Description: Microwave crisping sheets
Main Pitch: "The unique new way to brown your food in the microwave"
Main Offer: $10 for a roll
Bonus: 10 Pop-a-Rounds (just pay a separate fee)
Starring: Cathy Mitchell
Marketer: Telebrands
Watch the spot
This project may be inspired by an Old Gold item from the 1990s. The item is so old, it predates all of my archives. I believe it (or at least one version of it) was called Brown 'N Crisp, and it appears to have been a foil-lined pocket.
Whether Old Gold or not, there is a lot to like about this project. First, it stars Cathy Mitchell, who is on a roll of late. Second, it features great-looking food coming out of the microwave, which is something that Telebrands had success with last year (see Stone Wave, a 2013 True Top Spender). Third, the pitch is about making life easier, which is a tried-and-true way to get DRTV buyers to 'call now.'
Those are the positives. There are also a few negatives, of course. For instance, the idea of doing 'crispy' in the microwave has been tried a few times without success. Lenfest tried it with Perfect Micro Crisper in 2011, and Allstar tried it with TastiWave the year prior. Another issue is the low-perceived value of something that looks like a roll of wax paper, not to mention that the roll is going to run out and require repurchase. Such products always have more appeal to the marketer than the consumer in the phase where the product is "not available in stores."
S7 Analysis: This project meets all of the S7 criteria except perhaps one: It may not be needed, which is why it hasn't fared well in the past. Crisping the slow way -- in a toaster oven or regular oven -- may be 'good enough' for most people.
