The Weathertech Guy
 

Is it just me? Or is the weathertech guy an egocentric moron?

I swear there are two pages of ads in every auto magazine out there with pictures of him needing a shave......espousing his philosphy of life and telling us how nice he is to little children and small dogs.

Is this really how you sell floormats?

I can see why you find him annoying, but...

1) He's a car guy. IIRC, he owns several Porsches and is active with local Porsche owners in the Chicago suburbs.

2) He's a car guy. He helps support car rags by buying two-page ads in every issue.

3) He does manufacture all of his floor mats in Bolingbrook, IL.

4) His floor mats are far better than anything else you can buy. They are thick, easy to clean, correctly-measured, and won't let runoff (especially salty runoff) anywhere else in your car. I have a set in my truck, and I don't fear getting in with obscenely muddy feet.

5) Their customer service is top-notch. I stopped by their factory store because the car wash lost one of my mat hooks. Not only did they give me a replacement for free, they gave me a gift for stopping by, and told me next time just to call/e-mail and they would send a replacement hook for free. I walked out of there with a hand full of stuff without spending a dime!

How would you propose Weather Tech tell their story and try to build value in a privately owned small business that makes everything in-house right here in the United States?

The woman he used to have in his ads was adorable... she disappeared fast, guessing she's his now ex-wife. ;-)

Her:

http://www.autotoys.com/pics/weather...-ventvisor.jpg

Isn't he also trying to fund his son's fledgling racing career?

Looks like it's just you.

He did some radio spots here in So Cal for a web design company (American Eagle?). He came across as pretty 'folksy" and nice, although a bit corny.

My suspicion is that he bought the publishing companies and is getting free advertising. That can be the only explanation.

You guys jealous or something? Carefull how you judge someone. I've known Dave for many years, long before his mats biz, watched him create and grow. He's a great guy and more humble than most of you. You don't know his business, family and how he achieved success. No need for me to shout it out but thought I'd stick up for him before this thread turns to schitz. Have a great day.

Sounds to me that the WT guy is passionate about his product and company.

Is he any different than Mike Valentine? Griot? the Sharper Image guy?

I don't quite have the story. Some of it as pure coincidence. In the late 90's there was a place called MacNeil Automotive in Laguna Hills CA. Owned by a racer named MacNeil. This probably is the same David MacNeil that raced sports cars at places like Sebring. He worked for AMG for awhile and it is said he began importing mats.

The rest of the story is more well known.

Not more humble than me! Nobody is more humble than me!

Sounds like Sandusky.

I haven't seen his ads in a while but at one time he listed how everything was made in America, down to the shelving for his warehouses. Which is made in Pa. That company is an account of mine. Small world.

I didn't think I was the only one who thought she was attractive.
Jim

Coming from a guy with 911 posts it's got to be true!!!

Question: Answer: Guess it just me! Seriously i have nothing against the guy- and I own some of his products which I think are great.

It just seems like a dumb way to sell mats and his advertising budget must be huge. Why not highlight your employees once in a while? The quality of your mats? A happy customer? Show a pretty girl?
I don't want to hear his life story- I just want to be compelled to buy his products.

The same ads have run for months on end.....IMO he looks stupid standing on the forklift in a full page picture telling us all about himself and his company when he needs a shave. The woman was gorgeous and I personally would rather see a lot more of her.

And FWIW I've never seen Griot, Mike Valentine or the Sharper Image guy* tell me their life story in order to get me to buy their products. Much less publish full page pictures of themselves.
I'm sure they're great guys too. But nobody is going to buy what you're selling just because you're a great guy. Those of you who know him know he isn't an egocentric moron. But when you publish a full page picture of yourself looking down at everyone with two pages of detail month after month you can sure look like one. He needs a new ad agency.


*BTW I didn't even know there was a Sharper Image guy- that catalog goes straight in the trash. You can only read about the world's best nose hair trimmer so many times....

Hey Cairns, not defending him but... I've often seen that it's not necessarily the owner of the company's idea to be in front of the camera but more like poor advise from his advertising agency

They have a good product, fast friendly service, The ad's got me and kept me coming back.

He is targeting his customers in the car mags most sensible area for Ad's

Made in America

I bet he's doing pretty well.

I agree- now that we know he isn't an egocentric moron he shouldn't let himself be portrayed that way. Because that's what I think those ads make him look like......you guys may know differently but the rest of the world doesn't. When I see those ads I want to buy from somebody else....it's like the guy flying his own helicopter for Scotttrade or whatever it was.....

You must be 17 and/or have a short memory.

After 9/11 MacNeil ran a multi-page spread that really hit the "investment in America" side of things. Photos of employees? Lots of them. Quality of mats? Even photos of the engineers, and the metal bucks produced as moulds for the mats, and the weight of the vinyls. Pretty girls? They were in *every* WeatherTech ad.

This photo of the plant, the flag, his employees, his family, his dogs took up a full two-page spread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1340735593.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1340736069.gif

If magazine ads upset you to the point that you post this...you really need to get a life.

Funny that he only has one picture of himself on the website. From his print ads you would think it would have been on the home page.

In defense of the OP, the ads get on my nerves too. Nothing against the owner of the company or his advertising style, just my 2 cents.

I ordered some WeatherTech mats after reading this thread.

I canceled mine.

Why? Because ass hole Darrell Issa is investigating him for selling Chinese made floor mats and claiming they're U.S. made?

Oh God here we go again....I apologize for offending anyone...I just thought the ads were stupid. And I don't think Darrel Issa has anything to do with them.

As for not having a life (or being 17) I think we ought not go down that path....you can take that crap over to PARF...and try not to offend me.....or anyone else who wants to have a rational discussion.

Then how could you not remember the Weathertech and Valentine One ads from a few years ago?

Either you're too young to have seen them in the first place, you weren't reading car magazines back then, or you have a short memory

There's nothing offensive there, I was seriously wondering

Let's bring this thread back with another look at the girl:

http://origin.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/...=1305441338000

I feel better. You? ;)

[QUOTE=DARISC;6824412]Why? Because ass hole Darrell Issa is investigating him for selling Chinese made floor mats and claiming they're U.S. made?


I was just kidding,I was responding to the post above mine..:D

She does nothing for me.

Or I'm 17 isn't offensive?? Please.

Honestly I don't recall seeing either one of those ads. But I haven't subscribed to Autoweek again until recently and other than Excellence the only other automotive magazines I subscribe to (Motorweek and Car) are British. But I do remember the girl.

I checked out the ads just for her. Damn she had some great legs.

It wouldn't be offensive if you really were 17

If you subscribed or perused the US Big Three (Car and Driver, Road & Track, or Motor Trend) you WOULD have seen the WeatherTech ads "back in the day", and also the Valentine One ads that ran for years with Mike's face in that white lab coat.

If you read British mags, you likely missed it
You likely missed all the ads for Rembrandt whitening strips, Invisalign, and Sonicare toothbrushes as well

Pow! Right in the kisser!

I don't read the "big three", haven't in years and don't even consider them that any more.

When I was 17 - about 40 years ago- I did. Too many Lamborghini Countachs and Mustang v. Camaro contests for me. Brock Yates is dead and Peter Egan might as well be. Satch writes in Roundel now and is a shadow of his former self. He's gone from rallying Saabs to defending an almost 4000 lb 3 series that doesn't have a spare tire or a dipstick. The only Valentine ads I notice are on the back of Panoramas. And my Porsche membership lapsed last Fall (yes I just renewed- I finally noticed the Panos were later than usual) so I haven't seen them lately either.

Do they still run the pheromone ads that will make you irresistable to women???

It sure did. You didn't even get to the inside cover where he parked himself and told his story and introduced new products in a very promoting way.

cairns, you're on the rag today.

Wasn't/isn't the Sharper Image guy's name Kaplan? I think I met him once