To be fragrant is manly 

click to enlarge

• PHOTO BY STEVE E. MILLER
• SCENTIMENTAL : Ellen Curtis and Frank Scotti believe men deserve to smell as fresh as flowers.

 LavMANder was created by Ellen Curtis and Frank Scotti, who founded the Whizbang Ideas advertising firm. Surrounded by acres of lavender plants on the Templeton farm where they live, the duo decided to break the traditional distaff approach of lavender product marketing. “We decided our marketing niche should be the exact opposite: men, specifically for real rugged men. For farmers and lumberjacks, men who have ‘real manstink,’ LavMANder would be the all-natural alternative to synthetic products,” said Curtis. “Manly men stink more from doing manly things, like chain sawing, juggling, or playing poker all night in a smoke-filled room. If LavMANder can help an alligator wrestler stink less, imagine what it can do for an accountant.” They intend to market the LavMANder brand nationally.

 Since 2003, their Whizbang Ideas firm has launched advertising campaigns for such clients as McDonalds, Coca Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Delta Airlines.

 Curtis continued, “Of course, women like it too. We’re like Irish Spring— ‘Strong enough for a man but women like it too!’ It smells great and it helps bring men and women together … LavMANder lasts six months to a year. To refresh the scent, you just have to rub the sack. We are currently in development on new products including a ‘manspray,’ four-way clean (soap, shave, shampoo, conditioner), don’t-sweat-it powder and ‘manhands’ cream.” Curtis graduated from Boston University, has owned four other businesses, and has been in marketing for 22 years.

 The sacks were first released for sale at the beginning of this year. They are available for $5 online and at local retailers. They will also be available at the lavender festival in the Downtown Paso Robles City Park on July 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. LavMANder is also available to retailers at wholesale prices.

 For more information see LavMANder.com, call the LavMANder company at 717-0512, or contact Whizbang Ideas at 594-1880.

Fast Facts

Maxine Lewis Memorial homeless shelter is in desperate need of twin-size blankets, pillows, and socks. The shelter lacks enough blankets and pillows almost every night. Contact Della Wagner at
781-3993 or [email protected] …

The 12th annual Paso Robles Rotary Winemakers’ Cook off will take place Saturday August 7, 2010 from 6 to 9 pm at River Oaks Hot Springs on 800 Clubhouse Drive in Paso Robles. It will be a casual evening of wine, music, and food with 30 of some of the finest winemakers pairing their own grilled culinary creations with some of their best wines. Julie Beaver and the Bad Dogs will provide live music. All proceeds go to the Harlow Ford Scholarship Foundation for local high-school seniors. You must be 21 or older to attend and the cost is $75 per person. For more information contact Don Davis at 239-1230 …

 North County’s largest yard sale will take place Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Paso Robles downtown city park. Admission is free. Vendor spaces cost $40, or $5 for the kids’ flea market. For applications call 238-4103 … 

The San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society and the San Luis Obispo Library offer a free workshop on family search databases. Reservations are required for the July 9 class, which begins at 10:30 a.m.. To reserve a space, contact Cafi Cohen at [email protected] or 473-4963 …

 Shelters throughout the county are at capacity with hundreds of kittens awaiting adoption. If you can’t adopt but would like to help make space available to avoid shelter overflow and euthanasia, consider becoming a feline foster parent. Contact Jane at 771-9375 if you can open your home and become a kitten foster family for SLO County Animal Services.

Intern Dylan Baumann prepared Strokes&Plugs this week. Send news about your business or nonprofit organization to [email protected].