Face It. They’re Gross

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With the advertising business in a slump, the owners of a small agency in Venice decided to diversify. Instead of just selling someone else’s product, they made their own.

Six months ago, Holland Henton and Paige Gillingwater, a married couple that owns the five-employee Black Lab agency, started with a sketch of what they dubbed Spread Heads: squeeze bottles that dispense ketchup or mustard. The bottles are capped with a plastic human head and the condiment comes out through the character’s nose.

Henton got the idea years ago while working for a big agency on the Heinz Ketchup account.

“I’m a kid at heart, so I turn ordinary things into toys all the time,” he said.

His wife takes a more consumer-based approach, however.

“Kids love gross things,” Gillingwater said. “We always thought kids would like it, but we were surprised how parents and grandparents have embraced the product.”

With a sketch in hand, the couple traveled to China to find a manufacturer. Spread Heads are now for sale at supermarkets in 48 states, including Albertsons, Vons and Ralphs in Los Angeles.

Gillingwater said Spread Heads represents only about 10 percent of their business, but she hopes that will grow as the product line expands. Toothpaste Heads, Milk Heads and Salad Dressing Heads are in the works.

One drawback to the initial design is the nose hole doesn’t close a potential freshness issue.

“For future Heads, we’ll have to find a way to close off the hole,” Henton said. “We’re evolving the product in a way to make them not only fun but great caps.”

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