur? You guessed it -- the one and only Billy Mays -- America's most famous pitchman. There he is, booming confidently, telling me that the Awesome Augur is going to make my gardening, roto-tilling, new plantings and weed-maintenance easier than I ever thought possible.

Fantastic news -- if you're inclined to the "gardening way" of life. Me -- I'm not interested in, nor do I undertake, any of these dirt-laden activities. Accordingly, I'm not interested in how I might make any of these endeavors easier at any price.

But what did interest me was that there he was, Billy Mays -- larger than life.

Except that he's dead.

Then a few days later, there he was again -- Dead Billy Mays. This time, he wanted me to buy Fix It! Billy seemed very confident (especially so, given his "dead status") that Fix It! will make my car scratches disappear right before my very eyes. And good old Dead Billy tells me I can also get 2 Fix It! Pro Pens, one Fix It! Home and a Microfiber Polishing Cloth if I order right away, (I'm not sure what all the urgency is about. As far as I know, Billy Mays is not going anywhere soon.)

Okay, so I have to be honest. I would not put Billy Mays high up on my "guys to trust" list, dead or alive. However, when I think about it, there was a trust tipping point for me. I was good with Billy Mays when he was the "OxiClean Guy." OrangeGlo Corp. found a relevant, powerful personality who embodied the "tough work" ethic of OxiClean. He made the products both important and a great value. That, in my world, is great marketing. And it earned Billy Mays the unofficial title of "America's Pitchman." He was the guy who could sell anything. And then he did.

That was my trust tipping point.

Billy Mays started selling anything. Awesome Augurs. Fix It. Zorbeez. Dual Saw. Quick Chop. Mighty Putty. Mighty Mendit. Jupiter Jack. Oh, and let's not forget Max Grip Dash Tray (a personal favorite), Dual Saw, and What Odor? Any guy who was so genuinely enthusiastic about all these things is just not that trustworthy to me. These products just can't all be that equally exciting. I kind of trusted the "OxiClean Guy." I ended up trusting Billy Mays a lot less.

Today, OxiClean pays appropriate tribute to Billy Mays and his iconic status. They have put him into a respectful, visible and appropriate place in their business and brand. Kudos to them. There are others, however, who seem to think that ignoring Billy Mays' untimely death may be good for business. "Keep running the spots -- we already paid for them." "People will buy more now that Billy is dead -- great for his Q score." "Billy would want us to keep him out there selling."

To those people, I say, Stop it.

Billy Mays was a person. Who appeared to live his life fully (albeit briefly) and did something few people do. He became iconic. Billy Mays' larger-than-life pitch-master image will long outlive his cellular presence. Billy Mays is a fantastic piece of sales and marketing Americana. His name and image should be treated as such. He should be parodied on a "Mad Men" episode, not have his old "Alive Billy Mays" spots run unabashedly as if his death was just a Hollywood hoax.

It's time to stop using Billy Mays to sell. And consider using him to learn how to sell. To those companies still using America's Most Famous Pitchman as if he is still alive and well, you may have just created your own trust tipping point.