No, there were no tv advertising from sponge. You apparently saw something else or believed someone else that they saw them. There were photoshopped ads in a ball park somewhere as well. Or at least a poster mosky probably taped up personally.
The product also wasn't in stores for very long, or at all. The odds are better you saw a few sponges on the garbage endcap at walmarts.
That does not equate to a profitable product in the market. You bought any from a bargin bin. NOT in the store legitimately with true shelf space. H-Joe jerky and drinks did the same thing.
As far as the product in the stores, it was mostly one guy running around greater New York with a display case, dragging it into the store and taking pictures then running it back out. This was stated in the court docs. There are also pictures of the display case and identical boxes placed in numerous stores at the same time.
No, there was no real company. At all.
But all the criminals got off so you're correct about that.