November 19, 2015

Photo Chest

Description: A photo storage case
Main Pitch: "Keep your treasured memories protected, safe and organized"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one with 16 containers
Bonus: Double the offer (just pay a separate fee)
Marketer: Telebrands
Producer: Jordan Direct
Watch the spot

Although this bears the same name as a product Telebrands tested in February 2013 (watch the spot here), it is a different product entirely. The former was a USB flash drive that could "store up to 4,000 digital photos." By contrast, this is an analog solution in a digital world -- and in that regard it is less likely than its predecessor to succeed.

On the other hand, flash drives are common and consumers with digital photos have so many free, cloud-based options from which to choose. A good solution for prints, especially given the demographics of DR, may be more likely to succeed.

The tie-breaker for me is the meta-category here: organization. So far, only shoes and spices have shown any ability to succeed in that category. Could photos be a third exception? Maybe a few decades ago, but probably not today.

S7 Analysis: Another way of putting the above: A good way to organize printed photos was much more needed a generation ago than it is today. And while the target isn't wrong, it is limited as a result. Additionally, as mentioned, the marketplace is crowded with options for preserving photos -- even to the point of services that turn old prints into high-quality digital photos.