Past winners included Billy Mays and Ron Popeil so it was a surprise to me that I won!

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Popeil's invention, Gladwell said, is "arguably the greatest rotisserie oven for the home ever made, " and it has been marketed by a third-generation member of a family that perfected the art of selling directly to consumers on the Jersey Shore boardwalk.

CNN: The man who can explain everything

Another theme in the book is Gladwell's effort to understand and explain success: In some cases, such as the "showtime rotisserie, " created by infomercial pitchman Ron Popeil, and the market dominance of Heinz ketchup, he attributes a product's success to its intrinsic excellence.

CNN: The man who can explain everything