'Wonderjock' proves it's all about packaging

Brian Tracey Business Editor • Profile

The debut of the WonderBra in 1994 was heralded as probably the greatest innovation in women's lingerie since the invention of pantyhose, so we're wondering why it took the men's underwear industry so long to come up with the Wonderjock.

Apparently, size really does count for something, or at least that's what Australian underwear maker AussieBum believes, as it has just launched the Wonderjock for men who want to look bigger.

Since its debut about a week ago, AussieBum says it has sold 50,000 pairs of Wonderjocks, mostly on its Web site and a handful of stores around the world.

“The design of the underwear separates and lifts. The fabric cup protrudes everything out in front instead of down towards the ground,” said Wonderjock designer Sean Ashby.

“There is no padding, rings or strings,” said Ashby, a co-founder of AussieBum.

Ashby said the idea for the “Wonderjock” was the result of online feedback from customers who expressed an interest in looking bigger, just like women using the Wonderbra.

“When you go to a department store to buy underwear you usually get a grandmother serving, which is not the ideal way to get feedback,” said Ashby. “Our customers give us feedback. We didn’t realize that big is better.”

We just hope they have consulted lawyers about the possibility of lawsuits claiming false advertising.

Not-so-bad ideas

• FidoFeeder Inc. The Fido-Feeder is aimed at raising chow time to a whole new level.

  A week doesn't seem to go by without another breakthrough in the pet-products industry, and the latest is the Fido-Feeder, a dog-food bowl that can be adjusted to match your canine friend's height.

According the Fido-Feeder press release, dogs that are forced to lower their heads to a bowl on the floor can get "intestinal gas and bloat."  In addition, the $49.95 Fido-Feeder can "eliminate stress on muscles, joints and backs."

That's great, because we are getting a little tired of paying big bucks for doggie massages at the K-9 Day Spa.

• A while back we wrote about the bathroom products company in Japan selling a $5,000 toilet that among its many features automatically raises and lowers the seat, a boon for all of us forgetful fellows out there.

Well, for those of us who'd rather not throw that kind of money down a toilet, a Colorado company has introduced the EZPZ, a gizmo that modifies an ordinary commode so it "automatically lifts the toilet seat for him, and lowers it for her."

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Powered by water pressure, the $300 EZPZ has two foot pedals, one to raise and lower the seat and a second to start the flushing.

So guys, now you have to remember to put the pedal to the porcelain.

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