Vince Update (2): LiLo 'n Vince

TMZ is reporting that Lindsay Lohan will play "a gun-toting Marilyn Monroe" in the upcoming re-release of Vince Offer's Underground Comedy Movie.

First Eminem and now LiLo ... Vince sure does know how to generate buzz!

MMA: The New Trend in SF Fitness

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is one of the fast growing sports in America. UFC pay-per-view events now routinely beat both WWE and boxing events in terms of revenue generated ... and the DRTV industry has taken note.

It's now clear that despite its high price point, Body By Jake's Tower 200 -- starring UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture -- is a bona-fide hit. It was No. 9 on the April True Top 50 (although it did not appear on the May chart). As a result, DRTV marketers are trying to replicate its success, looking to find their own "Randy" to help them succeed in the burgeoning short-form men's fitness category, which I believe is fueled by the MMA crowd even when its heroes do not pitch the product.

Two new examples of this trend are Ontel's Iron Arms, starring UFC nice-guy Rich Franklin, and something called the Body Action System from MMA veteran Bas Ruten.

Ontel's item is a line extension of Iron Gym. It was produced by Annika Kielland's LoudMouth TV, the same shop that did the aforementioned hit, and is another example of her fine work in fitness. As for the product, the positives are that it's unique and costs just $19.99 -- well below what seems to be the impulse-price threshold for this category.

The only negative is the product is focused on just one part of the body: the forearms. In one sense, the strategy is laudable. Most marketers tend to play it safe when it comes to short-form fitness and target only the abs/core. But while this focus has produced many hits, it keeps getting harder to come up with something people haven't heard before.

These days, in fact, the hits tend to be items that focus on new parts of the body. BodyRev's Perfect Pushup comes to mind, as does Fitness IQ's Shake Weight. These winners also demonstrate that a narrower focus is needed in short-form to succeed, which makes sense given the limited amount of time available to explain the product. But the focus of Iron Arms may be too narrow. Getting a firm chest and toned arms is one thing, but how many people want stronger forearms?

At the other end of this spectrum is the Bas Ruten item. It is expensive (starting at $299.99) and the focus is a full-body workout. However, I think it will have less appeal than similar fitness items because it's a large contraption. It also seems to be primarily for people who want to learn martial arts as opposed to just getting in shape. I suppose the theory is this could be the next Tae Bo, but Bas Ruten is no Billy Blanks. His bicep-kissing shtick will only appeal to a certain segment of the male population.

So is going "MMA" the new way to ensure DRTV success in the fitness category? Only time will tell, and I for one will be watching closely.

AJ on Wendy Williams

AJ went on The Wendy Williams Show today to showcase some recent DRTV products. Items presented (in order) were:

• Bottle Top
• ShamWow
• Razor Reach
• Perfect Fit Button
• Booty Pop

Interpreting the News

According to the Associated Press:

With unemployment stuck near 10 percent and the stock market having wiped out gains made early this year, Americans are skittish about spending. A continuing stream of sobering economic data — from disappointing job figures in May and June to weak housing numbers — is increasing worries that the economic recovery is stalling just as government stimulus programs are disappearing.

One component of the Consumer Confidence Index, which measures how people feel now about the economy now, declined to 26.1, from 26.8. The other barometer, which measures respondent's outlook over the next six months, declined to 66.6, from 72.7 last month.

The index — which measures how shoppers feel about business conditions, the job market and the next six months — had been recovering fitfully since hitting an all-time low of 25.3 in February 2009.

The full story is here.

I asked Dick Wechsler, CEO of Lockard & Wechsler Direct, for his take on what appeared to be sobering news for our industry. I asked: How will this affect our business this quarter and next?

Dick replied:

My feeling is that this is old information. The pickup in response that we’ve seen since early July is a real indication that consumer confidence is finally on the rise. While the media market is a leading economic indicator, consumer confidence is a lagging one.

Over the past year, the DRTV world has been caught in a double whammy. High rates from a robust media market, an early indicator of recovery, coupled with low consumer response from a lack of confidence has made it extremely difficult to scale campaigns. July brought a major improvement in consumer response.

While rates remain high, improved confidence and response have allowed more campaigns to achieve efficient scale.

Here's hoping this positive trend continues.

ERA Awards Change Name, Approach

The ERA just announced that it has renamed its annual awards the "ERA Moxie Awards" and that, for the first time, it will feature a "People's Choice Category."

New this year, YOU get to decide who has the best short form AND long form infomercials of the year. Between now and August 6, vote for your favorite in the People's Choice Category.

What a novel idea. At the risk of sounding egocentric, I wonder if it has anything to do with my criticism of last year's nominees and subsequent praise of the DRMA event? I certainly wasn't alone in my thinking.

So why "Moxie Awards"? According to the ERA release:

The word “moxie” suggests energy, initiative, determination, skill and the ability to face challenges with spirit and courage—all characteristics that embody the DR marketing industry.

For you Mainers out there, it's also a popular brand of soft drink, which I happen to like and from which the word derives.

On a side note, both the soft drink and the term are antiquated. Appropriate? I report; you decide.