Weekly Round-Up

Here are 10 quick reviews to round out the week:

1. Flex Seal. Pitch: "The easy way to coat, seal and stop leaks fast." Starring: Phil Swift. Comments: Love the creativity of the magic demo, but I wonder how often this type of product would be needed. [UPDATE: It turns out this item is "old gold." A similar product called Leak Ender 2000 was No. 37 on the IMS "Top 50 Spots of 2003."] [a]
    
2. 30 Minute Foot Repair. Pitch: "Softer, smoother, younger looking feet in just 30 minutes." Marketer: Tempo 3000. Producer: Blue Moon Studios. Comments: I like the concept and the category, but I worry about the perceived value of the product. [a]
    
3. Heat & Repeat. Pitch: "The world's only reheatable travel mug." Comments: I really like this product and the commercial's opening is different and fun. My only concern is behavioral: Do most people have this problem? The answer to that question is what will determine this product's fate. [a]
    
4. Hikari Beauty Towel. Pitch: "The key to healthy skin." Comments: Amatuer hour. The product might have potential, but not with this creative. [a]
    
5. Miracle Socks. Pitch: "Soothe, massage and energize your feet and legs." Marketer: Ontel. Comments: This is an old catalog item that could find some success on DRTV ... but the claims seem a bit risky to me. [a]
    
6. Raptor Strap. Pitch: "Locks on tight with dinosaur might." Starring: David Jones. Marketer: The Bridge Direct. Producer: Hutton-Miller. Comments: Mr. Jones does a great job, but replacing bungee cords has been tried before (see Tie Pods) without success. I think the reason is people don't often need a solution to the problem a bungee cord solves and, when they do, a bungee cord is a "good enough solution." [a]
    
7. Shutter Covers. Pitch: "The fast and easy way to transform ordinary storm shutters into extraordinary outdoor decorations." Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Opfer Communications. Comments: This is a great way for people to one-up that annoying neighbor who keeps expanding his holiday decorations. Or maybe this would make you that annoying neighbor! In any case, the site is already down, so I guess this is more of a niche/catalog item. [a]
    
8. Snap 2 It. Pitch: "The easy and affordable way to organize your garage." Starring: Grant Goodeve. Comments: As my readers know, I'm not big on organizational items. Certain recent hits (e.g. Swivel Store) have started to change my mind about this, but I dislike garage organization items above all. The fate of recent projects (e.g. Simoniz Gator Grips) supports my bias. [a]
    
9. Soothe Sox. Pitch: "The amazing new spa socks infused with softening gel." Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Concepts TV. Comments: This would have been a good candidate for another "dueling" products feature, but the site is already down, so I guess 30 Minute Foot Repair (No. 2 above) wins. [a]
    
10. Weld Wizard. Pitch: "Instantly creates super strong bonds similar to welding or soldering." Marketer: National Express. Comments: Unlike Mighty Mendit, which bonds fabric, a liquid that bonds metal is inherently lacking in credibility. I thought Mighty Putty had a credibility problem, too, and I was wrong. But in this case, I don't think the believability problem is surmountable. [a]