Unstuck your toilet twice today,

Your plunger’s crying, “Dude, no way!”

Make the call, we’ll bring our truck,

And clear your tank, of all the yuck

Sodergren Septic Service of Negaunee, Michigan, may be best known in the state’s Upper Peninsula for a song, which runs as part of a 30-second television commercial in nearby Marquette on a popular local television show.

Company owner and president Ryan Carey appears in the ad, lip-syncing to the rock anthem … to proper septic tank maintenance and regularly scheduled pumping. The song was written by a local songwriter and the commercial was produced by Bennett Media, Sodergren’s creative agency.

You can see the ad below:

“We’ve had great response to that ad,” he says. “People actually think I’m the lead singer and I have to explain to them that I’m not. But it really seems to have paid off for us.”

The commercial runs exclusively on Discovering, a popular local television show focusing on outdoor adventures. The rock video is also featured on the company’s website and promoted to certain audiences using paid Google ads. It’s part of a new image for pumpers that Carey is working to promote.

“Nothing against them, but a lot of old-time pumpers show up, drag out the hose, insert it into the tank and say nothing,” he says. “I like to make an effort to reach out and communicate using platforms like this video. When I show up at a service call, I like to use some of that time to talk to the customers and educate them. That’s really important. Given the state of some of the septic tanks in the area, it’s a wonder they still operate at all. By properly educating customers on the importance of regular maintenance, you’re also building the business.”

Carey keeps his industry knowledge up to date by attending the annual WWETT Show. He made the trip in 2019 and 2020, taking two employees each year. “I was really impressed with the classes they put on,” he says. “Getting outside of your world and networking for a few days also makes a big difference.”

Sodergren also promotes its business by offering gift certificates for a full septic tank pumpout in its online store.

“We’ve seen these purchased as housewarming gifts and Christmas presents,” Carey says. “It’s inexpensive to set up a gift certificate program and we’ve seen some good uptake.”

As the pumping business expands, Carey remains particularly proud of his efforts to educate customers about their septic systems.

“People are catching on,” he says. “Around this area, it’s now considered cool to talk about your septic system.”