Description: Small exercise device that tightens neck and face muscles for a slimmer neckline
Main Pitch: "Firm, lift and smooth your neckline ... in just two minutes a day"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one unit with three resistance springs
Bonuses: Carrying bag, training DVD and Firming Accelerator cream (just pay P&H)
Starring: Michelle Edmonds
Marketer: SAS Group
Producer: Hutton-Miller (formerly Miller Direct)
Website: www.BuyNecklineSlimmer.com
Product (D7) Score: 7 out of 7!
Commercial Rating: Good/Excellent
This item is weird to watch in action -- but then you get over it and start to realize that it's a truly brilliant idea, especially from a DRTV perspective. Not only does it meet all seven criteria for a good DRTV item, it nails the "unique" and "problem solver" criteria like few items do.
One line from the commercial perfectly encapsulates the genius of this idea:
"It does for your neckline what exercise does for your body."
Why didn't someone think of that before?! For all these years, people have been suffering from the "turkey neck" problem (as a famous FedEx commercial put it) and thinking there was no solution to their problem (except, of course, losing a lot of weight). Then some brilliant individual thought of taking the same approach DRTV marketers have been taking to abs, thighs and buns for decades and applying it to the neckline.
Does it work? Is it possible to "use progressive resistance to tighten the underlying muscles of the neck," as physiotherapist Paul Younane claims in the spot? Who knows? But at $19.99, a lot of people will buy this to find out.
As for the commercial, it's very well done. The commercial is beautifully shot, the before-and-after photos are compelling and the offer is well thought out and strong. The only thing missing is a solid guarantee. Guarantees have fallen out of vogue for some reason, and in many cases they aren't necessary. But I think beauty products should always have a guarantee because women have tried so many new products with big promises that have disappointed them. Besides, the Firming Accelerator cream is a stand-alone item that's perfect for a "keep the bonus" guarantee.
On a side note, I almost faulted this spot for taking too long to get to the product. It's front-loaded with promises and end results. Then I realized the reason for the delay: That weirdness problem I mentioned earlier. Waiting was the right move. Better to get people hooked on the promise before seeing that odd-at-first product demonstration.
