27. Sherwin-Williams Paints Itself Into a Corner on TikTok, with Tony Piloseno

Tony Piloseno really likes paint. And as a junior studying marketing at Ohio University, he channeled his passion for a part-time job at a Sherwin-Williams paint store into a wildly successful TikTok channel. His weirdly entertaining videos of mixing paint colors amassed hundreds of thousands of social media followers and tens of millions of views. Inspired by his meteoric success, Tony pitched the concept of a branded TikTok channel to Sherwin-Williams marketing brass, hoping the company would recognize a ripe opportunity to build brand awareness and loyalty with a new generation of future homeowners. Instead, the company fired him for "gross misconduct." But it would turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to the ascendant entrepreneur, and a public relations disaster for Sherwin-Williams. Check out Tonester Paints on TikTok and visit the Tonester Paints website to learn more. Leave us a message on the Lead Balloon Comms Gripe Line Sign up for the Podcamp Media e-newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices