PedEgg hatches surprising sales

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2008 | by Laura Petrecca

It's both fascinating and revolting at the same time: a cheese-grater-like device that shaves skin off feet to make them softer, smoother and better looking.

Since the October launch of the PedEgg, millions of people have been exposed to its cringe-inducing but oddly effective marketing message.

Short-form infomercials that air 120 times a day show the egg-shaped contraption in use (complete with close-ups of a user dumping shaved skin out of PedEgg's "convenient storage compartment" into the trash). Print and Internet ads have upped the exposure of the home pedicure tool, which is designed to "perfectly fit in the palm of your hand," according to maker TeleBrands.

A publicity coup came when TeleBrands CEO AJ Khubani got to show a national TV...