Description: A replica vintage watch
Main Pitch: "The modern version of [a] ... timeless classic, but for a lot less money"
Main Offer: $39.95 for one (includes certificate of authenticity)
Bonus: Free shipping, WWII booklet, collector case
Starring: Rick Harrison
Marketer: IdeaVillage
Producer: Blue Moon Studios
Watch the spot
This is another excellent commercial from Pawn Stars' Harrison and the Blue Moon team. I can see it working really well on the History channel and any other channel that hits that demographic. Beyond that, I'm skeptical. True, The One by MicroTouch demonstrated the "modern version of a timeless classic" pitch can be effective. But that product also possessed a powerful value proposition for an item men use frequently. Watches are more like jewelry, which mean personal tastes apply -- and hitting that right is usually very tricky.
As for the category, watches have a much better track record in print than on TV. The last bona-fide DRTV hit I can find is Telebrands' Lionel Train Watch from 1998. That same marketer made a run at the Kansas City Pocket Watch (another replica of a vintage watch) in 2013, but it barely made the JW Annual and did not appear on the IMS annual or my True Top Spenders list.
S7 Analysis: As indicated above, this fails the needed and targeted criteria, relying solely on a specific vintage cachet to generate the impulse to buy. If not for the success of other vintage pitches (Olde Brooklyn Lantern included), I would quickly dismiss this.
