RIP Gary Dahl

AdamJoshua · 04-01-2015, 08:03 AM

Gary Dahl, the inventor of the pet rock passed away.

Quote:

It was a craze to rival the Hula-Hoop, and even less explicable. For a mere three dollars and 95 cents, a consumer could buy ... a rock — a plain, ordinary, egg-shaped rock of the kind one could dig up in almost any backyard.

The wonder of it was, for a few frenzied months in 1975, more than a million consumers did, becoming the proud if slightly abashed owners of Pet Rocks, the fad that Newsweek later called “one of the most ridiculously successful marketing schemes ever.”

Gary Dahl, the man behind that scheme — described variously as a marketing genius and a genial mountebank — died on March 23 at 78. A down-at-the-heels advertising copywriter when he hit on the idea, he originally meant it as a joke. But the concept of a “pet” that required no actual work and no real commitment resonated with the self-indulgent ’70s, and before long a cultural phenomenon was born.

The man knew how to market things, that's for sure.

Charlie Brown had no comment at the time of thread publication.

Dave128 · 04-01-2015, 08:06 AM

R.I.P., Mr. Dahl.

Remo · 04-01-2015, 08:10 AM

RIP...funniest damn idea ever and he made a ton of money off it

shilala · 04-01-2015, 08:22 AM

I ran away from home with my buddy Gary Dahl when I was a kid.
He did not invent the pet rock, so far as I know.

The Poet · 04-01-2015, 08:30 AM

A rolling stone gathers no moss, but pet rocks did garner much green. Though, come to think of it, not as much as The Rolling Stones.

Rest in peace, Gary.

icehog3 · 04-01-2015, 08:35 AM

R.I.P., Mr. Dahl.

Remo · 04-01-2015, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shilala

I ran away from home with my buddy Gary Dahl when I was a kid.
He did not invent the pet rock, so far as I know.

May have been your "Gay Doll" Scott

CigarNut · 04-01-2015, 10:07 AM

May He Rest In Peace.

The Poet · 04-01-2015, 11:30 AM

I sort of had a pet rock once, but it had a string attached and Duncan printed on the side.

dave · 04-01-2015, 11:41 AM

He should have waited until today to die, I think

heyferg · 04-01-2015, 12:11 PM

My ex used to do a great Pet Rock impression whenever we went to bed!

04-01-2015, 08:06 AM	#2
Dave128 Sexy Dave Join Date: Feb 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Voorheesville, NY Posts: 3,922 Trading: (4)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl R.I.P., Mr. Dahl. __________________ "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin I "heart" Boobies and Beer!

04-01-2015, 08:10 AM	#3
Remo C.I.A Join Date: Feb 2011 First Name: Mike Location: Palm Harbor, Florida Posts: 12,597 Trading: (122)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl RIP...funniest damn idea ever and he made a ton of money off it __________________

04-01-2015, 08:22 AM	#4
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl I ran away from home with my buddy Gary Dahl when I was a kid. He did not invent the pet rock, so far as I know. __________________

04-01-2015, 08:30 AM	#5
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl A rolling stone gathers no moss, but pet rocks did garner much green. Though, come to think of it, not as much as The Rolling Stones. Rest in peace, Gary. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

04-01-2015, 08:35 AM	#6
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,769 Trading: (60)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl R.I.P., Mr. Dahl. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

04-01-2015, 10:07 AM	#8
CigarNut Fck Cancer! Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Michael Location: Clermont, Florida Posts: 18,042 Trading: (111*)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl May He Rest In Peace. __________________ Need Beads? Need Five Finger Bags? 2 of 3 Requirements for use of the CA Rolodex: 100 posts/ 60 day membership/ participation in trade (trader rating). New members can be added at any time.

04-01-2015, 11:30 AM	#9
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl I sort of had a pet rock once, but it had a string attached and Duncan printed on the side. __________________ Ninety percent of everything is crap - Theodore Sturgeon.

04-01-2015, 11:41 AM	#10
dave Have My Own Room Join Date: May 2011 First Name: Dave Location: Northern VA Posts: 1,180 Trading: (15)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl He should have waited until today to die, I think __________________ I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it. Thomas Jefferson

04-01-2015, 12:11 PM	#11
heyferg Feeling at Home Join Date: Jun 2014 First Name: Larry aka Hollywood Location: SoCal Posts: 647 Trading: (6)	Re: RIP Gary Dahl My ex used to do a great Pet Rock impression whenever we went to bed!