This Brand Whiz Shares How to Sell Boring Products That Nobody Likes Everything Tom Rinks touched turned to gold until he took on a brand launch at Target that fizzled. Then, he found a creepy doll on Ebay, and he saw a way forward.

In 2021, when Tom Rinks was asked to rebrand an oral care company, he had a few thoughts: The name sucked, for one. The market looked impenetrable. And the product was boring as hell.

It was right up his alley.

Rinks is an unusual guy, with an even more unusual skill set. Intense and given to obsession, he studiously maintains an invisible profile online and wears his lucky Tupac socks to every important meeting. He's also developed a reputation as a brand savant — with a specialty in turning unexciting things into fun, cool merch.