Old Gold or Siren?
- Clever Clasp. Marketer: IdeaVillage. Producer: Blue Moon Studios. Pitch: "The magnetic jewelry clasp that attaches to any necklace." Comments: With everyone else trying to bring this Old Gold (tone) item back (see Perfect Clasp, EZ Clasp), it makes sense for IdeaVillage to put their original spot back up to see what's what. If all three of these ultimately fail, this will become my first Old Gold Siren! Side note: Click through to see the original keychain demo. [ss]
- Clean & Green. Pitch: "Amazing carpet cleaner naturally removes stains and eliminates odors." Comments: This is essentially Mighty Blast, which failed back in 2009. It wasn't until the 'Mighty' marketing team combined this delivery method with Urine Gone that it became a hit called Stream Clean. In any case, this will fail like all other general-purpose cleaners have failed. [ss]
- Duct Tape Magic. Producer: As Seen on Productions. Pitch: "It takes the magic of duct tape and puts it into large sheets." Comments: I was surprised to learn this is an actual trend. It's so popular, in fact, that it's already available everywhere. [ss]
- Fab Foils. Marketer: Telebrands. Producer: Blue Moon Studios. Pitch: Get "salon style nail foil designs right at home." Comments: I'm too close to this one, so I'm just posting here for posterity. [ss]
- Flexable Hose Tough Grade. Marketer: Tristar. Pitch: "Five times tougher with ultra-durable metal connectors." Comments: Just following suit (see X-Hose Pro, Pocket Hose Ultra). Their answer to Richard Karn does a pretty good job. [ss]
- Gobblers. Pitch: "Snuggly fun travel pillows for kids." Comments: Perpetuated by fourth-quarter feeding frenzies, the Supreme Siren that is plush continues to claim new victims. [ss]
- Green Wave. Starring: Chef Rafael. Marketer: UbuyEZ. Pitch: "Go straight from your freezer right to your table for a delicious, healthy gourmet meal in just minutes." Comments: This is a combination of ideas (see Shogun Steamer, for example), most of which haven't gone anywhere. The fact that it features a confusing 'kitchen sink' offer won't help things. [ss]
- Harry the Happy Birthday Hyena. Marketer: Edison Nation. Pitch: "Laughs the happy birthday song so you can laugh along." Comments: Another truly bizarre choice for DRTV -- although not entirely without precedent (see Loudmouth Leo). I can tell you what I'd do if someone gave this to me for my birthday: Use it for target practice! [ss]
- Magic Pedi. Pitch: "The easiest and fast new way to remove dead, flaky skin." Comments: A 'fast fail.' (Link goes to spot.) Reminds me of a larger version of Smart Inventions' One Step (see also Royal Pedi). [ss]
- Spicy Shelf. Pitch: "Turns a mess of spices into an organized masterpiece." Comments: This is Merchant Media's Swivel Store without the "wow," an attempt to bring back Old Gold with the opposite of a twist. Prediction: Bomb. Besides, it's too soon to try to revive the concept. [ss]
- Twist Lock. Pitch: "The fastest way to go from drilling to driving." Comments: Speaking of too soon -- this is reminiscent of Allstar's Half-Time Drill Driver, which was a hit just three years ago. Tough category, too. Even if you find TV success, the retail opportunity is limited. [ss]