Billy Mays pitches from beyond the grave

Even in death, Billy Mays' powers of persuasion will live on.

Mighty Tape will continue to save the day. Mighty Mendit will fix your clothes.

The booming, bearded TV-pitchman died nearly two weeks ago of complications from heart disease, and his ever-present spots were pulled from their perches on late-night and cable TV.

But the pitch must go on, and Mays has returned in TV commercials filmed before his June 28 passing.

Two new Mays commercials -- for Mighty Tape and the Mighty Putty Super Pack -- will debut over the next two weeks, said Bill McAlister, president of Media Enterprises, the marketing company behind the Mighty Brand pitches.

Older commercials began airing again this week for other products, including a health insurance plan.

"Billy didn't shoot the commercials for them not to air," said Roger Pliakas, attorney for Mays Promotions Inc. "He shot commercials to roll the products out and make money for his business partners."

Sales of Mighty products have increased about 25% since Mays' death, McAlister said. It's unclear whether Mays' death inspired the jump, he said, but so far consumers are not wary of buying products with his name and face attached.

"We didn't know what to anticipate," McAlister said. "But we've gotten such a great response that we decided to go forward with the ads."

Eli Portnoy, chief brand strategist at Los Angeles-based branding firm Portnoy Group Inc., said it's pretty normal for a brand to see a jump in sales after it's been in the news. The question is whether the brand can sustain the increase in interest or whether the notoriety will turn against it.

"There comes a point that consumers might be put off by the brand and start thinking that the company is trying to cash in on his death," Portnoy said. "So they'll have to tread lightly."

Mays worked with dozens of companies over a 27-year career, famously pitching for brands like Orange Glo and OxiClean.

Many of them have not yet decided whether to return his commercials to TV.

Mays, Portnoy said, was a pitchman. He sold for a living. So consumers might not be as inclined to turn away as they would if another celebrity who passed way was trotted out to push a product.

But Anthony "Sully" Sullivan, Mays' business partner and longtime friend, said Mays, who died suddenly at 50, would want the commercials to continue airing.