Case Study: How Blendtec's "Will It Blend?" Videos Turned a Blender Into a Brand
In 2006, a blender company in Utah started filming its founder grinding marbles, rake handles and gadgets into dust. The videos became one of the best-known examples of low-budget viral marketing. Here is what Blendtec did, what the company says it achieved and the lessons a small business can borrow today.
Key takeaways
- Blendtec turned a real product test into entertainment, so every video was also a product demonstration.
- The format was simple, repeatable and cheap, which let the company produce many episodes.
- Blendtec has reported a large sales increase after the series launched, often cited as about 700%. That figure is the company's own claim.
- Small businesses can copy the principle: find the most dramatic proof of your product's value and show it.
Most small businesses believe video marketing requires a big budget, a production crew and a clever agency. Blendtec's "Will It Blend?" series is a reminder that the opposite can be true. A plain white set, a lab coat, a sense of humor and a product that genuinely does something impressive turned a little-known commercial blender maker into a name millions of people recognized.
This case study is based on widely reported accounts from the company and its marketing team in interviews and press coverage over the years. Where figures come from Blendtec itself, we say so.
Background: a strong product nobody was talking about
Blendtec was founded by Tom Dickson, an engineer and inventor based in Utah. The company made powerful blenders for commercial kitchens, coffee shops and smoothie bars, along with home models. The products were respected in the trade, but the brand was largely unknown to ordinary consumers.
In 2006, the company hired George Wright as its marketing director. According to accounts Wright has given in interviews, he noticed that Dickson regularly tested the durability of blenders by putting tough objects, such as wooden boards, into them. The tests were messy and fun to watch, and they proved exactly what made the product special.
Common mistake
Assuming your product is too ordinary for interesting content. A blender is about as everyday as it gets. The story was not the product category. It was the product's surprising strength, shown in a way people wanted to share.
What they did: the "Will It Blend?" formula
Wright proposed filming those tests and posting them online. The first videos went up in late 2006. Widely repeated accounts from Wright say the first batch was made on a very small budget, often cited as around $50 for materials such as marbles, a rake and a few other items, plus a domain name.
The format barely changed from episode to episode, which was part of its strength:
- A recognizable host: Tom Dickson himself, in a white lab coat and safety glasses, with a calm, friendly delivery.
- A single question: each episode opened with the line "Will it blend?" and an unusual object.
- A clear payoff: the blender ran, the object turned to dust and Dickson delivered a short closing line.
- Short runtime: most episodes were brief, easy to watch and easy to share.
Riding the news cycle
The series became especially famous when it blended popular, newsworthy items, such as a newly released smartphone in 2007. Those episodes tied the brand to topics people were already searching for and discussing, which helped the videos spread far beyond kitchen appliance shoppers.
Inviting the audience in
Viewers suggested objects to blend, and the company expanded the series with more episodes, appearances and merchandise. The audience felt part of an ongoing show rather than a one-off advert.
Results: what Blendtec has reported
The series attracted very large audiences across YouTube and other channels, and it was widely covered by the press, marketing books and business schools as an example of viral marketing. The company and its marketing team have described a major business impact.
It is worth reading that figure with care. It comes from Blendtec, not an independent study, and sales growth always has several causes, including product quality, retail distribution and wider market trends. What is clear from public coverage is that the series transformed the brand's visibility, especially among consumers who had never heard of it.
| Element | What Blendtec did | Why it mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Very low, by the company's account | Low cost meant low risk and room to experiment |
| Concept | Real durability tests as entertainment | Every video doubled as proof of product quality |
| Host | The founder, playing himself | Gave the brand a human, memorable face |
| Format | Short, repeatable, same opening question | Easy to produce often and easy to recognize |
| Topics | Unusual and newsworthy objects | Tied the brand to conversations already happening |
Lessons for a small business
You probably do not sell blenders, and the internet of today is far more crowded than in 2006. But the principles behind the series still hold.
1. Show proof, do not just claim it
Every business says its product is high quality. Blendtec showed it in a way nobody could argue with. Ask yourself what the most dramatic, visual proof of your product's value would be. A cleaning company might film the toughest stain it has removed. An accountant might show how much a client saved after one change.
2. Build a repeatable format
One-off videos are hard to sustain. A format with the same structure every time lets you produce content quickly and helps viewers recognize you instantly. Think of a recurring question, challenge or segment you can repeat for months.
3. Put a real person on camera
Dickson was not an actor, and that was part of the charm. A founder or long-time employee who knows the product deeply often comes across as more trustworthy than a polished presenter.
4. Connect to what people already care about
Topical episodes helped the series spread. You can do the same by linking your content to seasonal events, local news or trends in your industry, as long as it stays relevant and in good taste.
Hypothetical example
Imagine a small shoe repair shop that launches a weekly short video called "Can We Save It?" Each week, the owner shows a pair of badly damaged shoes sent in by a customer, then reveals the restored result. The format is cheap to film on a phone, shows real skill, and invites customers to send in their own "impossible" repairs. Over time, the series becomes the shop's most recognizable marketing.
Pro tip
Before filming, write down your format in one sentence, such as "Every week, we test X against Y and show the result in under a minute." If you cannot describe it that simply, the format is probably too complex to repeat.
5. Keep it cheap enough to keep going
The low cost of each episode was not just a nice story. It meant the company could keep producing videos without needing every single one to succeed. Many small businesses spend their whole video budget on one polished brand film, then have nothing left to publish. A simple format filmed on a phone lets you test, learn and improve week after week.
6. Keep the product at the center
Plenty of viral videos are remembered while the brand behind them is forgotten. In "Will It Blend?", the blender was the hero of every episode. Viewers could not watch without understanding what the product did and why it was impressive. When you plan entertaining content, check that removing your product would break the idea. If the video works just as well without it, the brand will probably get lost.
What the case does not prove
It is tempting to treat famous campaigns as recipes. Be honest about the limits:
- Timing helped. Online video sharing was young in 2006, and there was far less competition for attention than there is now.
- The product suited the stunt. Blending tough objects is naturally visual. Not every product has a moment that dramatic.
- Results are self-reported. The headline sales figure comes from the company, so we cannot separate the effect of the videos from other factors.
None of this makes the lessons less useful. It simply means you should test your own version on a small scale and judge it by your own results.
How to plan your own "will it blend" style series
- List your product's most impressive strengths. Focus on things that can be shown, not just described: speed, durability, precision, transformation or savings.
- Turn one strength into a question or challenge. Questions create curiosity and give every episode a natural payoff.
- Choose a host and a simple set. Keep lighting, background and opening the same every time so the series feels consistent.
- Film a batch of five to ten episodes. Batching saves time and lets you publish steadily while you learn what works.
- Publish on the platforms your customers use. Short vertical videos may work on one platform, while longer cuts suit another.
- Review results and invite suggestions. Track views, shares, comments and enquiries, and let viewers suggest future episodes.
Why the approach works
- Low production costs and fast turnaround
- Entertainment and product proof in the same video
- A format that builds recognition over time
What to keep in mind
- Viral success is never guaranteed
- Stunts must be safe and not misleading
- Topical content can date quickly or offend if misjudged
Video is one part of a wider content plan. If you need help deciding how often to publish and how to tie videos to your other channels, our content marketing 90-day plan walks through the process step by step.
Your video series starter checklist
- Write down three visual proofs of your product's value
- Pick one and turn it into a repeatable question or challenge
- Choose a host, a simple set and a consistent opening line
- Film five episodes in one session on a phone or basic camera
- Publish one episode a week and track enquiries, not just views
- After five weeks, keep, adjust or replace the format based on results
Frequently asked questions
When did "Will It Blend?" start?
Blendtec began publishing the series in 2006, after marketing director George Wright suggested filming the durability tests that founder Tom Dickson was already running.
Is the 700% sales increase figure reliable?
It is a figure reported by Blendtec and repeated widely in the press. It has not been independently audited, and sales growth usually has several causes, so treat it as a company claim rather than a precise measurement.
Can a service business use this kind of video?
Yes. The core idea is showing proof in an entertaining, repeatable way. Service businesses can film before and after transformations, real problem-solving or quick challenges that show their skill.
Do I need professional equipment?
No. A modern smartphone, steady support, good light and clear sound are enough for most short-form video. Consistency and a strong idea matter far more than expensive gear.
Related reading
The bottom line
"Will It Blend?" worked because it turned honest product proof into a short, repeatable show with a memorable host. You do not need a viral hit to benefit from the same idea. Find the most visual proof of what your business does well, give it a simple format and keep showing up.
