Case Study: Socket Blocker
As a longtime contractor, Corey would encounter one specific problem, time and again: Painters and drywallers would arrive on a jobsite after the electricians, and fingernail-sized flecks of paint or drywall would invariably creep into exposed outlets—even after painter’s tape had been applied to prevent exactly that. If even a sliver found its way into an outlet or data port, it would create a fire hazard. (Above and beyond the fire hazard, though, paint-splattered outlets just look sloppy, don’t they?)
Every time, Corey would call the electrician to replace the outlet—costing time, money, and headaches for all involved. Deep down, he just knew there had to be a better way
So, in 2018, he and his partner Angie came to us with that better way: Socket Blocker.
As they envisioned it, anyone could ditch the painter’s tape, peel the backing off an individual Socket Blocker, and stick the bubble-like protector over an exposed outlet before working on a project. Doing so would address the risk of fire hazards, improve jobsite cleanliness, save money, and cut down on laborious prep time—and they wanted our help in bringing the game-changing product to market.
Over the next year, we worked with Corey and Angie to develop branding, packaging, photography, videos, a social media presence, a website, and a handful of other collateral.
In doing so, we targeted DIYers, mostly stay-at-home moms and empty nesters, and contractors. We recognized it would be easy to advertise Socket Blocker as a hokey, “As Seen on TV”-type gimmick—but decided early on to prioritize clarity, confidence, light-heartedness, and a matter-of-fact attitude.
One of our biggest challenges was how to keep that branding in mind while quickly explaining Socket Blocker: What is it, and why do you need it? Is it for keeping children’s fingers safe? Is it for painters? How do you use it? Why can’t I just use painter’s tape?
We decided on a bold approach that started with stark lettering and bright colors (designed to catch the scanning eye). Once we grabbed someone’s attention, we boiled the Socket Blocker tagline down to three simple, succinct words: “Peel. Stick. Paint.” We rounded out the rest of the packaging with diagrams and a short paragraph that reinforced the danger of paint in your outlets and quickly communicated the product’s value as an easy-to-use, time-saving tool.
Socket Blocker was released to a receptive audience and is now available on Amazon, SocketBlocker.com, and a growing number of home-improvement retailers.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work:
Ashley Jhaveri oversaw design, packaging concept, packaging design, proof of concept, market research, merchandising research, and delivery.
Josh Tibbits ran point on video planning, editing, and coordination—and served as cameraman. He also oversaw photoshoot planning and execution.
Michael Perozzo continues to run Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns to drive sales to the Amazon store, while Andrew Cooper manages a social media strategy with support from Will Smith to engage DIYers, influencers, and contractors on a daily basis.