Steam 10

Description: A microwave cooker
Main Pitch: "Amazing meals in 10 minutes or less, and all in your microwave"
Main Offer: $19.95 for one with recipe book
Bonus: Casserole steamer (just pay separate S&H)
Starring: Chef Tony Notaro
Marketer: Eagle Eye Marketing
Website: www.Steam10.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

There was a time when I believed microwave cooking items could work on DRTV again. But I saw too many items fail this year, and I now believe this is another dead category. I'm not exactly sure why, but my lead theory is that the microwave has lost its cachet.

If we go back in DRTV history, we find that microwave products had their heyday right after microwaves hit 100% market penetration. The latter half of the 90s were the golden age. In 1996, Micro Roast (a cooking dome) and Micro Chip (a potato chip maker) both made the top 30. In 1998, Telebrands' Keep It Hot broke into the top 20. And in 1999, Emson's Quick Minute Dehydrator reached No. 16.

Then came the turn of the century. Since that milestone, I can only find one microwave hit on the charts, Tristar's Egg Wave (No. 11 on the 2000 JW Annual). It seems the microwave lost its cool in the 21st century.

Having waited the requisite decade, many DR marketers are now panning for 'Old Gold' and failing to find it. Even new ideas like this sort of cooker (see here and here, for example) have been tried without success. I report, you decide -- but the facts are pretty compelling.

Power Puff

Description: A vibrating makeup applicator
Main Pitch: "Gives you a flawless finish every time"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one with three pads
Bonus: Lighted makeup mirror & travel case (just pay P&H)
Marketer: Ontel
Producer: Blue Moon Studios
Website: www.GetPowerPuff.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

This one strikes me as a solution in search of a problem. At best, it's low on the problem scale. Most women I know seem to be able to apply their makeup just fine. The proof is in the pitch, which had to reach for a more aspirational promise: perfection. And that's always tricky from a credibility standpoint.

Not that this product is without merit. In this November post, I mentioned an innovation technique that looks at a successful invention and asks, "What else can it be?" The creators of this product obviously did that with Gilette's vibrating razor, the Fusion. However, an additional question DR marketers should ask in these situations is, "Would the original invention have been successful on DRTV?" In the case of the Gilette Fusion, my answer is no. The "VibraShave Pro," or whatever name a DR player would have used, would most likely have flopped.

Undercover Watch

Description: A faceless watch
Main Pitch:"The watch disguised as a bracelet"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one
Bonus: 2nd one (just pay a separate fee)
Marketer: Telebrands
Producer: Sullivan Productions
Website: www.UndercoverWatch.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

Is this watch cool? Or dorky? The answer is in the eye of the beholder ... and that's the problem with this project (or any project like it). It's a pure gamble.

Sometimes an item has a strong utilitarian element that enhances or overcomes its design. For example, Allstar's Buxton Bag would not have worked if it were a regular bag. But its ability to hold a ton of stuff in a compact space won the day.

In this case, people have to like this watch's faceless design. The product does not have a reason for being otherwise.

Good Housekeeping Reviews

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute recently posted 14 reviews of 'As Seen on TV' products (HT: Michael W.).

Included in the round-up are Telebrands' Edge of Glory (#1) and Lint Lizard (#4), Allstar's Hot Booties (#2) and Swivel Store (#12), and IdeaVillage's Easy Feet (#5) and UGlu (#13).

Also included is the No. 3 True Top Spender of the first half of 2012, Flex Seal (#9) ... but the review is not good at all.

Weekly Round-Up

Merry Christmas!

1. Air Curler. Pitch: "The revolutionary new styling tool that creates the perfect curl every time." Comments: Revolutionary? No. Bizarre? Yes. Sure to be parodied? Definitely! I mean, they actually used the line, "just like a cotton candy machine." [ss]
 
2. Backup Juice. Pitch: "The battery booster that goes wherever you go." Producer: Dynamic TV Marketing. Comments: Although I like the item and have taken a hard look at this category many times, I think products like these are too ubiquitous in the marketplace. [ss]
 
3. Bed Defense. Pitch: "The simple, non-toxic, all-natural and clinically proven way to make sure the bed bugs don't bite." Comments: Fear. Prevention. An invisible problem. It would be hard to choose a worse project for DRTV. [ss]
 
4. Bell + Howell Bell Tunes. Pitch: "Ring in the holidays with the wireless musical doorbell." Marketer: Emson. Comments: Based on the spot, this looks like another revival item, but it doesn't make much sense given the plethora of options already at retail. Of course, the pitch is also highly seasonal. [ss]
 
5. Cool 'N Comfy. Pitch: "The cooling gel pillow that's an oasis for your face." Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Paddock Productions. Comments: Written and co-produced by yours truly. [ss]
 
6. Cord MD. Pitch: "The fastest, easiest way to keep your cord tangle free." Producer: Dynamic TV Marketing. Comments: This is something you pick up at the hardware store, not something you jump off the couch and "order now." [ss]
 
7. My Appy Pets. Pitch: "Combine(s) fun apps with a cute, plush pet." Comments: Seems a bit elaborate and techie for your average kid. We've come a long way from the simplicity of "it's a pillow, it's a pet." [ss]
 
8. My Coffee Press. Pitch: "The only single cup, French Press-style, K-cup brewer on the market." Comments: This project just launched and is already #1 on the Jordan Whitney. Somehow I think that's not a real ranking and it isn't going to last. My thoughts on the product? Looks like a complicated contraption for a simple cup of coffee. [ss]
 
9. Night Skin. Pitch: "An advanced nighttime cream that targets your most visible signs of aging." Comments: A very crowded category. [ss]
 
10. Panama Coin. Pitch: "A (sic) historic tribute to the rarest gold coin ever minted." Marketer: Lipenwald. Comments: Not even going to guess here since coins are far from my area of expertise. [ss]
 
11. Safe 'N Sound. Pitch: "The fast and easy way to back up your digital photos." Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Paddock Productions. Comments: Written and co-produced by yours truly. [ss]
 
12. Skinny Skillet. Pitch: "A specially designed pan that drains the fat away from your food." Comments: The prevailing theory is that fat-reduction on its own isn't enough to sell a product anymore. We'll see. [ss]

Like Nu

Description: A sneaker restorer
Main Pitch: "Transforms worn shoes back to brand new in two minutes or less"
Main Offer: $10 for the kit with cleaning brush
Bonus: 2nd complete kit (just pay P&H)
Starring: The ubiquitous Marc Gill
Marketer: Plymouth Direct/Media Enterprises
Producer: Hutton-Miller
Website: www.BuyLikeNu.com
Prediction: On the fence

I think there is a need in the marketplace for this sort of product, and the creative is very credible and compelling (as I would expect from this team).

What puts me on the fence, once again, is a negative DRTV history. Years ago, I worked on an ill-fated project with a sneaker-cleaning pitch. Then in December 2011, Telebrands tested Sneaker Saver, which also apparently failed.

As an interesting side note, and just by coincidence, I chose two Hutton-Miller projects today that are second attempts at failed Telebrands projects (the other is Ontel's Crisp It!). Regardless of the outcome of these tests, it's a great opportunity for perpetual students of DR like me to add case studies to our file on the difference a change in creative can make.

Crisp It!

Description: A mesh baking tray
Main Pitch: "Heats and re-heats food to crispy perfection"
Main Offer: $10 for 2 trays
Bonus: Fast Fry Slicer (just pay P&H)
Marketer: Ontel
Producer: Hutton-Miller
Website: www.BuyCrispIt.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

I liked this product when I first saw it and thought it had a real shot at success. Then it failed a Web test -- decisively. Then Telebrands tried it on TV, and it also failed.

Notably, the Telebrands creative was done by The Schwartz Grosup, the reigning champions of 'Food DR'. This creative is equally excellent. I particularly liked the rubber tire opening (a dash of on-point humor that's become a signature of this creative team) and the use of sound effects to reinforce the USP. However, it's apparent from the test before that even great creative from a great creative team isn't enough to get DRTV buyers interested in this one.

Hydro Cloth

Description: A cleaning cloth
Main Pitch: "Cleans any stain off any surface with just water"
Main Offer: $10 for five cloths
Bonus: 5 more cloths (just pay a separate fee)
Starring: The ubiquitous Marc Gill
Marketer: Telebrands
Producer: Blue Moon Studios
Website: www.BuyHydroCloth.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

The 'cleans with just water' pitch has been tried before without success. (See item #4 in this round-up for example.) The big brands have trained consumers to believe that real cleaning involves chemicals with anti-microbial ingredients that leave a 'clean smell' behind. That means this product ends up being just another cleaning rag -- and those are plentiful enough already.

Weekly Round-Up

The Obama Victory Dollar

1. Abdometer. Pitch: "Takes ineffective ab exercises and makes them easy, fun and effective." Comments: I think this one's a bit too nerdy to be the next hot ab item. [ss]
 
2. Bagwell. Pitch: "Holds food storage bags open for you." Comments: This was already tried (see Better Bagger). [ss]
 
3. EZ Tweeze. Pitch: "Removes unwanted facial hair straight from the root." Comments: Both a spring hair remover (Twist Away) and an at-home threading device (item #13 in this report) have been tried without success. [ss]
 
4. Flipsters. Pitch: "Foldable footwear you take with you to put on any time, anywhere." Comments: At one time, it seemed every DR marketer was chasing foldable shoes like these. They all failed. Because of the seasonality, foldable flip-flops make even less sense. [ss]
 
5. Founding Fathers Coin Collection. Starring: Governor Mike Huckabee. Marketer: The Franklin Mint. Pitch: "An artistic masterpiece commemorating their [the Founding Fathers] courage and spirit." Comments: An attractive product under a strong brand -- and Gov. Huckabee was an excellent choice for spokesman. [ss]
 
6. Licsicle. Pitch: "Give your pet something tastier to lick." Comments: Odd item. Doesn't solve a problem, so this is a pure gamble on pet owners liking the concept. [ss]
 
7. Q Stick. Pitch: "Facial hair remover at your fingertips." Comments: Speaking of Twist Away and things that have been tried before ... [ss]
 
8. RevAbs. Starring: Brett Hoebel. Marketer: Beach Body. Pitch: "Learn my secret to getting a six-pack in 90 days." Comments: Seems run-of-the-mill to me, but Beach Body knows a lot more about fitness DR than I do. [ss]
 
9. Victory Dollar. Pitch: "Honor the re-election of President Barack Obama." Comments: Hard to guess the rationale for this one. The Obama hype died years ago, and the half of America that voted for the other guy would only buy this as a hedge against hyper-inflation. [ss]