Good Luck with S&P

www.FreeFlexor.com

Courtesy of AdWeek:

By law, strengthening-product demonstrations in infomercials must look like sex acts. There's the Shake Weight, obviously. And now, there's the Free Flexor ... It's not quite as indecent seeming as the Shake Weight, perhaps, but it's still not something you should do around your mother.

[a]

Stompeez Spot

(Producer: Infomercials Inc.)

Here's another new commercial targeting kids by the folks who brought you Pillow Pets and Wuggle Pets.

As I write in the upcoming issue of Response magazine, a renewed focus on kids' DRTV -- inspired by the success of Infomercials Inc. -- is the latest industry trend.

Weekly Round-Up

Very little going on this week, and nothing that warrants a detailed review, so here's a (very) short update:

1. Lappers. Pitch: "Specifically designed to hold all your food firmly in place even when tilted or turned." Starring: Anthony Sullivan. Marketer: Masterbuilt. Producer: Sullivan Productions. Comments: This is not really a DRTV product, especially with a $29.99 price tag. But I like the creative and the demos, and I think this could be an OK seller if it were offered for a lower price in another channel of sale. [a]
    
2. Reef Case. Pitch: "The waterproof smart phone case that protects your phone and still lets you use it." Marketer: IdeaVillage. Producer: Sullivan Productions. Comments: The site is already down, so I'm just posting this one for posterity. In general, given the older skew of our prospect base, I think smart phone products are highly unlikely to succeed on DRTV. [a]
    
3. Ruby Crystal. Pitch: "The only file with thousands of synthetic ruby crystals that embed themselves into the nail." Comments: I doubt this product is different enough or credible enough to get women to switch from their trusty emery board, which is a 'good enough' solution. This creative also features what I call a 'kitchen sink offer.' That's where so much stuff is jammed into one offer (everything but the kitchen sink), the viewer has no idea what she's supposed to be getting. [a]
    
4. Shadazzle. Pitch: "Cleans, polishes and protects in one step." Starring: Harry Wilder. Comments: This product flopped in early 2009 under the name Earth Brite. I see no reason why the results would be any different this time around. [a]
    

Weekly Round-Up

Name choices matter. As the above illustrates, "Head Wedgie" (No. 2) doesn't exactly communicate comfort.

Not much going on the last few weeks, so only five quick reviews are needed to bring you up to speed:

1. Eco EZ Wash. Pitch: "The revolutionary waterless cash wash that does it all." Comments: Attempt No. 96 in a very crowded category. [a]
    
2. Head Wedgie. Pitch: "The ultimate head rest solution." Comments: This is a comfort product, but I can't think of a less comfortable-sounding name than "head wedgie." This product is also incorrectly targeted for DRTV. [a]
    
3. Quillow. Pitch: "It's a pillow. It's a blanket. It's a Quillow." Comments: I like the Blue Moon version better. [a]
    
4. Tie Boss. Pitch: "Better than a bungee. Easier than a ratchet." Comments: This product seems too utilitarian to be successful on DRTV. There's no magic. It's something a guy might pick up at the hardware store for a specific purpose, but not something he'd get off the couch to buy on impulse. [a]
    
5. Top Chips. Pitch: "The fat-free, low-calorie, healthy way to snack." Comments: This looks like a lot of work to make one bag of chips, and all for what? Healthier chips are widely available at retail these days. They come in low fat, no fat, baked, air cooked and more, and you can get chips in every type of fruit or vegetable imaginable. [a] 

White Light: Old Gold?

Current/Original Marketer Telebrands
Original Hit Year: 2005 (No. 20 on the JW Annual)
Website: www.GetWhiteLight.com
Prediction: On The Fence

I took the lazy way out on this one. It would require some real research to determine the answer to a key question governing the success or failure of this attempted revival: What was customer satifaction like with the original item? If it was high, then I see no reason why this one couldn't become a Phoenix. That is, unless the jig is up on the light gimmick. Whitening with light was much newer when this oringinally launched.