The Divine Seven

Update: The results are in! My success rate using the D7 to pick winners is one in three, while the industry average is one in eight. Seems the criteria really work. See my April 7, 2008 post for more.

How important is marketing to the success of a DRTV product? The answer is “very important” – but only if you start out with a product that’s right for the DRTV market.

The best marketing in the world isn’t going to sell a product that lacks inherent appeal to DRTV buyers. That means DRTV marketers need to use very specific criteria when deciding which new product ideas they will spend time, money and resources bringing to market.

During my career, I’ve compiled a master list of 14 of these criteria. Of these, I believe seven are so critical to the success of any DRTV product that I call them the “The Divine Seven.” In my opinion, the odds of having a hit DRTV campaign are highest when your product is:

1. UNIQUE. Simply put, it must be different and new. That means it must be something most people haven’t seen it before, or something most people think they haven’t seen it before.
2. MASS MARKET. It must appeal to a large enough market. Niche products seldom succeed.
3. PROBLEM SOLVING. It has to solve a perceived problem that doesn’t already have a good-enough solution. Aspirational products just don’t play on DRTV.
4. PRICED RIGHT. It should be $20 or less. Since DRTV purchases are impulse purchases, it’s very hard to make anything priced above $20 work. The price should also meet or exceed the perceived value of the product. DRTV buyers demand a bargain.
5. EASILY EXPLAINED. People need to be able to understand what it does quickly. The best way to accomplish this is to select products that are simple and highly demonstrable.
6. AGE APPROPRIATE. It should appeal to people over the age of 50, or at least not exclude this group. That’s because the typical DRTV buyer is 50+.
7. CREDIBLE. People must believe it works as advertised. Many DRTV items that meet the previous six criteria fail here because the promise they make just isn’t believable.

I remember these criteria with the following sentence: "A successful DRTV product is a UNIQUE, MASS MARKET PROBLEM SOLVER that’s PRICED RIGHT, EASILY EXPLAINED, AGE APPROPRIATE and CREDIBLE."

The middle five are the most critical. That's because they're also the most objective. Whether a product is unique enough or credible enough for DRTV viewers is a matter of opinion (before the results come in). On the other hand, objective research can determine that a product is niche instead of mass market, and history has shown that such products are highly unlikely to succeed on DRTV. In fact, I'll go on record and say a product that misses in any one of the middle five categories is highly unlikely to succeed.

Since January of this year, I’ve been keeping track of how new items from the IMS and Jordan Whitney reports stack up against these criteria. My goal is to evaluate 100 DRTV products before I know whether they are hits, and then see how my criteria hold up. Will items that meet all seven criteria become hits as expected? Or will items that defy my criteria become hits, and cause me to re-evaluate how I screen products? Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I’ll be adding a “D7 Score” to each product I cover in my New Items report. Once I reach 100, I’ll share the results.

New Items: Awesome Auger, Craft-Lite Cutter, Series V Knife and more

Here’s my new report on the latest DRTV spots to air:

1. AWESOME AUGER ($19.95) is a long power drill attachment used for digging holes in the garden. The main claim: “Takes the hard work out of yard work.” The offer includes the “Ground Auger,” a shorter version for planting bulbs. The bonuses are the “Weed Auger,” which rips up weeds (just pay S&H), and a “power extender” (just pay S&H). Then they throw in the power drill (just pay S&H). This is an SAS Group product. Billy Mays is the spokesperson. www.BuyTheAuger.com
Comments: Might work in a limited way. Items in the gardening category face two major challenges: the category is seasonal and the market is niche. Still, this particular product may catch on among gardening enthusiasts, and the offer is huge – maybe too huge. A free power drill is just too good to be true. Southern Tools tried it as a bonus for their Bit Shooter product, and it shot the credibility of their offer and led to high levels of customer dissatisfaction. After all, what are the chances a DRTV company will ship you a quality power drill for free? Of course, the drill isn’t really free, which is another problem. Notice every bonus item that comes with this product carries a separate S&H charge. That’s going to kill a lot of sales.

2. YOUTHOLOGY ($39.99) is a wrinkle cream. The magic ingredient is “Active Rejuvatin.” The main claim: “Now you can make the visible signs of aging vanish instantly and look 10 years younger in just 90 seconds.” www.TryYouthology.com
Comments: There is nothing to distinguish this product from the other wrinkle creams on the market.

3. PET FLEX (Free Trial) is a dietary supplement for pets. You mix it in with the pet’s food and it improves joint health. The main claim: “Restore your pet’s active life.” No URL
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. People think of their pets as their children. They aren’t going to feed them something unknown without a lot of reassuring information. The commercial doesn’t offer it, and there is no Web site to visit for more information.

4. RACK & ROLL ($21.95) is a paper towel dispenser. It hangs over the back of a door. The bonus is a paper towel holder. www.TheRackAndRoll.com
Comments: This product doesn't solve a painful problem, and the offer is weak.

5. CLOSET DOUBLER ($12.99) is Telebrands’ Tap ‘N Turn, a space-saving device for closets, under a new name. It's a hanging device that connects to the side of a closet and drops down, so clothes hang vertically. It requires installation, but the process is just "tap" (goes into wall) and "turn" (handle screws it in). The offer is buy one, get one free. The bonus is a “rod unit” that’s double-sided and connects to the center of a closet rod (just pay S&H). www.ClosetDoubler.com
Comments: Same challenges as the original. It doesn't look like a quality piece, and it lacks credibility. People won't believe it's strong enough if the installation is so easy.

6. TOILET TUNES ($29.95) is a digital sound machine that automatically plays music or nature sounds the moment you lift your toilet lid. The idea is to conceal embarrassing bathroom noises. The offer includes a peel-and-stick sensor that goes under the toilet lid and the receiver/sound machine. The bonus is a spa pillow for the bathtub. www.GetToiletTunes.com
Comments: This is an interesting twist on Sharper Image’s Sound Soother device. But I don’t see how it’s going to cover bathroom noises. Also, it doesn’t do anything a small radio or CD player couldn’t do except go on automatically.

7. CRAFT-LITE CUTTER ($19.99) is a lighted cutting device for photos and craft projects. It has interchangeable blades for different styles of cuts, and a swing-out ruler. The offer includes three blades: a straight edge, a wave edge and a zig-zag edge. The bonus is three additional blades (scoring, stamp and perforation). This is a Merchant Media product and a Blue Moon Studios commercial. www.CraftLiteCutter.com
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. As a practical item, it doesn’t solve a big enough problem. Scissors have been a “good enough” solution for decades for a reason. As a craft item, it becomes a niche product.

8. SERIES V KNIFE ($19.99) is a 12-piece knife set. The main claim: These are “laser honed” knives so no matter what you cut, “they’ll never lose their edge.” The offer includes a 10-inch serrated slicer, an 8-inch flex chopper, a set of steak knives, an “ultimate kitchen knife,” and a multi-use knife that peels, grates, slices and serves. The bonus is a Japanese Santoku knife. This is a Chef Tony commercial. No URL
Comments: Unlikely to succeed. Kitchen knives are a tried-and-true DRTV category, and they lend themselves to some great demos. Chef Tony has them all down pat, so the spot is visually exciting. The problem is that the category is super-crowded these days. Go to any discount store, and you’ll find knife sets of every nationality and variety. The Ginsu days are long gone. So while this set is a great value and has a few interesting highlights – I especially like the multi-use knife – there’s not enough here to motivate people off the couch.

Sources: “New Spots for Week Ending 7/13/07,” IMS (1-5); "Vol. XVI, No. 38-B, 07/13/07," Jordan Whitney (6-8)

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!