Adam Rauch and Derek Shaw pitch their pheromone infused hair products, called Laid Brand, to the Sharks in the season eight finale. They created the brand to allow women to feel good while looking good. Using their “Pherottraction Technology,” they think they can help women have a more positive emotional reaction to their newly styled hair.
Pheromones are scents humans (and all mammals) secrete. They signal a wide variety of emotions: fear, anger, and even sexual attraction. The expression “we have good chemistry” stems from the idea of pheromonal attraction. While humans naturally secrete pheromones, there are a slew of products that infuse pheromones into them – most notably perfumes and colognes. It’s rumored that you shouldn’t go on a safari wearing Calvin Kline scents as they attract big cats. That’s pheromones at work.
Their tongue-in-cheek product names like “Fill Me Up,” “Rockin,” and “Straight to Kinky” invoke a bit of soft-core porn branding. Laid Brand is implying that using their products will get you laid. According to reviews, it works good on hair, but they make no claims – other than innuendo – that it attracts men. Whether a Shark wants to get in bed with this business remains to be seen – but cue the “Bow Chicka Bow Bow” music during this pitch!
My Take on Laid Brand
A long time ago, someone gave me a one year subscription to Playboy Magazine for a gift (I always enjoyed the articles). I remember seeing ads for various cologne products with Pheromones that “guaranteed” women would fall at your feet if your wore it. I didn’t really buy into it then and I don’t think I do now.
Pheromones alone won’t guarantee anything. You need that “natural” chemistry to have an attraction to someone. That said, many people will buy into it. They are getting some search engine traffic, with the peak interest coming back in August, 2016. Hair Care products are a tough nut to crack. Getting market share is tough and this product seems a bit too gimmicky to make it big. For that reason, I’m out.
Will Sharks want to Get Laid?
Even if they give up a majority of the business, I don’t think a Shark invests in this business. There are 4 reasons I believe this.
First, the Sharks will want independent testing data. Without that, there’s no deal. Second, the whole branding is a bit of soft-core sleaze that the Sharks won’t associate with. Third, they aren’t selling in many (if any) salons; premium hair care products have to be in salons for credibility. Fourth, their website is very rudimentary – it doesn’t look like a website a Shark is involved with.
While the products might be good and many people will buy into the pheromone branding, I just don’t think pheromones work at attracting Sharks.
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