August 15, 2014

Weekly Round-Up

  1. Super Juicy Burger Pan. Marketer: Edison Nation. Pitch: "Locks juices in tight for the best-tasting burger of your life." Comments: This is a seasonal item that doesn't solve a problem, so the odds are against it. However, the commercial is well done (get it?) and certainly made me hungry, which are good things to be sure. If it flops now but isn't too far off, I'd probably re-test it at the beginning of grill season. [ss]
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  3. Beast Ballz. Pitch: "Ugly, funny, squishy and sick." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: This one is a total flyer in a hit-or-miss category, so I'm posting here for posterity only. [ss]
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  5. Twinkle Paws. Marketer: Lenfest. Pitch: "Quietly entertains kitty while you sleep." Comments: The success of Lenfest's Cat's Meow surprised me, so I am even less confident of my predictions when it comes to cat owners these days. That said, it seems unlikely that more than one DR cat toy would be successful at a time. [ss]
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  7. Nano Charger XT. Marketer: Top Dog. Producer: Hutton-Miller. Pitch: "The compact, portable power cord that fits on your keychain." Comments: This is an apparent 'fast fail' and yet another smart-phone accessory to bite the dust. I like the concept a lot -- just not for DRTV. [ss]
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  9. Wonder Wrench. Marketer: Allstar. Pitch: "Works in the most difficult space and fits any place." Comments: A 'fast fail.' (Link goes to spot.) As I wrote in last week's round-up about Snake Bit (see No. 7), tools are tough category for DR these days. [ss]