• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, November 15, 2007

One thing seems clear: The Ohio Art Co.--maker of the childhood staple Etch A Sketch--has a potential Jared Fogle on its hands, and should find a way to link with him, if it hasn't already. Fogle, of course, is the man who lost 100 pounds after just three months on a diet that included Subway sandwiches for lunch and dinner and lots of walking.

Subway got wind of Fogle's jaw-dropping feat due to news coverage, and after tracking him down, the somewhat reserved but charming Midwesterner became the subject of a long-running TV campaign. The simple moniker "Jared the Subway guy" took on national recognition.

Etch a Sketch marketers have a guy who could easily follow a similar trajectory: George Vlosich III.

So far, he's given them a great deal of free publicity, so perhaps Ohio Art feels it's got the ultimate viral campaign and has no need to spend a dime.

But who knows what a coordinated, well-strategized campaign could do for the 47-year-old toy. The family-controlled Ohio Art last month promoted Martin L. Kilgallon III, part of the family, to senior vice president with oversight over marketing.

If he hasn't, he should dial Vlosich--an art director by day in Cleveland--and if need be, even with the credit crunch, borrow what it takes to get a Jared-like effort up and running. Ohio Art posted a 5% jump in net sales for the first half of the year. On the surface, the $9.4 million intake seems modest, but at about $12.95 a toy (the company does sell other brands), that would come out to some 726,000 Etch A Sketches.

If Fogle's diet was jaw-dropping, so is Vlosich's ability using the white knobs and gray board. He's a Rembrandt within the red perimeter. He's done presidents and sports stars, LeBron James is a recent creation. His drawings can take up to 80 hours to complete and he charges up to $10,000 a shot.

From a marketing standpoint, Vlosich's appeal and potential benefit would be like Fogle's: Sales through aspiration. It's unlikely, of course, that everyone--maybe not anyone--could match his stunning talent, just like it's tough to believe a couple Subway six-inchers and a walk each day can lead to prodigious weight loss.

But Vlosich offers up a wave of possibilities that just might inspire someone to spend the $12.95 to try their hand, or give it as a gift to someone they know with artistic talent. Ten thousand dollars from an Etch A Sketch? That's not Monopoly, that's real dough. Another aspect of Vlosich's appeal is his personality. He comes off as a humble, yet engaging guy with a healthy sense of humor--perhaps surprising for someone who spends hundreds of hours in his dad's basement spinning the dials.

How do we know? His many media appearances. He's been on MSNBC; the subject of a prime-time news magazine feature on ABC this summer; a YouTube hit--and then earlier this month bantered with David Letterman.

In that role, the man who's drawn Will Smith and Bill Clinton turned his skills to Biff Henderson, the well-known "Letterman" stage manager who often makes cameos in front of the "Late Show" camera (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX).

Throughout the Nov. 2 "Late Show," he goes to work outlining Henderson, but it's Letterman's conversation with Vlosich that proves to be a boon for the team in Ohio. At once, it reminds people that the toy is still around--and a pretty good deal.

"Do they still make these?" Letterman asks.

"They still make them," Vlosich says.

Letterman: "How much are they, do you know?"

"They're about 10 bucks," Vlosich responds, dialing down the price a bit.

Then he's off working feverishly on Henderson's likeness. Before the final product is revealed--which prompts a "That's amazing" from Letterman--the board is the subject of multiple closeups.

And Letterman has one on his desk, and even holds it up as he jokes with guest Bill Murray.

All in all, it's an endorsement that couldn't be bought. Still, Vlosich's full potential to help sell more Etch A Sketches seems somehow untapped.