Hammer Time: Craftsman Markets to the Non-Handy

There are millions of Americans who couldn’t tell you how to use a mitre box if you paid them to tell you. Craftsman is aiming to change that. 

In an attempt to market to those who aren’t so handy, Craftsman, the venerable 84-year-old Sears tool brand that is also now available at Ace Hardware, is casting an online reality show, “Screw*d.”

As the title implies, Craftsman is seeking a participant who's unhandy at fixing things around the house — a human fixer-upper in need of Craftsman's help.

The winner will be selected by voting that starts on July 20th, as the public gets the chance to weigh in on videos submitted by wannabe Craftsman pros.

The show will feature the winner taking part in tool/handyman boot camp of sorts with some of Craftsman’s experts located in Chicago. Then the show will take the participant into situations blindfolded that he or she will need to get out of using the knowledge that he or she as gained as well as another very important component.

These sessions will be broadcast live on Craftsman’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel, with the social connections allowing the participant to share the experience with others.

“The No. 1 attribute of our core users is that they love to share their knowledge and to teach other people,” Ryan Ostrom, divisional vice president for digital marketing for the Craftsman, Kenmore and Diehard brands at Sears, commented to the New York Times. This way, Craftsman will rope in its current users to help its future users.

The participant can win up to $50,000 if he or she successfully performs a few tasks and those DIYers who help out a great deal can also win Craftsman products.