The State Quarters Map Is Back!

We're bringing back one of the biggest DRTV hits of the last decade: the State Quarters map. Check out the first cut of our commercial below. Then, post your comments and take the two-minute survey. Your responses will help us get an early understanding of how this is going to perform, so do your best to answer as a consumer and not a DRTV expert (if you are one). Oh, and please feel free to send people you know the link to this blog, so they can watch the spot and take the survey as well!

New Items: Cleavage Control, Slice Wizard, MicroFiber Magic Sponge and more

It’s summertime, which means the airwaves are chock-full of new products vying to be the next big DRTV hit! Here’s my report on the latest ones to cross my desk:

1. CLEAVAGE CONTROL CLIPS ($19.95) are plastic clips that pull together and connect bra straps to create the appearance of a fuller bust. The main claim: “Enhance your cleavage instantly.” The offer includes two black, two white and two clear clips. The bonuses are a strapless adhesive bra (like Telebrands’ Natural Bra) and a set of silicone breast petals. www.CleavageControlClip.com
Comments: You can tell the infomercial industry is run by men. I’ve seen more boob products on DRTV in the last few years than there are DRTV companies! (I guess that’s the casting session and commercial shoot every male CEO wants to attend.) Anyway, this particular boob product is unlikely to succeed because of the low perceived value of the product and the lack of “wow factor.” At the end of the day, it’s just a plastic clip.

2. HAWAII CHAIR (6 pay, $69.99) is an exercise chair with a motorized seat that moves in a “hula dance” motion. The idea is that it gives you a core workout while you sit around. The main claim: It “takes the work out of your workout.” No bonus. www.HawaiiChair.com
Comments: Prediction? Bomb! There are several things wrong with this product and this commercial. First, the product will make you look and feel stupid when you use it. This should not be underestimated as a barrier to purchase. Second, it is WAY too expensive for DRTV – and for mass-market consumers in general. Topping it all off, the commercial is hokey.

3. MICROFIBER MAGIC SPONGE ($19.99) is a two-sided microfiber sponge. The “grime buster” (rough) side is for sticky messes and baked-on grease. The soft side is for wiping and polishing. The main claim: “Clean faster, easier and better without chemicals.” The offer includes four sponges plus a jumbo sponge for washing cars, trucks and RVs. The bonus is double the offer, just pay S&H on the second set. This is an Ontel product and a Sullivan Productions commercial. www.MicroFiberMagicSponge.com
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. After watching the spot, you’re left with the impression that this is just a fancy sponge, which is to say it isn’t exciting enough to motivate people off the couch. Perhaps if the commercial sold the benefits of microfiber better, this product would have a shot.

4. HANDY PEEL ($10) is a pair of rubber gloves covered with rough nubs. You rub them over a potato or carrot while it’s under running water, and it wears away the skin. The main claim: It’s an “all-in-one rub, peel and scrub.” No bonus. This is a National Express product. www.HandyPeel.com
Comments: This is a knockoff of another TV item called Tater Mitts. I’m not sure who did it, but I don’t recall it working in a big way. It’s really just a novelty, so it will be hard to get the mass market excited, even at $10.

5. VIDALIA SLICE WIZARD ($19.99) is a kitchen slicer with seven different blade inserts. The action is similar to a deli slicer, but the unit is smaller. The main claim: “Perfect slices each and every time.” The offer includes a storage rack for the different blade inserts. The bonus is a pair of peeling gloves (see #4). This is another National Express product. The spokesperson is Billy Mays. No URL
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. This product is a line extension of National Express’s ongoing mega-hit, the Vidalia Chop Wizard, and line extensions rarely work. I don’t see why someone who has the chopper would also buy the slicer, especially since the uses overlap. Further reducing the odds is the perceived quality of the product: It just looks cheap. Lastly, it’s difficult to explain seven features in one short-form. Billy is great, but even he can’t fit a half hour’s worth of demos into a two-minute commercial! On a side note, I don’t understand the logic of giving away as a bonus an item you are also trying to sell on TV.

6. FRIDGE TO-GO ($29.95) is a soft drink cooler that chills beverages and then keeps them cold. The main claims: Chills “three times faster than a freezer and six times faster than a refrigerator.” Takes drinks “from room temp to cold in 20 minutes.” And “keeps drinks cold up to nine hours.” The offer includes two totes for the cooler and two “iCubes,” which are essentially molded freezer packs. The bonus is two pop-top can openers. This is an Incredible Discoveries product. www.BuyCaddyo.com
Comments: It’s innovative, and it solves a problem. On the other hand, it’s seasonal, and it’s a bit pricey for DRTV. That means the item will probably only work in a limited way.

7. TOOL BAND-IT ($19.95) is a magnetic armband that keeps tools in easy reach. The main claim: “Holds everything from small nails to large wrenches.” The bonus is two “bandit lights,” which are LED head lamps that strap to the forehead (just pay separate S&H). www.ToolBandit.com
Comments: Could be a winner! It’s unique, and it solves a problem. The only potential weaknesses are believability (can it really hold a bunch of heavy tools?) and practicality (how do you work when your arm is weighed down with a bunch of heavy tools?).

8. JUICE GENIE ($14.99) is an attachment that makes a blender work like a juicer. The main claim: “Turns you ordinary blender into a high-powered juice extractor.” The offer includes a food processor attachment and a recipe guide. The bonus is the “Citrus Genie,” which instantly cuts oranges and grapefruit into pieces with just a few twists. Then they double the offer. This is a Merchant Media product. www.JuiceGenie.com
Comments: Might just work. The Jack La Lane juicer is a big hit in the long-form world, and this spot uses the same pitch while offering a much more attractive price. Its only weakness is credibility. Will people believe a plastic insert can turn a blender into a juice extractor?

9. WOBBLE BUBBLE ($19.95) is a device for blowing giant bubbles. The offer includes a paddle for smacking the bubbles around. The bonus is a second set for just $5. No URL
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. It’s not different enough, and kids’ products are always handicapped by limited media choices.

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 7/6/07,” IMS (1-7); "Vol. XVI, No. 37-B, 07/06/07," Jordan Whitney (8-9)

NutraMist Crave Control

We're working on a new DRTV commercial for a product called NutraMist Crave Control. I'd like your feedback and the feedback of people you know. You can watch the spot below. When you're done, take this online survey. The whole process will take you five minutes, but it will help us out tremendously!

Sales or Intangibles?

From Ad Age today: “A study to be published in the Journal of Marketing that covered 167 companies including Procter & Gamble, Microsoft and Apple over a five-year period concludes that CMOs on top management teams don't have any effect on a company's financial performance. The disheartening finding … is sure to reignite the longstanding debate afflicting the suite: Should a CMO be judged on tangible or intangible metrics? On solid stats such as sales, or on more amorphous concepts such as brand equity or even awareness?”

I think Rosser Reeves answered this question best nearly 50 years ago: “Let’s say you are a manufacturer. Your advertising isn’t working and your sales are going down. And everything depends on it. Your future depends on it, your family’s future depends on it, other people’s families depend on it. And you walk into this office and talk to me, and you sit in that chair. Now, what do want out of me? Fine writing? Do you want masterpieces? Do you want glowing things that can be framed by copywriters? Or do you want to see the goddamned sales curve stop moving down and start moving up?”

New Items: Body Wedge, Ab Complete, The Shade and more

Here's what's new in the short-form world this week:

1. BODY WEDGE 21 ($21) is an inflatable wedge used for doing ab exercises and other core strengthening routines. The main claim: Use it for “just 21 minutes a day to get the body of a 21 year old in just 21 days.” The offer includes a nutritional guide. The bonus is a DVD of “Advanced Tips and Techniques.” Comes with optional resistance bands. This is a Telebrands item. www.Bodywedge21.com
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. It’s hard to make a multi-use exercise item like this work in short-form. If it were tightly focused on abs, it might have a better shot. But abs is a crowded category right now with The Bean and Hip Hops Abs topping the infomercial charts.

2. AB COMPLETE ($1 Trial) is an ab machine that works like a rocking chair, providing resistance on the way down. The main claim: “With its amazing 4 in 1 Reverse Super Sculpt, [it] will shrink your waist 4 times faster than any other exercise machine on the market.” The offer is a $1 trial with free shipping. www.AbComplete.com
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. The product isn’t unique enough and, as mentioned above, the airwaves are crowded with competing ab products right now.

3. THE SHADE ($19.95) is a sun shade for a car’s windshield. It’s retractable and pleated (accordion-style). The main claim: It “keeps your car up to 60 degrees cooler.” The bonus is a “grip and go” all-weather velour steering wheel cover. www.BuyDashProducts.com
Comments: Might just work. Allstar’s Auto Cool was a major hit last summer, partly because of a major heat wave in the Northeast. This summer, temperatures are again topping 100 degrees. That said, this product is a lot less unique than Auto Cool. With the exception of it being mountable and retractable, people may wonder what real advantage it offers over traditional (and cheaper) auto shades.

4. REJUVENELLE (Free Trial) is a wrinkle cream. The main claim: It “reduces existing wrinkles and prevents new ones.” The offer is a free trial, just pay $9.95 S&H. The bonus is a dark circle under-eye treatment. www.GoAwayWrinkles.com
Comments: There is nothing to differentiate this product from all the other wrinkle creams on the market.

5. LOVIDO (Free Trial) is a male potency product from Norway. The main claim: “Helps boost sexual drive, stamina and energy.” The offer is a free trial, just pay $6.95 S&H. www.Lovido.com
Comments: The commercial lacks credibility. There is no reason to believe this product works or that’s it different from the male potency scams out there.

6. LACTAGEN (Free Trial) is a treatment for lactose intolerance. It’s a one-time, 38-day program that’s backed by medical and clinical trials. The main claim: “Enjoy dairy again without the worry and pain of symptoms.” The offer is a free trial, just pay $8.95 S&H. The bonus is a coupon for a free ice cream. www.EnjoyDairy.com
Comments: May work in a narrow way. Lactose intolerance isn’t a mass market problem, but for the people that have it, this product’s promise is unique and intriguing. One potential turn-off: After the 30-day trial, customers are billed three payments of $39.95.

7. RE-GRO (Free Trial) is a hair re-growth system for African American women. The bonus is a free scalp moisturizer. www.MyRegro.com
Comments: May work in a narrow way. There are two stations that this will work on especially well.

8. PUPPY STAIRS (Free Trial) is a knock-off of Telebrands’ Doggy Steps. This product comes in a variety of styles, including stairs, ramps and cubes. The main claim: Helps “dogs, cats, kittens and other pets get on and off sofas and beds safely.” The offer is a free trial. The bonus is a pet pillow cover. www.PuppyStairs.com
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. Besides being second to market, this product offers no advantage over Doggy Steps. Additionally, this company is offering a bewildering array of products with different fabric options that’s sure to confuse and dissuade anyone but the most motivated prospect.

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 6/29/07,” IMS (1-7); "Vol. XVI, No. 36-B, 6/29/07," Jordan Whitney (8)