Weekly Round-Up
- Mattress Door Busters. Starring: Brian Hyder. Marketer: Tristar. Pitch: "Premium, top-of-the-line mattresses up to 75 percent off"." Comments: Tristar continues to experiment with new business models. Check out Was On TV and Doggy Bonanza Express if you're interested in reviewing some of their other experiments. I admire the ambition, but I wonder if a DRTV company is capable of operating ambidextrously. Based on my experiences and observations, it's hard enough to properly execute one business model. [ss]
- Chirpee. Marketer: Lenfest. Producer: Hutton-Miller. Pitch: "Listens in on birds while they sing and feed on the outside, then he repeats everything so you can hear it on the inside." Comments: This is sort of a cross between Lenfest's My Spy Birdhouse pitch and Telebrands' Perfect Polly. It's definitely different, but it's also an odd item to try on DRTV. [ss]
- Cuddle Up Playhouse. Pitch: "It's a blanket! It's a house! Plus a whole lot more." Comments: Just when you thought the industry had finally stopped imitating Pillow Pets ... Or is this an attempt at Old Gold just four years later? Design-wise, this is actually closer to Happy Nappers. [ss]
- Micro Zoom. Marketer: Allstar. Producer: Paddock. Pitch: "Lets you turn any phone or tablet into a 30X digital microscope." Comments: Written by yours truly. [ss]