90 Days Later: Two Items Correctly Predicted, But Still Some Crow to Eat!

The week ending May 18 was a light week for DRTV product launches. My email report contained just two new items. They were:

1. REDI LITE (www.Redi-Lite.com), a stick-up LED light that's motion sensitive. As with the TAP 'N GLOW TRI-LITE, I liked the item but predicted it wouldn’t make it because the “stick-up lighting market" was “too saturated … for this item to have a fair shot.” Today, it does not appear on either list.
2. QUICK CONNECT, a clip-on Web cam. I thought it was a great value, but a “tough sell to the DRTV buyer, who is older and less tech savvy.” It also had a $29.95 price point, which is high for DRTV. Today, it does not appear on either list.

I’m tempted to write that my record remains intact. But a side bet with a friend and co-worker, which I recently lost, compels me to come clean!

The item is called FOREARM FORKLIFTS (www.ForearmStraps.com). They’re straps for lifting furniture that are supposed to make things 50% lighter because they use the principle of leverage. When I wrote about the item in January, I did not share my comments or make a prediction. Privately, however, I bet that the item wouldn’t work.

My prediction was based on the fact that it had failed two of my seven product criteria. Two straps for $19.95 is not a good value in my opinion (weakness #1), and the idea that mere leverage alone can make things half as light is just not credible (weakness #2).

Ninety days later, the product was nowhere to be found on the IMS or Jordan Whitney lists. I thought the bet was won. But then a few weeks ago, the item resurfaced on one of the lists. I blew it off as an anomaly, and predicted it wouldn’t show up on both lists. Wrong again.

The next week it was on both lists. So I made excuses and predicted it wouldn’t stick around. But here it is two weeks later, and the darn thing is moving up the charts! This week, it’s #13 on the IMS list and #34 on the Jordan Whitney list.

Oh well, my streak couldn’t last forever!

New Items: Pop-Up Hanger, State Quarters Map, Push-Up Pro and more

As I explained yesterday, this week’s report is my first to feature both commercial scores based on my “Tried-and-True” (T&T) DRTV techniques and product scores based on my seven criteria for identifying hit DRTV products (aka the “Divine Seven”).

Here’s the latest …

1. POP-UP HANGER ($19.99) is a folding, portable clothes hanger for ironing and air-drying delicates. The main claim: “Holds 30 items of clothing in less than two feet.” The bonus is the Steam Quick, a handheld steamer that looks like an iron (just pay S&H). This is a Telebrands product and an Anthony Sullivan commercial. www.PopUpHanger.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7
Strengths: This is a product for the mass market that’s priced right for DRTV, easy to explain, holds appeal for older people and faces no credibility issues.
Weaknesses: It doesn’t solve a painful enough problem, since most people probably have a good-enough solution in their laundry room, and it doesn’t seem new/unique.
Commercial (T&T) Score: 3 out of 10
Comments: Sully does a great job of highlighting features and benefits, and of setting up solid product demos. I only watched the 60-second version of this commercial (I couldn’t find the 120 on the IMS tape or online), but even in that short time the commercial was chock full of demos. However, perhaps because of the shorter format, the commercial was missing quite a few key elements, including a problem-solution opening and a satisfaction guarantee. I also thought the offer was a little weak, and the value of the offer wasn’t proven with any kind of price comparison. To be fair, some of the other T&T techniques (e.g. testimonials and explaining how the product works) wouldn’t have made much sense for this product.

2. BRETHE (2 pay, $29.99) is an air purifier from Homedics. It uses water and natural botanicals to clean the air without harmful chemicals. The main claim: “Studies show it kills up to 99% of odor causing bacteria and safely revitalizes the air you breathe.” They also claim it “uses less electricity per day than a standard light bulb.” The offer includes three botanicals (citrus, vanilla and lime) and a guide to improving indoor air quality. The bonus is a fourth botanical (lavender). www.Brethe.tv
Product (D7) Score: 4 out of 7
Strengths: Air purifiers are mass-market items (proven by Sharper Image) that solve a common problem and appeal to people of all ages. The all-natural botanicals angle makes the product unique.
Weaknesses: I don’t think “botanicals” are a credible method of air purification, especially after all the bad press about ions doing nothing (which eventually killed the ionic air purifier business). This product also isn’t easy to explain, which further compounds the credibility problem. And even though this is a longer-form short-form commercial (a five-minute spot), the price point is too high.
Commercial (T&T) Score: 5 out of 10
Comments: This commercial has loads of credibility with its real people testimonials as well as a lengthy testimonial from a scientist who tested the product. I guess that’s one of the luxuries of a five-minute commercial: There’s plenty of time for infomercial-style “social proof.” Where it’s weak is in the area of demos: The product just sits there and sloshes around. I’d like to see the classic “smoke chamber” demo at a minimum -- maybe even in a side-by-side with an ionic air purifier, since this commercial is also lacking in product and value comparisons. Lastly, the offer is also weak: A guide to cleaner air has little value, and adding a fourth botanical doesn’t do much to make the relatively high price point seem like a bargain.

3. RIDDEX PLUS ($29.95) is an electronic pest control device “powered by Motorola technology.” It plugs into an outlet and sends digital pulses through the wiring in the walls that are supposed to drive insects and rodents away. The main claim: “Just plug it in and your entire house can be bug free.” The offer is buy one, get one free. www.RiddexPlus.com
Product (D7) Score: 5 out of 7
Strengths: This is a mass market problem solver that appeals to people of all ages and is fairly easy to explain. The price seems high at first, but the two-for-one deal brings it down to the right price for DRTV.
Weaknesses: It’s not unique (similar items have been on the market for years) and it’s lacking in credibility. It’s just hard to believe that digital pulses in your walls will effectively rid your home of pests.
Commercial (T&T) Score: 6 out of 10
Comments: This commercial opens with some truly repulsive scenes of bugs crawling on household items. In other words, it has a great problem opening. It also has fairly good testimonials, several strong value comparisons (positioning against the cost of an exterminator) and a decent offer. Its major weaknesses are no demos (nature of the product) and no proof. The obvious question/objection this commercial raises is, “How can digital pulses possibly be effective against rodents and bugs?” The commercial does not adequately tackle that issue. “Motorola technology” is mentioned several times, but it’s unclear what credibility a brand known for communications devices can lends to a pest controller.

4. LUMILIFE SYSTEM (3 pay, $29.98) is a light bulb that destroys airborne microbes. The offer includes two of these “super-nano” light bulbs, which are also supposed to use “75 percent less energy than regular bulbs.” The bonus is a “super-nano spray protectant.” www.LumiLifeSystems.com

5. STATE QUARTERS MAP ($14.99) is a reintroduction of the hit DRTV product from 1999. The offer includes a guidebook and certificate of authenticity (no coins). The bonus is the American Presidents Display, a board for collecting the new presidential dollars, which also includes a guidebook and certificate of authenticity. This is an IdeaVillage product. www.StateCoinMaps.com

6. CLEAN REST (Soft Offer) is a mattress cover and pillow case that protects against toxins, allergens and dust mites. The main claim: It’s “guaranteed to keep dust mites and any other nasty creatures away from you and the ones you love.” This is a soft offer with a key-outlet marketing tag for Bed Bath & Beyond. www.ForCleanRest.com

7. CELLUSCIENCE (Soft Offer) is a pill for fighting cellulite. The main claim: It’s “clinically proven to help reduce cellulite inside for sexier skin outside.” It’s supposedly backed by five clinical studies. www.CelluScience.com

8. ZENCORE (Soft Offer) is a male enhancement tab. The main claim: It’s the “most powerful all-natural male enhancement on the market today.” No URL

9. NUTRAMIST CRAVE CONTROL ($14.99) is a liquid supplement you spray in your mouth to help you resists food cravings. It contains chromium, green tea extract and a proprietary ingredient called “Appetrol,” and comes in a strong mint flavor. The offer is buy one, get one free. The bonus is an energy spray called NutraMist Energy Shots. This is an IdeaVillage product. www.GetCraveControl.com

10. PUSH-UP PRO ($19.99) is a competitor to the hit DRTV product Perfect Pushup. Like the original, it has handles that twist as you do pushups, maximizing the exercise. The commercial features Jack Zatorski, the guy who set the world record for pushups in 2003, and comes with his training guide as a bonus. This is an Ontel product. www.BuyPushupPro.com

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 8/3/07,” IMS (1-9); "Vol. XVI, No. 41-B, 08/3/07," Jordan Whitney (10)

New Format, New Challenge

This week’s New Items report will be my first report to feature reviews of select commercials based on my 10 “Tried-and-True” (T&T) DRTV techniques. This will be in addition to my usual product reviews, which are based on my seven criteria for identifying hit DRTV products, or what I call "the Divine Seven” (D7).

These scores represent an ongoing experiment of mine – an attempt to prove there’s a formula for DRTV success. We all have our pet theories. My goal is to validate mine, or be forced to revise them, based on real-world examples. So going forward, you will see both a Product (D7) Score and a Commercial (T&T) Score on select items. For the rest of the items (including my own projects), I’ll simply report the facts so that these archives remain complete and can be used as a resource in the future.

I’ll also continue checking the IMS and Jordan Whitney lists weekly to see what items are on the charts 90 days after launch (enough time to ensure they’re genuine hits) and reporting on what I wrote about them when they first aired. In other words, this will be a very public way of finding out whether I know what I’m talking about!

90 Days Later: Huggable Hangers, Freshini, One Touch Marinator and More

Once again, I am revisiting my DRTV predictions from 90 days ago. Counting backward, that puts us in the week ending May 11. Here’s a quick recap of what I wrote, what I predicted and how that prediction stacks up against the latest IMS and Jordan Whitney reports …

1. TRAX SCOOTER (www.TraxScooter.com), a personal transport vehicle that positions itself as a competitor to the Segway. I predicted it wouldn’t make it because it was $300 and because “the Segway, a much cooler vehicle with tons of positive PR, failed.” Today, it does not appear on either list.
2. HUGGABLE HANGERS (www.HuggableHangers.com), velvet clothes hangers that increase closet space and prevent "shoulder bumps," pitched by HSN’s Joy Mangano.
   I wrote, “This is a proven winner on HSN. But will it translate into a short-form DRTV winner? I don't know the answer, but this is an excellent case study. If anyone can succeed, Joy can.” I added: “[T]he item gets high marks from me. The only potential weakness I see is the uniqueness of the product. It's somewhat different (thin velvet as opposed to thick wood or plastic), but nothing earth-shattering.” Today, the item is #30 on the Jordan Whitney list but does not appear on the IMS list.
3. DR. FOOT (www.BuyFootDoctor.com), a foot-repair kit consisting of a cream, a spray and a pedicure lotion. I wrote that it was unlikely to succeed because “Ontel's Miracle Foot Repair, the hit that this product is trying to copy, was a retail hit not a DRTV hit.” Today, it does not appear on either list.
4. FRESHINI, a food-storage container with a locking lid that claims to keep things fresh up to four-times longer than a regular container. I predicted it would fail simply because several other variations of the idea had failed, and it isn’t on either list.
5. SABRR MARK & CUT (www.BuySabrrMarkAndCut.com), a measuring tape, utility knife, straight edge, compass and marker all in one. I wrote that it was too difficult to understand and that the offer was weak. Today, it isn’t on either list.
6. BATTLE MAX (www.BuyBattleMax.com), a safer paintball product for kids. I wrote that it is a “great idea” being marketed in the “wrong channel.” Today, it isn’t on either list.
7. ONE TOUCH MARINATOR, a manual device that uses vacuum pressure to marinate meat instantly. I thought it could work if it weren’t for “one weakness” that “could be a killer: The product is very difficult to explain.” Today, it isn’t on either list.

So far, my batting average is excellent! The one product I thought could work – Joy Mangano’s “Huggable Hangers” – appears on the JW list 90 days later. (Of course, I only consider something a verified hit if it appears on both lists and stays there, since neither the JW nor the IMS list is completely accurate.) To be fair, however, there wasn't much risk in the prediction, seeing as how Joy's hangers have been a big hit on HSN.

Tried & True DRTV Techniques

Did you know there are scientifically proven techniques for direct-response marketing? Techniques that were perfected by the wise DR marketers that came before us? Techniques that have been repeatedly shown to work through trial and error and millions of dollars spent on measured marketing?

I didn’t until about five years ago. That’s when I started buying and reading every book I could find on the topic of direct marketing (and collected quite an impressive library in the process). I went as far back as the 1920s, starting with what I call the ‘Old Masters' and eventually covering more than 100 years of direct-marketing history (read more). One result of that project: I compiled a list of 30 tried-and-true (T&T) techniques for DRTV advertising.

Of the 30 techniques, several are so critical that I believe they should be used in every DRTV commercial, without exception. I don’t believe in magic formulas, but I do believe that using these techniques can greatly increase a campaign’s odds of success.

I’ve condensed the critical ones into the following list of 10 T&T techniques:

1. Start with a problem-solution opening. All good DRTV products solve a problem. Making that problem seem as painful as possible helps create the impulse to purchase and positions your product as the hero of the commercial. The classic line for this part of the commercial: “Oh no! Not again!”
2. Showcase unique features and benefits. The idea that you need to explain a product's "features and benefits" is as old as advertising itself. Making those features and benefits seem as unique as possible -- i.e. differentiating the product from other potential solutions -- is what really makes the difference.
3. Demonstrate the product repeatedly & feature a ‘magic demo’ if possible. Explaining isn't enough: DRTV buyers need to see it for themselves. That's why the most successful DRTV products are the ones that have great demos. As for the “magic demo,” my favorite example is Billy Mays putting a scoop of OxiClean in a giant tub of red iodine, giving it a swirl and turning the water clear. Now that’s magic!
4. Explain how the product works. If people don’t understand the product, they are much less likely to buy it. Confusion is a sales killer, and DRTV buyers must be able to justify their purchase with logic. One of the more common ways to explain a product these days is an animation. The classic lead-in to this part of the commercial: “Here’s how it works …” or "The secret is ..."
5. Prove that the product works by comparing & contrasting. A typical method of comparing is the side-by-side demo, which pits the hero product against a competitor or older method. A typical method of contrasting is before-and-after photography (often shown in a split screen).
6. Establish credibility with testimonials and/or other third-party endorsements. The master infomercial marketers at Guthy-Renker call testimonials “social proof.” They are the experts at creating a “word of mouth” feel in a commercial format. (Watch a Proactiv commercial to see what I mean.) Scientific studies, seals of approval (e.g. Good Housekeeping) and other third-party endorsements are also highly effective at generating credibility.
7. Raise and answer obvious questions and objections. Marketing is all about getting inside people's heads and trying to predict what they'll be thinking about when watching your commercial. Master direct marketer Joseph Sugarman said that part of this process is imagining what their objections and/or questions will be, and then addressing them the moment they pop into their heads. But he added a word of caution: Never raise an objection or question you can’t answer satisfactorily!
8. Present a powerful offer at an incredible price. DRTV producer Fred Vanore calls this the “mooch factor.” DRTV buyers are price sensitive (read “cheap”), and they live for a great bargain. The classic way to build up the value of an offer is to include one or more bonuses. Master DRTV marketer AJ Khubani once shared four criteria with me for selecting a bonus: 1) It must be relevant to the product; 2) It must be instantly understandable; 3) It must have a high perceived value; and 4) It must be low cost (since you're giving it away). The classic lead-in to this part of the commercial: “But wait! There’s more!”
9. Increase perceived value with a value comparison. This technique is another DRTV cliché. But going back to #8, it’s critical to show DRTV buyers how much money you’re going to save them. A great way to do that is to call their attention to the priciest alternative possible. The classic lead-in to this part of the commercial: “You could pay $100 dollars …”
10. Minimize risk with a satisfaction guarantee. At a minimum, there should be a money-back guarantee. However, money-back guarantees are so commonplace these days that people tend to ignore them. That’s why Sugarman advocated an “over-the-top guarantee.” He believed the guarantee should be so good, your customers would wonder how you stayed in business.

Each week, I post a “New Items” report that covers the latest DRTV products to air. In the past, I’ve only rated the products themselves. But going forward, I will select and review a few commercials as well, using the 10 criteria above.

The result – my “T&T Score” – will be a good validation of these techniques on an ongoing basis. Together, we can learn just how many commercials that follow the "teachings of the masters" succeed in today's environment.