Hello Sharks,
Britney: My name is Britney Lamman, and I’m from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Today, I am seeking $200,000 for 30% equity in my company. Sharks, do you know what chub rub is? Let me tell you from firsthand—or first-thigh—experience that it is awful. Chub rub happens when your thighs rub together or chafe, causing a nasty, painful rash in between your thighs. It’s awful, right? No one wants to deal with that when you’re out trying to have a good time.
Britney: Introducing the Chub Rub Patch! Sharks, let me show you how simple it is to apply these lightweight and thin patches to your inner thighs. You can wear them all day, and your thighs will thank you. My product is the next big thing that solves the common issue of chafing. So, who is ready to help me fight chub rub?
Mark: Britney, this is a problem I suffer from.
Mark: No, get out! You too?
Britney: Yes, because I have these massive running legs, and they rub together all the time. Back in my more Rubenesque days, when I would play basketball, I would have the same thing happen.
Lori: Isn’t it ironic that the men up here are the first ones to talk about chub rub?
Britney: Yes, because honestly, it’s not talked about enough.
Demon: You must have sold a lot of Chub Rub Patches.
Kevin: Oh, here we go.
Britney: We started in July of last year and have $105,000 in sales.
Mark: That’s not bad. So, what do you sell them for?
Britney: We sell them for $8.99.
Mark: And what do they cost you to make?
Britney: $2.12.
Lori: That’s not bad. Can you reuse them, or is it one-time use?
Britney: It’s one-time use, but you can also wear them for up to 3 or 4 days.
Lori: How did you come up with this?
Britney: I actually work at WWE in wrestling, and I’m a makeup artist and hairstylist. A lot of those people work out and have thicker thighs, so that’s how I came up with the idea. There are other products on the market—creams, gels, deodorants, powders. I used to use Vaseline.
Lori: See, the thing is, products like those are not an all-day fix. You have to carry them in your bag and reapply.
JD: Thoughts on that real quick, Matt? Did you have a chance to look up the trademark?
Matt: Yeah, they have a registration for the Chub Rub Patch.
JD: I saw their scripted signature style and a word mark too, so it’s a registered trademark.
Right. If I told someone ‘Chub Rub,’ they’d probably think of something different.
Matt: Yeah, but they’re on the supplemental register, which typically means the mark is somewhat descriptive. I haven’t read the argument from the examining attorney, but I bet it’s pretty funny.
Kevin: Is this a product you guys are working with?
JD: No, it’s not. I found it randomly. We did have a client go on March 8th, and I’m hoping to bring them on. It’s a totally different industry, but I wanted to bring this one up. I did look up if they had any patent protection—the answer is no. This is a product based on how it’s marketed. You look at Amazon and see tons of competitors immediately. This is the classic example we give to product developers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Patent protection can prevent being swamped by competitors.
JD: They could have used design patent protection. Utility might be challenging, but a unique shape could help. The adhesive method might be worth protecting as a trade secret.
Kevin: Yes, the shape, design, and coloring could be protected. The program behind it, too. It’s one-time use but can be used a few times. Their design likely appeals to women with bold colors.
JD: She didn’t get any investors, no bites from the Sharks. She just completed her first year of sales. It’s one of those products that could have benefited from patent protection or more market research to see if it’s viable. With Amazon, you can see how frequently people search for related keywords. If the search volume is low, it might not be a good category to be in. If people are searching for solutions to this problem, what are they buying instead?
Matt: They might use DIY hacks like moleskin.
Kevin: Understanding complementary services people search for can help target ads effectively. Amazon advertising is a deep well, and the platform keeps evolving rapidly.