Weekly Round-Up

1. Carrie Wrap. Pitch: "Keep hair out of the way and get on with your day." Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Hutton-Miller. Comments: My first impression of this product was that it does half of what Smart Invention's Turbie Twist did, and that item is still available at retail and recently failed a comeback attempt on DRTV. Although a similar item does well on live shopping, I see no reason to doubt my instincts with regard to DRTV. [a]
    
2. Clever Canvas. Pitch: "Turn any picture into a professional canvas print." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: Based on the quality of the commercial, this is one of those "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks" tests. I think it will slide off. As for the item, I'm on the fence. It doesn't solve a problem, but the end result has certainly proven its appeal in the marketplace. [a]
    
3. FabriClear. Pitch: "Kill bedbugs on contact with safe, non-toxic spray." Comments: In general, I don't think it's possible to turn media hype into sales if an item doesn't meet the criteria for DRTV. All attempts to capitalize on the Swine Flu scare, for example, failed. I see bed bug products going the same way. The arguments are either prevention or "selling the invisible" -- that is, trying to convince people they have a problem they can't see. [a]
    
4. Floral Imposters. Pitch: "Beautiful flowers in your garden with none of the work." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: Another flyer. Not quite sure what to make of it, in fact. I don't understand the rationale. [a]
    
5. Paw Power. Pitch: "Everything you need to safely walk the dog, all in one." Comments: Too many problems with this one to cover in a short post, but leashes in general are a tough sell on DRTV. I've seen many over the years, but none have ever gone anywhere. I do like the bonus, though. [a]
    
6. Slant Pan. Pitch: "Get the fat out, leave the flavor in." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: P.T. Barnum would have loved this one: It's designed for his favorite type of customer! Going back to my "see if it sticks" comment, I predict this one will slide faster than greasy ground beef in a slanted pan! [a]
    
7. Spy Light. Pitch: "The ultimate solution for finding hidden contagions before they find you." Comments: Only hard-core germaphobes or CSI addicts would even consider buying this product. It made sense as a bonus for Urine Gone, but there's no case for making it a lead item. [a]