This post features products (first and last entry) by two players with the same family name. I welcome the family back to launching new DRTV products after what has been perhaps the most successful run in industry history.
1. BLOX ($19.99) is a spray that makes fabric repel stains. The pitch: “Blocks stains before they start.” Specifically, it repels “organic, water-based, oil-based and combination stains.” The offer is for two bottles of the In-Wash Fabric Protector. The bonus is a bottle of the Quick-Spray Fabric Protector. This is a Vision Company product. www.BloxTvOffer.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Excellent!**
Comments: This product comes from an unfamiliar company headed by someone with a very familiar name: David Appel. That’s right, the same family that brought you Orange Glo and OxiClean is at it again, and they may just have another hit on their hands. The commercial is nothing short of brilliant, evoking the early days of the Billy Mays and OxiClean. Pitchman Jason Williams deftly performs one magic demonstration after another. It's galvanizing, perhaps enough to overcome the weaknesses of the product. I see two. One, this product prevents a problem instead of solving one, and prevention typically doesn’t sell. (Thought experiment: Name at least three well-known stain removers. Now try to name three well-known stain preventers.) Two, I think many people will have concerns over what this liquid does to fabrics. The first FAQ on the Web sit makes it clear the marketing team is aware of this problem and concerned about it. They claim the product “will NOT change the look, feel, or breathe-ability of fabrics,” but that’s a difficult credibility barrier to hurdle with just words.
2. SUPER JUICER ($14.95 trial) is a 700-watt, stainless steel juicer. It features an oversized feeder and a pulp collector that double as a food processor. The pitch: "Get fresh, all-natural juice in seconds" that makes you "feel youthful and energetic." The offer includes free shipping. The bonus is a recipe book. This is an Emson product under the Sharper Image brand. www.InfinitiJuicer.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: OK**
Comments: The marketers behind this campaign obviously couldn't decide what they wanted to call the product. The spot calls it the "Sharper Image Super Juicer." The Web site calls it the "Bell & Howell Super Juicer." The URL indicates it was once called the "Infiniti Juicer." I call it "a late attempt to capitalize on the success of the Jack LaLanne Juicer." (Tough URL, I know.)
3. PRO CAULK ($19.95) is a silicone tool for applying caulk. The pitch: "The only hassle-free way to apply silicone with no mess and a perfect finish every time." The offer includes one large and one small tool. The bonuses are a mini-tool for hard-to-reach areas, a silicone remover tool and a tube of silicone. The kit comes with a five-year guarantee. This is a National Express product and a Concepts commercial. www.BuyProCaulk.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: This is an old product under a new name. Back in 2006, it was on TV under the name "Pro Seal." For some reason, it disappeared and has now resurfaced under the current name. Based on the number of times I've seen this commercial lately, I have to guess it's successful. But I can't imagine that success will last for long. That's because the market is limited. The item only appeals to people with an interest in doing their own caulking. DIYers at this level are a substantial market, but they aren't the mass market. Caulking is also an infrequent occurrence. As for retail, this item is virtually indestructible, which means zero repeat purchases. If the caulk is special, there could be a continuity business there. Otherwise, I predict people will buy this once, use it twice and keep it in a drawer forever. As for the commercial, I like it because it's simple, focusing on the most important thing when you're marketing this kind of item: frequent, close-up demonstrations. The producer also did an excellent job of building an offer around something that, by itself, looks like a $1.99 value
4. PIXOS ($29.95) are multi-color beads that stick together when you spray them with water. The pitch: "Just pop and spray for patterns that stay." The offer includes a workstation with a built-in fan for drying the creations, 1,000 multi-color beads, Pop Pens that dispense the beads and several design trays. The bonus is double the entire offer. This is a Spin Direct product and a Miller Direct commercial. www.BuyPixos.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good/Excellent**
Comments: Every production company has at least one product category they handle better than anyone else in the industry. I think of Blue Moon and pet products, LoudMouth TV and fitness products and, without a doubt, Miller Direct and toys. This is another fine example of their work. The product itself faces all the usual challenges a kid's product faces, but that doesn't seem to matter much in the hands of the Miller team. They are the best at creating winners in this lucrative niche category. There is only one potential dark lining to this silver cloud, but I won't belabor it.
5. AAAH (Free Trial) is a foaming cleanser that makes toilet paper moist. The pitch: “Makes ordinary toilet paper extraordinary.” The offer is for one bottle that can make up to 300 toilet paper "wet wipes." The bonus is a 1.6-oz travel size. www.ByeByeDry.com
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7*
Commercial Rating: Good**
Comments: This is another Appel product, this time from the patriarch of the family: industry icon Max Appel. Mr. Appel took OxiClean from zero to a multimillion-dollar brand that was eventually acquired by CPG powerhouse Church & Dwight. In other words, he knows a lot more about direct selling than I do. Yet I still must conclude that this product is unlikely to succeed. That's because it doesn’t have a real reason for being. If people want wet toilet paper, they’ll buy the name-brand, pre-moistened variety. If they don’t, advertising isn't going to change their minds. This product is also handicapped by the "embarrassment factor." As the marketers of Just A Drop and FREE! have no doubt discovered, it’s hard to sell a product that solves an embarrassing bathroom problem. It's also hard to advertise such a product without the commercial devolving into self-parody. For this, I give the producer credit. He did an excellent job with what he was given. The spot uses just the right dose of humor, hits most of the proven DRTV techniques and still manages to retain a brand feel. Nicely done.
Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 9/12/08,” IMS (5); “New Spots for Week Ending 9/19/08,” IMS (2); "Vol. XVII, No. 46-B for 9/19/08,” Jordan Whitney (1, 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.
