New This Week: Debbie Meyer Bread Bags, Monkey Hook, Ab Ray, Magic Sliders and more

Suddenly, there are items everywhere! Better yet, one of those items got a perfect score this week. So much for the summer doldrums …

Before I get into all the items for this week, though, I have to mention an item that I didn’t bother to blog about but that deserves mention. It’s Liqui-Sew, the popular HSN item, which is now taking a shot on DRTV. I mention it because a stronger competitor, Media Enterprises’ Mighty Mendit, hasn’t hit the charts yet. I’ll be keeping an eye on both.

1. DEBBIE MEYER BREAD BAGS ($9.99) are bags for keeping bread and pastries fresher longer. The main claim: The bags are infused with an “all-natural freshness agent” that “actively inhibits the development of mold and bacteria.” The offer includes 10 bags that are reusable up to 10 times each. The bonus is double the offer free. This is an Allstar Marketing product. www.BuyBreadBags.com

Product (D7) Score: 7 out of 7!*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: Debbie Meyer Green Bags are a bona-fide hit, so it makes perfect sense to capitalize on that success by interesting a logical line extension like this one. The key word here is “logical.” Most marketers (in DRTV and in general) force the issue, slapping their successful brand name on items that aren’t a good fit. Perhaps more important is this simple truth: A bomb is a bomb, regardless of what name you put on it. People have to want the product! In this case, I think they will and Allstar will overcome the “second item slump” that has often plagued other DRTV players.

2. VACU DOME (3 pay, $19.95) is an electric kitchen gadget for keeping fruits, vegetables and bakery items fresh. You fill it with these items, snap on the clear dome and press a button to create a vacuum. The pitch: “The vacuum-tight seal keeps all your foods fresher longer.” The bonus is 50 food-saver bags in small, medium and large. Runs on an AC adapter or four D batteries. No URL
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: I’ve seen an item similar to this one in catalogs, but the problem for DRTV was always the price. Over $20, the odds of success decrease dramatically. The makers of this product are hoping that putting $19.95 on the screen and using a “flex-pay” approach will overcome that barrier. I think DRTV buyers are smart enough to do the math and decide this item is too expensive to buy on impulse. Plus, when they stop to think about it, they’ll realize they can solve their problem with $10 Debbie Meyer Green Bags and Bread Bags (see above).

3. MONKEY HOOK (various) is a spring steel hook for hanging things on drywall. The pitch: “Hang a picture, mirror or wall accessory of up to 50 lbs securely and in just seconds, with no tools needed.” The offers vary from a “Trial Twin Pak” for $2.99 and a 10-hook “Room Pak” for $9.99 to a “Large Home Pak” of 100 hooks for $79.99. This bonus on the larger packs is free priority mail shipping. www.MonkeyHook.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Comments: I didn’t see the commercial for this product, but I did watch an amusing video on their Web site of an actual monkey installing the product (click here to watch it now). Clever, but will it sell on DRTV? I don’t think so. For one, they are very late to market. In case you didn’t pick it up from the description, this is the Hercules Hook under a different brand name. I don’t know who came first, but AdSouth Marketing/Vertical Branding has definitely exhausted the market for this product idea. And even a cute monkey can’t beat Billy Mays!

4. AB RAY ($29.95) is a wedge-shaped exercise device. The pitch: “It's unique ‘StingRay’ design supports you throughout your workout and allows you to go beyond 180 degrees maximizing your results.” Features “10 body-sculpting moves,” including “Ab Rocker” crunches, “Rocker Pushups” and “Balance Board” exercises. The offer includes a wall chart. This bonus is a Power Pack with elastic bands. This is a Fitness Quest product. www.BuyAbRay.com

Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: I never underestimate the power of a product with “ab” in the name. Still, the price point on this item is about $10 too high for short-form DRTV, and the market being targeted is the minority of DRTV buyers. That’s why most fitness products are done as infomercials. Long-form buyers tend to skew younger and because there’s more time to sell, they aren’t as price sensitive.

5. MAGIC SLIDERS ($19.95) are furniture sliders. The pitch: “Slides everything as if it had wheels.” The offer includes four super-sized sliders and 20 smaller sliders for tables and chairs. The bonus is a 102-piece felt pad kit. This is a Worx Goup campaign. www.MagicSliders.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: When Telebrands introduced Moving Men years ago, furniture sliders were a unique idea. Not today. These days, they’re everywhere at retail. For instance, you can get a 16-piece EZ Sliders kit from Bed Bath & Beyond for $19.99.

6. GARD DOG ($19.99) is a safety alarm for children. Kids wear it on their wrist as a watch (it tells time) or on their belt. If they feel threatened, they press the alarm button. The main claim: “Emits an emergency alarm that can be heard from over 100 feet away.” There’s also a keychain remote for parents, so they can find their child if he/she wanders away. Main unit features a low-battery indicator. No bonus. This is a Harvest Group campaign. www.BuyGardDog.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: The first thing that popped into my mind when watching this commercial was the old adage, “prevention doesn’t sell.” True, this is an emotional, high stakes type of prevention, so maybe the adage doesn’t hold up here. But if that’s the case, the credibility of the product won’t hold up, either. Parents aren’t going to trust a $20 TV product with something as important as their children’s safety. Two other problems (at the risk of sounding like a broken record): Parents with young children are a niche within the mass market, and the majority of DRTV buyers are well beyond the age where they would have young children in the house. These factors further reduce the odds of success.

7. PEANUT JACK ($20/$2 per month) is a device for turning your regular phone into a VOIP phone. The pitch: “It’s shaped like a peanut because your calls just cost peanuts.” The offer is $20 for the unit plus $2 per month as long as you use it. It comes with call waiting, call forwarding and 411 service. The bonus is free voicemail. This is a Telebrands product and a Sullivan Productions commercial. www.PeanutJack.com (inactive URL)
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: This is a competitor to Magic Jack, a successful long-form item that seems to have failed in short form. So following it probably isn’t a great idea. As I wrote in my original review of the Magic Jack: “As a lead-gen campaign, it could work … As a pure-play DRTV campaign, it will likely fail. That’s because the DRTV buyer is older, less tech savvy and less trusting of new technologies in general.” Moreover, Magic Jack appears to be driven and supported by a massive PR effort that will be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 6/20/08,” IMS (2-7); "Vol. XVII, No. 34-B for 6/20/08,” Jordan Whitney (1)

* See my July 24, 2007 post for a complete explanation of the D7 product score.
** See my October 22, 2007 post for a complete explanation of my commercial rating system.

New This Week: Motion Bulb, Bloom Perfect, Money Honey Jar & Bugville Butterfly

The tough Q2 media environment is being made even tougher by the warmer weather. Despite this, there were four new items worth writing about this week.

1. MOTION BULB ($24.95) is a motion-sensing light bulb. It turns itself on when you enter a room, and off after you leave. It also senses brightness, so it won’t go on during the day. The pitch: “Lasts as long as 10 regular light bulbs, so you won’t have to change your light for up to 5 years.” The offer is for one bulb and includes a one-year replacement guarantee. This bonus is two magnet lights for cabinets and drawers. This is an eLights.com product. www.MotionBulb.com

Product (D7) Score: 6 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: I like the idea behind this product because I always thought bringing the technology of an outdoor floodlight indoors was a great idea. The problem I discovered was the cost of doing that, a problem this company hasn’t solved. For that reason, their price point is too high for DRTV and their value proposition is way off (one bulb for $25?). It’s true that innovative lighting solutions have done well on DRTV in recent years, including Telebrands’ Stick-Up Bulb, Ontel’s Stick ‘N Click and Allstar’s Quik Brite (a version of which is the bonus for this item). However, I’ve also seen numerous lighting solutions fail, including a handful of sensor lights. Ultimately, I think this item will meet the same fate because of its price and because it’s probably too soon to get DRTV buyers excited about yet another lighting gadget. Oh, and then there’s the problem of this disclaimer from the Web site: “The Motionbulb is not meant to be used in a standing lamp or fixture with a glass or fabric shade.”

2. BLOOM PERFECT ($19.95) is a fast-growing flower seed that’s “specially formulated to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.” The pitch: “It’s like flower seeds on steroids.” The offer is for a bag of seeds. The bonus is an upgrade to a double-sized bag of more than 10,000 seeds. This product is from the creators of Patch Perfect, a 2007 DRTV hit. www.BloomPerfect.com

Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: The most successful DRTV products are mass-market problem solvers. This is a niche-market product that doesn’t solve a pressing problem. Yes, gardening is a BIG niche with a proven track record for DRTV. But I’m just talking about odds of success here, and I don’t think the odds are particularly high for this item. I make that prediction despite the huge success of Patch Perfect because I think lawn damage IS a pressing, mass-market problem.

3. MONEY HONEY JAR ($10) is a digital coin-counting jar that looks like a honey jar. As you insert change, the digital counter in the lid tells you how much you’ve saved. The pitch: “You’ll be shocked at how much extra money you really have!” The offer is for one jar. The bonus is a second jar, just pay separate S&H. This is a Telebrands product. www.MoneyHoneyJar.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: The major flaw I see with this product is that it’s everywhere in catalog at cheap price points. Insofar as catalog and DRTV customers cross over, then, this won’t be a unique item. Otherwise, I have always liked the item, and I think it could do well. That’s despite the fact that it solves a minor problem that is already being solved by various coin counters and sorters. I just happen to think it’s a fun and simple solution to a common problem.

4. BUGVILLE BUTTERFLY ($29.95) is pop-up treehouse for raising butterflies. The pitch: “Watch caterpillars become butterflies in their very own home.” The offer includes five caterpillars and the pop-up treehouse with an activity guide. The bonuses are a DVD instruction guide, a movie about butterflies in the wild and a poster. This is a Spin Direct product and a Telltale/Miller Direct commercial. www.SpinDirect.com
Product (D7) Score: 3 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: Like most items for children, this product is really cool but doesn’t solve a problem or appeal to the main demographic that buys DRTV products. Not knowing the business model for these types of products, I can’t really comment beyond that. However, I do know a lot of kids that would love to have this!

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 6/13/08,” IMS (1-2, 4); "Vol. XVII, No. 33-B for 6/13/08,” Jordan Whitney (3)

* See my July 24, 2007 post for a complete explanation of the D7 product score.
** See my October 22, 2007 post for a complete explanation of my commercial rating system.

Checking in on Magic Jack

It’s only been about two months since I wrote a skeptical blog entry titled, “Magic Jack: The Year's Biggest Hit?” But I decided it isn’t too early for an update. Here’s what’s happening …

The long-form infomercial has continued to climb the charts, reaching No. 2 on the Jordan Whitney and No. 4 on the IMS this week. Back in April, I wrote that if Magic Jack is “as big as the inventor says, we should expect to see it take the top spots away from the likes of Guthy-Renker's Principal Secret or Euro Pro's Shark Steam Mop on the infomercial charts.” Well, Principal Secret is No. 14 on the Jordan Whitney this week, and Shark Steam Mop is No. 7. It seems the inventor wasn’t exaggerating when it comes to his infomercial -- although I still tend to doubt his claim that this will “go down as the best DRTV product ever." There’s a long way to go yet!

Moreover, the short-form DRTV results are a completely different story. The spot has never appeared on the Jordan Whitney and, after dropping down the IMS chart for the last few weeks, is now out of the Top 50 there as well. In other words, much of my skepticism was warranted. The spot hasn’t come anywhere near touching “BodyRev's Perfect Pushup (No. 6 this week) or Telebrands' Ped Egg (No. 14) on the short-form charts,” which is the bar I set for it.

And since my original review of the Magic Jack only covered the short-form DRTV spot, I don’t feel so bad about my skepticism. In fact, I’m close to saying my January prediction was right on the money. But let’s see what happens in third quarter, when media rates improve.

New This Week: Fridge Buddy and The Instaflator

Slim pickings this week, folks. If you’re craving more SciMark Report, check out this fascinating analysis of Perfect Pushup vs. Perfect Pullup.

1. FRIDGE BUDDY ($19.95) is a refrigerator air purifier. The pitch: “Replaces baking soda and green bag technology” because its mineral filter “traps ethylene gases, airborne bacteria, mold, odor and humidity.” The offer is buy one, get one free. The bonus is a Freezer Buddy. This is a Dynamic Response Group product. www.FridgeBuddy.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: There’s been a lot of activity in this category the past few years and only one product remains standing: Debbie Meyer Green Bags, a bona-fide hit according to my monitoring methodology. So can this product succeed where others have failed and take market share away from Green Bags? I doubt it because it’s late to market with a solution that's been tried before (see Fridge Balls).

2. THE INSTAFLATOR ($19.95) is a device for inflating pool rafts and toys. It looks like a giant wind sock (see picture below). You attach one end to the air valve of the inflatable item, and then breathe a single breath into the other end. Finally, you roll it up, forcing air into the raft or toy. The offer includes four of these devices. The bonus is a pool raft in your choice of yellow, blue or neon pink. This is an Incredible Discoveries product from The MillAir Company. www.BuyInstaflator.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Comments: This is a neat trick (watch the demo on YouTube), but it has little chance of success on DRTV. Putting aside the fact that it’s seasonal and highly focused on one use (inflating pool toys), it doesn’t solve a serious enough problem. It’s also expensive at $20. Sure, you get four of these things, but who needs that many? Giving four is really just a transparent attempt to get more money out of the consumer.

Source: “New Spots for Week Ending 6/6/08,” IMS

* See my July 24, 2007 post for a complete explanation of the D7 product score.
** See my October 22, 2007 post for a complete explanation of my commercial rating system.

Is Perfect Pullup a hit?

Check out this chart* I recently created (click to enlarge):

I did it to answer a question that's been bothering me. According to industry charts, Perfect Pullup is almost as successful as Perfect Pushup. The former is No. 12 on this week's IMS chart; the latter No. 4. Jordan Whitney has them at No. 22 and No. 11, respectively. This would seem to indicate Perfect Pullup is a big hit that's quickly closing in on Perfect Pushup's success.

But the chart above tells a different story. It turns out Perfect Pushup is spending 10 times more than Perfect Pullup -- in its second year. And even if you compare Perfect Pushup's first April to Perfect Pullup's first April, the difference is spending is still about eight times better for the original product. (This is in keeping with other DRTV product line extensions I've studied.)

None of this is to say Perfect Pullup isn't a hit, or won't mature into a significant winner for BodyRev. But it goes to show that those who monitor the DRTV industry must be careful about reading into chart rankings. Moreover, none of these measures can tell us if a DRTV product is paying out or if a marketer is just spending to drive/support retail.

* Source: TNS Media Intelligence (spending is not adjusted for DR rates)

New This Week: Hair Block, Crunchless Abs, Perfect Pizza and more

I saw some promising summer items this week, including a hair remover that’s just in time for bikini season and another great way to get those “beach abs.” Both have a solid shot at success. And then there’s item #3, a fun product I like but that may or may not appeal to the mass market. In any case, it seems the major players are back in the marketplace taking their shots, testing now so they can roll out when third-quarter media opens up.

1. HAIR BLOCK ($9.95) is a roll-on depilatory. The pitch: Instant hair removal with “no pain, no mess and no bumps.” It’s also supposed to prevent hair from growing back. Positioned toward women and men. Presented for use on legs, arms, face and bikini area. The offer is buy one, get one free. This is a Lipenwald product. www.BuyHairBlock.com

Product (D7) Score: 6 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: The hair removal category is a hot DRTV category. Some of the biggest successes in DR have come from this category, including the most successful campaign I ever worked on: Finishing Touch. As for this item, I can see it working if well-established reservations about depilatories are overcome. This amounts to a deficiency in the “credibility” category. That is, the product is only as credible as depilatories are credible in the marketplace.

2. CRUNCHLESS ABS ($9.99) is an abdominal workout program. The main claim: Research shows that “standard floor crunches train only two” of our core muscles. This program “focuses on each core muscle like a laser,” including upper abs, lower abs, side obliques and the lower back. The offer is for one workout DVD. The bonus is two additional DVDs, free. This is a Savvier product presented by fitness expert Linda LaRue. www.CrunchlessAbs.com

Product (D7) Score: 6 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: As I’ve mentioned before, the “abs” category seems to be a bottomless wellspring of hit DRTV products. Every year, without fail, some product with the word “ab” in the name makes the annual charts. In other words, the odds of success for this item, as with any reasonably priced item in this category, are high from the start. They’re even higher because of the great value price. Still, I see one potential weakness that could undermine the campaign: It’s positioned against regular crunches. How many people do those any more? These days, people are using ab gadgets, hip-hopping their way to a slimmer waistline or using one of Guthy-Renker’s many Pilates workouts and/or its new machine. In other words, people will really have to buy into Linda LaRue’s alleged scientific breakthrough to give this a shot.

3. PERFECT PIZZA ($19.99) is a device for making homemade pizza. It features a spinning tray with a hand crank that’s supposed to spin the dough the way a pizza chef does. The pitch: “Cook authentic NY style hand-tossed pizza in your very own kitchen.” The offer includes the pizza spinner and a “professional” baking screen. The bonuses are a recipe guide and a pizza wheel for cutting slices. This is a Merchant Media product pitched by Cathy Mitchell. www.BuyPerfectPizza.com

Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: I like this item personally because I love NY-style pizza and think it would be fun to try making it at home. Beyond the fun factor, however, this item faces a few challenges. One, despite the commercial’s claim that “everyone loves New York thin-crust pizza,” that just isn’t true. For many parts of the country, the product won’t play. Two, it doesn’t solve a real problem. They try to make a case that pizza is expensive (it is) and the quality is poor (novices can do better at home?), but those are weak problems. Three, the way the pizza spinner makes a perfect pizza every time in the commercial strains credibility. Still, if enough people are captivated the way I was, it may just be a moderate hit. This product has a lot of “wow factor,” and the marketing team did a good job of making me hungry for pizza!

4. DYNO-MITE ($10) is a dryer sheet designed to kill dust mites. The pitch: “Like a super-charged magnet, [it] traps, holds and kills ugly dust mites.” The offer is for 12 sheets. The bonus is 12 more free, just pay additional S&H. This is a Telebrands product. www.DynoMiteSheets.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: The big problem with this product becomes clear after you watch the commercial. Any time your spokesperson must say, “Trust me, they ARE there,” or set up a demo such as, “Imagine this confetti …” odds are the item is going to struggle on DRTV. That’s because one of the most basic criterion for a DRTV item is it has to be demonstrable. Let’s not forget the roots of this industry: the pitch market. If you can’t imagine a guy at a booth amazing people with demonstrations of your item (think Sham Wow), it’s probably a long shot.

5. POCKET PURIFIER ($19.95) is a handheld disinfectant light and flashlight. The main claim: “Uses the same germicidal ultraviolet light technology used in hospitals to sterilize surgical equipment.” Specifically, the UV-C bulb is supposed to “deactivate the DNA of bacteria and germs” when exposed to the light for “10 to 15 seconds.” Available in black or pink. The bonus is a free replacement bulb. This is an Incredible Discoveries product. www.BuyPocketPurifier.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Comments: I’ve reviewed a lot of items for germaphobes in my day and, generally speaking, I think they are wrong for DRTV. The ones that have tested have so far proved me right. In fact, I’m not aware of any successful DRTV item in this category. If you know of one, please post a comment and correct me. Anyway, the reason products like these don’t do well on DRTV is that: a) you can’t see germs, so you have to rely on (fake) animation to demo the product, and b) germaphobia is not a mass market trend. Many disagree with me on the latter point and use the success of Lysol or Purell as examples. But Lysol is really a cleaning product, and Purell is really a convenient way to wash your hands when soap and water aren’t available or practical. Neither represents widespread fear of germs, in my opinion, at least not at a level that would motivate an impulse purchase of a product like this. On a side note, this product isn’t very credible. A pocket-sized device that deactivates DNA with light? Maybe in the new Star Trek.

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 5/30/08,” IMS (1, 5); "Vol. XVII, No. 32-B for 5/30/08 and 6/6/08,” Jordan Whitney (2-4)

* See my July 24, 2007 post for a complete explanation of the D7 product score.
** See my October 22, 2007 post for a complete explanation of my commercial rating system.