tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51389743802284588512024-03-23T06:13:44.032-04:00The SciMark Report[ Archive Version | 2007 - 2022 ]Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comBlogger1559125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-83143689401103000662022-09-06T09:00:00.018-04:002022-09-08T11:48:53.193-04:00The SciMark Report is moving<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSJAS_q2ORSE44RQpKbrYBAaa_FPc65LKfAXM3sAnWq64O1XxJsvzCoeCWzoA4FFuoGXj-lUmfxXKzFjz_hgwLS9sCSgf_O54gLs901ZpdmKwJ8c_jtlicVWuK9zBb9XBBceVVsKqaNcR1C1LP2V0b9cSjNF6xOdqRxHwrT1x30Vt-I3GZwW7G_Vz/s951/moving.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="951" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSJAS_q2ORSE44RQpKbrYBAaa_FPc65LKfAXM3sAnWq64O1XxJsvzCoeCWzoA4FFuoGXj-lUmfxXKzFjz_hgwLS9sCSgf_O54gLs901ZpdmKwJ8c_jtlicVWuK9zBb9XBBceVVsKqaNcR1C1LP2V0b9cSjNF6xOdqRxHwrT1x30Vt-I3GZwW7G_Vz/s400/moving.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>A little more than 15 years ago, <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2007/06/blog-post.html"><u>on June 15, 2007</u></a>, I launched this report. The decision instantly made me a trendy new “blogger,” and I was soon the industry’s <i>most popular</i> blogger — but only because our industry is small and no one knew what the heck a blogger was.</p>
<p>Anyway, it was here on Google’s Blogger platform that <i>The SciMark Report</i> launched and grew and has remained — until today.</p>
<p>The short version: I'm moving this report to a new platform. You can find out why by reading <a href="https://scimark.substack.com/p/the-scimark-report-is-moving-to-substack"><u>the longer version of this post</u></a> over there.</p>
<p>By the way, if you're subscriber here I have already made you a subscriber there, so there's nothing for you to do. If you aren't a subscriber and want to sign up for this (relocated) report, <a href="https://scimark.substack.com/"><u>click here</u></a>.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-78811322475032734372022-04-28T11:43:00.004-04:002022-04-28T11:46:47.981-04:00Industry News: iSpot Will Become a Unicorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFje15rvz1K-AbVB8Hm3x5UEwLnYQ634v32b5xy0RZeFmUZIJ6p2xao2EVBX_3U3z0TF2uY7UWVVlVi_G_di90Nfb1v15-htxqwFtoTuIJFVBwOtrumuyf-qbmZoLVHGjuyAt5tADEzR-P8bB1niuUkbnwICKaXjWB3jCq-hIP0_SXdbBAJEffsl_L/s640/unicorngold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="593" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFje15rvz1K-AbVB8Hm3x5UEwLnYQ634v32b5xy0RZeFmUZIJ6p2xao2EVBX_3U3z0TF2uY7UWVVlVi_G_di90Nfb1v15-htxqwFtoTuIJFVBwOtrumuyf-qbmZoLVHGjuyAt5tADEzR-P8bB1niuUkbnwICKaXjWB3jCq-hIP0_SXdbBAJEffsl_L/s320/unicorngold.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br />
<p>In the world of venture capital, a startup that hits a $1 billion valuation is known as a "unicorn." iSpot.tv is now poised to achieve that mythical status thanks to an upcoming $325 million investment from global investment giant Goldman Sachs.</p>
<p>“As we enter our second decade, the investment and support from Goldman Sachs will help fuel the next generation of innovations and accelerate our ability to be the trusted cross-screen currency of choice,” iSpot CEO Sean Muller said in <a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ads/goldman-sachs-to-invest-325-million-into-ispot-tv-to-accelerate-modern-tv-measurement-currencies/" target="_blank"><u>the press release</u></a> announcing the deal. "I couldn't be prouder of our 350 passionate iSpotters who bring it each and every day," he added in a companion <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/seanmuller_goldman-sachs-buys-minority-stake-in-tv-ad-measurement-activity-6925047703861161984-JTZO/" target="_blank"><u>LinkedIn post</u></a>.</p>
<p>iSpot is on a roll. Last year, it <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/industry-news-ispot-acquires-drmetrix.html"><u>acquired Joseph Gray’s DRMetrix</u></a> and gained unique, real-time measurement capabilities. Last month, it became the <a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ads/nbcu-makes-ispot-first-nationally-certified-measurement-partner-commits-to-using-ispot-as-currency-for-upfront-season/" target="_blank"><u>first measurement company certified by NBCUniversal</u></a> for use as "currency" in the purchasing of national advertising campaigns. WarnerMedia and IPG Mediabrands are also working with the firm on this front.</p>
<p>For these reasons, iSpot is widely viewed as a growing threat to competitor Nielsen, which has been the gold standard for TV ad measurement. That must be especially exciting for Muller, Gray and the rest of the iSpot team since Nielsen <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/nielsen-ratings-sale-private-equity-1235121440/" target="_blank"><u>recently sold for 16 unicorns</u></a>.</p>
Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-25207468966939930662022-03-08T18:25:00.035-05:002022-03-09T08:17:06.565-05:00New & True: Mighty Interesting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOz_9fifo29Mym3amZtlSkoBHMIVf0C6n1qDkeJ8a9uOFsSQspzdoBqoPloISmi4FtPWmqNMhj-h1yQngIbKifY_Nq9Cka1-zoDjRvHUb6DdC9IjsA_7nxzoiGy1Eqm7lTCj7oD-bnrnVpLm7s19TsBzKzVMaAaJON93GMKZy3T-kQEz3hNQS9cKlr=s607" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOz_9fifo29Mym3amZtlSkoBHMIVf0C6n1qDkeJ8a9uOFsSQspzdoBqoPloISmi4FtPWmqNMhj-h1yQngIbKifY_Nq9Cka1-zoDjRvHUb6DdC9IjsA_7nxzoiGy1Eqm7lTCj7oD-bnrnVpLm7s19TsBzKzVMaAaJON93GMKZy3T-kQEz3hNQS9cKlr=w400-h293" width="380" /></a></div><div align=center><i>A DR classic! (and note the socks)</i></div><br>
<p>Before you get too excited about that headline, it's mostly a play on words. In point of fact, not much of interest happened last month. Just another episode of <i>Brands Gone Wild</i>. (It’s not nearly as stimulating as the 'girls' version, but there’s a much lower chance of being thrown in jail.)</p>
<p>Looking over the DRMetrix reports, only two campaigns really jumped out at me. Both come from a marketer who is not one of the Big 5. Both also feature items from categories on my 'don't even bother' list. So that’s what I found interesting. Here's the rundown...</p>
<p><a href="https://ispot.tv/a/qr5Y" target="_blank"><u><b>Mighty Thirsty Mop</b></u></a> (Top Dog/Hutton-Miller). DRMetrix says this campaign has been airing for months, but this is the first time I've seen it remain at the top of the charts. The commercial stars Jon Florell and features some classic DR mop demos, including the 'over the head' demo (shown above) to prove it doesn't leak. I also like the subtle touch of having Florell wear white socks (that never get dirty) as he does all the demos. There's a reason Hutton-Miller is the undisputed <b><i>True Top Producer</i></b>, folks. They think of everything, including the little things only a true aficionado would appreciate. (Like how that compliment somehow boomeranged back to me?)</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qQ2U/nuzzle-instant-discount-50-off" target="_blank"><u><b>Nuzzle</b></u></a> (Top Dog/Hutton-Miller). There’s so much to like about this creative, but I’ll start with something that may seem minor: I love the voice-over artist. His read is modern and upbeat, hitting all the right notes for these social-media dominant times. Then there's the true brilliance of the problem opening. As someone who has scripted more than his fair share of commercials, I can tell you it was no easy task to come up with something original. Most wouldn't have bothered to try. I mean, this has to be the 349th opening to a sleep-product commercial in DR history, so there are plenty of ideas out there to "borrow." But that's not H-M's style. They put in the work and created something funny and fresh. Bravo!</p>
<p>That impressive creativity mostly makes up for the uninspired "NASA-inspired pillow" line, which is too close to that old groaner "Space Age" for my liking. (For years, I was on a mission to eradicate the phrase from all DRTV marketing. See <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-monkey-bag.html"><u>here</u></a>, <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2014/06/astro-tape.html"><u>here</u></a> and <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2014/01/weekly-round-up_16.html"><u>here</u></a>. Heck, H-M even once <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2009/06/guest-review-yoshi-blade.html"><u>joined me</u></a> in the crusade.) At least in this variation, there’s a clever tie-in to the promise: "nano-coil fibers" create a pillow that "pushes against gravity" for a "feeling of plush weightlessness." Nice save.</p>
<P>You'll notice I haven't said much about the products. Did I mention I'm not a fan of mops or pillows? Mops have been on my 'bad categories' list for years. All of floor-care looks like a vast wasteland from the perspective of a DR historian. There are occasional hits to be sure, but oh-so-many failures! At least Top Dog is working in an area where it has had some success before. (It was part of the second successful run of <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-this-week-smart-mop-hot-pot-bionic.html"><u>Smart Mop</u></a> back in 2008-2009.) This mop is also reminiscent of Telebrands' One Sweep, which had two rollouts: once in 1999-2000 and once in 2004-2005. Old Gold for the win again.</p>
<p>As for pillows, I think of them like nonstick pans: There's a lot of potential if you can break through, but good luck trying to guess what pitch is going to do the trick. The only good news is that no one has built an insurmountable lead in pillows like Emson has built in pans. Contour was trying, but this Top Dog success proves that it's anyone's game. Or no one's.</p>
Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-35907834498177360682022-03-02T09:00:00.002-05:002022-03-02T09:00:00.152-05:00Industry News: Copper Fit, Emson Win 2021 AdSphere Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZweQvis9xmjDUbS79zYuMCstmqVKl9pH395vafdLkZCNOk9yKF1dCWeKdZ5ADsiUaOGvNpmaUoP9cX5zltoikEzzgHLVKTIA12XdGQSd1hC0Cfg735HK91fKCWED-YVKlu_NXYIt_Jd8Fk6NbO1fI2ucVLxwN8cTp9-M-4wjYzVH58acTXWo5Jzc0=s1325" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZweQvis9xmjDUbS79zYuMCstmqVKl9pH395vafdLkZCNOk9yKF1dCWeKdZ5ADsiUaOGvNpmaUoP9cX5zltoikEzzgHLVKTIA12XdGQSd1hC0Cfg735HK91fKCWED-YVKlu_NXYIt_Jd8Fk6NbO1fI2ucVLxwN8cTp9-M-4wjYzVH58acTXWo5Jzc0=w400-h228" width="380" /></a></div><br>
<p>DRMetrix has announced the winners of its sixth annual <b>AdSphere Awards</b>. In the short-form category, IdeaVillage's <b>COPPER FIT</b> won Brand of the Year again, this time for its <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Face Mask</u></a> campaign.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on the heels of being named your <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-2021-true-top-50.html"><u>2021 True Top Marketer</u></a>, <b>EMSON</b> won Advertiser of the Year. This is the company's fourth year in a row. </p>
<p>Congratulations to the winners!</p>
<p>The awards presentation will take place next month at <a href="https://www.thepdmi.com/pdmi-east" target="_blank"><u>PDMI EAST 2022</u></a> in Miami Beach.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/adsphere-awards.html" target="_blank"><u>Click here</u></a> for more information on the AdSphere Awards.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-61717925684231636092022-02-16T19:01:00.009-05:002022-02-28T18:09:45.305-05:00Breaking News: He's Baaack!<p>A <a href="https://youtu.be/NXqrJovCO7s" target="_blank"><u>special announcement</u></a> from Vince Offer.</p>
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="NXqrJovCO7s" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NXqrJovCO7s"></iframe></div></p>
<P>In the coming weeks, I'll have more information about <a href="https://showmethewow.com/" target="_blank"><u>his new show</u></a>. Until then, here's <a href="https://youtu.be/APSMq1jM4Is" target="_blank"><u>the trailer</u></a>.</p>
<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe class="BLOG_video_class" allowfullscreen="" youtube-src-id="APSMq1jM4Is" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/APSMq1jM4Is"></iframe></div></p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-58835691814372543962022-02-14T09:00:00.223-05:002022-02-14T10:26:41.906-05:00NEW New & True<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVLjmrDnTeWepyJXt2g-FX2zTksP4y1HRZMG9HuDAskqPp55103qIiO-bkHyjHZbg0MZIYi_KBveh41kB_X5XX-jNdraGA3vmyDjP3JRjsLerxJXKfAHlm0EQ-xkLUbdw6QNGtGd1Dcs-Yf5YaInoM60rdPSgEtwJqVrqBNbGPnnc7z7ZoIgU7SJIW=s320" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br>
<p>I don't know about you, but I'm kinda bored of the features from last year. For instance, when it comes to the monthly <i><b>True Top 10</b></i>, it feels a lot like what fellow New Jerseyan Bon Jovi said: "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRvCvsRp5ho&t=30s" target="_blank"><u>It's all the same. Only the names have changed.</u></a>"</p>
<p>As a result, I've decided to stop publishing that particular ranking. We'll all keep score and high-five once a year when I post the <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-2021-true-top-50.html"><u><i><b>True Top 50</b></i></u></a>, OK?</p>
<p>The other feature I used to do last year was called "New & True." If you recall, it was a post about one new campaign that had made it to the top of the charts. I thought it was informative, but the concept needs a little refreshing.</p>
<p>And so, I propose a <b>new</b> "New & True." Since you guys seem to like lists, it will start with a list like this one:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://ispot.tv/a/qF0O" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Arch Relief</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li><br>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/zaF2tyMOQHU" target="_new"><u>Sharper Image Calming Heat Neck Wrap</u></a><br>(Allstar/Hutton-Miller)</li><br>
<li><a href="https://ispot.tv/a/qGpj" target="_new"><u>Handy Heater Turbo Heat</u></a> (Ontel)</li><br>
<li><a href="https://ispot.tv/a/qP5r" target="_new"><u>GraniteStone Emerald Green</u></a> (Emson/Hutton-Miller)</li>
</ol>
<p>This is a list of every noteworthy new campaign that made it onto the <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> report in recent weeks. The links go to the commercial on <a href="https://www.ispot.tv/" target="_blank"><u>iSpot.tv</u></a> in case you aren't familiar with the item and want to see what it's all about. The names in parantheses are self-explanatory and designed to keep you informed about who's doing what. I won't always know who to credit, but I'll do my best and update these posts when people email me missing information (so <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/new-new-true.html"><u>check back</u></a> if you're interested).</p>
<p>Finally, I plan to continue adding informative and entertaining commentary when I have something to share. To wit:</p>
<p><b>1.</b> Copper Fit projects are going straight to rollout these days. There does not appear to be a typical DRTV testing period, which means IdeaVillage is likely working toward a <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/breaking-news-tristar-sells-appliance.html"><u>different goal</u></a>. By the way, this is the 28th Copper Fit-branded product I've logged since the brand launched in 2014.</p>
<p><b>2.</b> Speaking of building brands, the Calming Heat Neck Wrap was the eighth entry under that brand when it first tested last spring. (Since then, I've logged two more.) Given that it has almost been a year, Allstar is obviously taking a more traditional approach and fully testing and developing Calming Heat items before rolling them out.</p>
<p><b>3.</b> It's much the same story with Handy Heater, although here the strategy appears to be a very traditional 'new and improved' one. Turbo Heat is the third version Ontel has put out since launching the original unit (No. 46 on the <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-2016-true-top-50_27.html"><u>2016 True Top 50</u></a>). If there's a line strategy, it's not a brand strategy (yet). That is, Ontel solved the seasonality limitation with <a href="https://ispot.tv/a/OGa1" target="_blank"><u>Arctic Air</u></a> for the warm months, but I haven't seen any attempts yet to roll up both lines under a 'mini HVAC' umbrella brand. Instead, Ontel appears to be extending the Arctic Air brand to other products, such as the <a href="https://ispot.tv/a/tnFO" target="_blank"><u>Brella Shield</u></a> (No. 40 on the <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-2021-true-top-50.html"><u>2021 True Top 50</u></a>).</p>
<p><b>4.</b> Sick of line and brand extensions yet? Too bad. Emson apparently wants to own every color in the spectrum and every material you could possibly use for a nonstick pan. If someone without a huge, successful line of pans tried to do this, we'd laugh. But Emson has so much brand awareness that introducing aqua blues and emerald greens seems like a pretty good idea.</p><p>I think back to my strong opinions when Gotham Steel launched so soon after Telebrands' Orgreenic had dominated the shelves and the airways. <i>It's way too early,</i> I thought. <i>There's no way the market is ready for another line of nonstick pans.</i> Well, since then, Emson has succesfully rolled out a bajillion new pans with no end in sight. I mean, these guys could probably even sell people on a pan made from volcanoes! Oh <a href="https://youtu.be/Cg5aHgYcXVA" target="_blank"><u>wait</u></a>.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-34566258563993542672022-02-08T10:49:00.018-05:002022-02-08T16:42:43.972-05:00The 2021 True Top 50<p>With last year fully in the rearview mirror, it's time once again to tally up the numbers and reveal the biggest-spending campaigns of 2021, per DRMetrix.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtETik7sBm2xesvi-dAjzwYcEnNKrsMNj6dDW0AMUatW6t1_1DvEO7XQ1tAgw9_WzgMPEHqoPu0RO2b4QUnjsMIgNAlWjwC9DC8cp7tuCDqBMpyN8ZPcdGFUBYbVveJI2BU-YH35TFqvKzc_MReCup5haMxc1M2cuvEOMLnCO8rnPVCsXRbHacvDRR/s1495/2022TT20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtETik7sBm2xesvi-dAjzwYcEnNKrsMNj6dDW0AMUatW6t1_1DvEO7XQ1tAgw9_WzgMPEHqoPu0RO2b4QUnjsMIgNAlWjwC9DC8cp7tuCDqBMpyN8ZPcdGFUBYbVveJI2BU-YH35TFqvKzc_MReCup5haMxc1M2cuvEOMLnCO8rnPVCsXRbHacvDRR/w640-h317/2022TT20.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>
<p align="center"><a href="http://www.scimark.com/blog/2021TT50.pdf" target="_new">(Click to see the complete chart)</a></p>
<p>You may notice that 2021 looks a lot like 2020. For one thing, the strategy of building branded lines has clearly consumed the industry — and it's no wonder. With the recent announcement that <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2022/02/breaking-news-tristar-sells-appliance.html"><u>Tristar is selling off its cookware brands</u></a> for up to $450 million (the second time in recent years a DRTV marketer has cashed in big), there's now a clear path to a lucrative exit for those who build successful brand portfolios.</p>
<p>Whatever the cause, single hits are becoming a thing of the past. Indeed, just five brands (Copper Fit, Bell+Howell, MicroTouch, Gotham Steel and GraniteStone) accounted for almost <i>half</i> of the top 50, and not one of the top 10 campaigns was for a one-off product.</p>
<p><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: 130%;">TRUE TOP MARKETER</span></b></p>
<p>Yet again <b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: 130%;">EMSON</span></b> is your <i><b>2021 True Top Marketer</b></i>. The company exceeded even last year's astounding output with 18 campaigns in the top 50 (more than 1/3 of the chart). This is now Emson's fourth title, and the firm has been AdSphere's "Advertiser of the Year" for several years running. In other words, Emson is the undisputed champion of short form.</p>
<p>Here's the complete 'Big Five' ranking:</p>
<ol><b>
<li>Emson</li>
<li>IdeaVillage</li>
<li>Telebrands</li>
<li>Allstar</li>
<li>Ontel</li>
</b></ol>
<p>For those paying attention, that's the same ranking as 2020. Yet while Emson had four more top 50 campaigns than last time, IdeaVillage, Telebrands and Allstar each had two fewer campaigns. Ontel held steady at three campagins.</p>
<p><b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: 130%;">TRUE TOP PRODUCER</span></b></p>
<p>Speaking of undisputed champions, <b><span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: 130%;">HUTTON-MILLER</span></b> is your <i><b>2021 True Top Producer</b></i>. Like in 2020, they had the most variety in top-50 hits: the most brand variety (GraniteStone, Sharper Image, Bell+Howell, Fuller), the most category variety (cookware, kids, DIY, beauty) and the most hits with different clients (Allstar, Emson, Ontel, SAS and Top Dog). There's just nothing like 'em in the market today!</p>
<p>Below are the top five producers in our industry right now in ranked order:</p>
<ol><b>
<li>Hutton-Miller</li>
<li>Blue Reef</li>
<li>Cole</li>
<li>Opfer</li>
<li>Paddock</li>
</b></ol>
<p>Blue Reef Productions had the most producer credits. Cole Media Group and Paddock Productions continue to deliver the hits year after year. And Opfer Productions deserves special mention because the company doubled its winners from the previous year, notching four campaigns in the top 50 — three of them in the top 10. Kudos to Scott Opfer and his team for being on a nice roll lately.</p>
<p>Congratulations to the champions of 2021!</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-5629589560677628532022-02-07T09:00:00.006-05:002022-02-07T09:00:00.169-05:00Breaking News: Tristar Sells Appliance & Cookware Business for Up to $450 Million<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwdSbFxbpPkliFt57dhuTIKoWRd6zbk8HFo_QRWJLTifmaix6tY04C8DO4nPMPn2tEu4dYBpvQhmsJ5lV2Fux6WcTOJvK9FJkxyd65KWoxJYYuq5pykXTjzBNLF8a6cTmSvGUCmtdhYe6aOVZaQ-vha1Hyzg2vhf5nxutKQRg2-3ADDqQXL8evKnhB=s1629" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwdSbFxbpPkliFt57dhuTIKoWRd6zbk8HFo_QRWJLTifmaix6tY04C8DO4nPMPn2tEu4dYBpvQhmsJ5lV2Fux6WcTOJvK9FJkxyd65KWoxJYYuq5pykXTjzBNLF8a6cTmSvGUCmtdhYe6aOVZaQ-vha1Hyzg2vhf5nxutKQRg2-3ADDqQXL8evKnhB=w400-h184" width="380" /></a></div><br><p>Spectrum Brands announced Friday that it will buy Tristar's appliance and cookware business for up to $450 million. The portfolio includes the Emeril Everyday, PowerXL and Copper Chef brands.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220203006038/en/Spectrum-Brands-to-Acquire-Tristar-Products" target="_blank"><u>the press release</u></a> announcing the acquisition:</p>
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><p>[The companies] signed a definitive agreement to acquire the home appliances and cookware categories ... for $325 million, in cash, at closing, up to $100 million, in cash, if certain gross profit targets are achieved in calendar year 2022 and another $25 million, in cash or equity of the combined business, if certain other gross profit targets are achieved in calendar year 2023.</p>
<p>The transaction is expected to close within the next 90 days.</p></blockquote></span>
<p>The release also reveals the brands Spectrum is buying had "net sales totaling $546 million in last twelve months ending December 31, 2021," a growth of 85 percent over the last three years.</p>
<p><b>Congratulations to Keith & Anjali Mirchandani and the entire Tristar team!</b></p>
<p>Tristar is the second DRTV company in recent years to sell off its brands. IdeaVillage shook up the industry in March of 2019 when it <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/church-dwight-buys-hair-removal-brands-flawless-and-finishing-touch-for-up-to-900-million-2019-03-28" target="_blank"><u>sold the Finishing Touch and Flawless line</u></a> to Church & Dwight in a deal valued at up to $900 million. In that deal, IdeaVillage received $475 million in cash with the possibility of earning an additional $425 million based on certain sales targets.</p>
Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-19514793092724766932022-01-03T11:13:00.003-05:002022-01-03T11:17:29.533-05:00True Top 10 (December 2021)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHW6S653qENgbxQBrQ8mZGpm-flHzyxQOgAq6gH8mehAr1ViJ4Obk9YN83BrR1o3ukJtfB5WwFL5X6LvbWFWWaTcAF3dND0ZBB8gj5lHrLuwWJlG4mUKig3imtl6AAwa9Fns9yqE853vW1-NwhIhAQV-_Xsd-aaIVC0zK70_ArEj-XE7YN9LkeVb8z=s1074" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="1074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHW6S653qENgbxQBrQ8mZGpm-flHzyxQOgAq6gH8mehAr1ViJ4Obk9YN83BrR1o3ukJtfB5WwFL5X6LvbWFWWaTcAF3dND0ZBB8gj5lHrLuwWJlG4mUKig3imtl6AAwa9Fns9yqE853vW1-NwhIhAQV-_Xsd-aaIVC0zK70_ArEj-XE7YN9LkeVb8z=s320" width="380" /></a></div><br />Happy New Year, everyone!<p></p>
<p>Here is your last monthly True Top 10 of 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/tHb0/copper-fit-never-lost-face-mask-built-in-lanyard" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qwYp/granite-stone-blue-tired-of-your-old-pans" target="_new"><u>Granitestone Blue</u></a> (Emson/Hutton-Miller)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OliB/microtouch-titanium-max-grooming-routine" target="_new"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Max</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Zszq/bell-howell-bionic-spotlight-outdoor-lighting" target="_new"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a> (Emson/Opfer)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qK9h/microtouch-titanium-trim-the-way-you-groom" target="_new"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OIz7/bionic-floodlight-super-span-of-light" target="_new"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a> (Emson/Opfer)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qrEr/pixicade-award-winning-over-half-a-million-games-uploaded" target="_new"><u>Pixicade</u></a> (Allstar/Hutton-Miller)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qAfH/id-police-ink-roller-dont-be-a-victim" target="_new"><u>ID Police</u></a> (Telebrands/Kerrmercials)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Oc9V/granite-stone-stack-master-sick-of-pots-that-stick" target="_new"><u>GraniteStone Stackmaster</u></a> (Emson/Hutton-Miller)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/tZJN/copper-fit-ice-knee-sleeves-motion-activated-menthol-featuring-brett-favre-jerry-rice" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
</ol>
<p>In a few weeks, I'll put together the final numbers and post my annual True Top 50.</p>
<p></p>
<p>-----<br /><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br />Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-10754891938382724532021-12-16T09:38:00.001-05:002021-12-16T09:38:54.916-05:00Industry News: Impact Labs Grand Opening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YR-IxKDwGD8" width="320" youtube-src-id="YR-IxKDwGD8"></iframe></div><br>
<p>Impact Products — the supply-chain management firm owned and operated by <a href="https://paragonproducts.com/about-us/" target="_blank"><u>my business partner</u></a> <b>Bill Quarless</b> — has announced the grand opening of a state-of-the-art product development and testing facility. They're calling it "Impact Labs." They also released the cool video above to showcase its capabilities.</p>
<p>More from <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216005698/en" target="_new"><u>today's press release</u></a>:</p>
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><p>Housed in a dedicated space in downtown Kowloon, Impact Labs is staffed by an experienced team of engineers and other product scientists. It features several cutting-edge testing rooms, including a fire room and water room, as well as advanced design tools such as 3D printing equipment...</p></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><p>Other Impact Labs capabilities include a temperature chamber for life-testing products and simulating various extreme conditions in temperature and humidity, Quarless said. In addition, the new facility has many high-tech machines such as electronic microscopes, a sphere-spectroradiometer device and thermal-imaging cameras. “There’s even an archery range for high-impact and projectile testing,” he added.</p></span></blockquote>
<p>Fun fact: You can see Impact Labs showcased throughout my <a href="https://youtu.be/-mSGSOQaySE" target="_blank"><u>Forever Wallet commercial</u></a>. Thanks to the team over at Paddock Productions, we were able to 'remote produce' many of the torture-test demos you see in the spot using the new facility.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-72802027282368104782021-12-03T12:15:00.001-05:002021-12-03T12:17:28.991-05:00True Top 10 (November 2021)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRw1XRFTOqK_QCI9FuZ-4KyMIjGuMWmeLTzSGdHAjFlT2gkES6N8zeUKEmzgFqzSfXkvuueqE8KTdMZkszBUiearqP9epJG6jgMWtGFozniI8Hpp_BkR_OpUpsBI3gyevilZYNhUx5dE/s600/top-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRw1XRFTOqK_QCI9FuZ-4KyMIjGuMWmeLTzSGdHAjFlT2gkES6N8zeUKEmzgFqzSfXkvuueqE8KTdMZkszBUiearqP9epJG6jgMWtGFozniI8Hpp_BkR_OpUpsBI3gyevilZYNhUx5dE/w400-h200/top-10.png" width="380" /></a></div><br>
<p>Not much new is going on. Mostly just a reshuffling of the same old deck.</p>
<p>Here is your True Top 10 for November 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OliB/microtouch-titanium-max-grooming-routine" target="_new"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Max</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/tHb0/copper-fit-never-lost-face-mask-built-in-lanyard" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qK9h/microtouch-titanium-trim-the-way-you-groom" target="_new"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OIz7/bionic-floodlight-super-span-of-light" target="_new"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a> (Emson/Opfer)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Zszq/bell-howell-bionic-spotlight-outdoor-lighting" target="_new"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a> (Emson/Opfer)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qwYp/granite-stone-blue-tired-of-your-old-pans" target="_new"><u>Granitestone Blue</u></a> (Emson/Hutton-Miller)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/O1qZ/microtouch-solo-titanium-titanium-coated-blades" target="_new"><u>MicroTouch Solo Titanium</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/qpF4/happy-nappers-testimonials-4999-and-free-storybook" target="_new"><u>Happy Nappers</u></a> (Allstar/Hutton-Miller)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/tZJN/copper-fit-ice-knee-sleeves-motion-activated-menthol-featuring-brett-favre-jerry-rice" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dnhG/copper-fit-advanced-back-pro-when-legends-play-feat-brett-favres" target="_new"><u>Copper Fit Advanced Back Pro</u></a> (IdeaVillage/Blue Reef)</li>
</ol>
<p>Even expanding to the Top 20 doesn't offer much to talk about. The only exception is <a href="https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Oc2U/sharper-image-calming-cozy-aching-feet-and-tired-legs" target="_new"><u>Sharper Image Calming Cozy</u></a> (Allstar/Hutton-Miller) at No. 17 last month and now climbing. (It was No. 12 last week.)</p>
<p>-----<br /><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br />Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-36014023706098143832021-11-01T17:36:00.005-04:002021-11-01T17:53:11.117-04:00True Top 10 (October 2021)<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1TRA6D8z6ovMoPrzbm7y11f150YHfONY6oiXeGVokD4mAgtFIazZwqDZ44SbyKUNKbM92A4AhWQ63bN5os8dIK4hFGKfi88-azS1O9MrfoKCDp4RmoeExY34ANFUGXkQDNbjFbeVug0/s347/top10_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="347" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1TRA6D8z6ovMoPrzbm7y11f150YHfONY6oiXeGVokD4mAgtFIazZwqDZ44SbyKUNKbM92A4AhWQ63bN5os8dIK4hFGKfi88-azS1O9MrfoKCDp4RmoeExY34ANFUGXkQDNbjFbeVug0/s320/top10_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p>One new campaign broke into the top 10 last month, and one older campaign returned just in time for the holidays.</p>
<p>Here is your True Top 10 for October 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/microtouch-titanium-max.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Max</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/05/granitestone-blue.html"><u>Granitestone Blue</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/05/copper-fit-ice-knee.html"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/microtouch-solo-titanium.html"><u>MicroTouch Solo Titanium</u></a></li>
<li><a href=" https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/new-true-id-police.html"><u>ID Police</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/bionic-spotlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/star-belly-dream-lites.html"><u>Star Belly Dream Lites</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/bionic-floodlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a></li>
</ol>
<p>The new campaign is Telebrands' <a href=" https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/new-true-id-police.html"><u>ID Police</u></a>, which has been steadily climbing the charts.</p>
<p>The older campaign is Ontel's <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/star-belly-dream-lites.html"><u>Star Belly Dream Lites</u></a>. It first became a hit in August 2020, peaking at No. 5 that September and remaining a weekly chart-topper throughout the fourth quarter. It started charting again this September and is now one of the top campaigns going into the end of the year once again.</p>
<p>-----<br /><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br />Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-66447774759131066992021-10-20T08:00:00.020-04:002021-10-20T08:00:00.264-04:00Consumers React to 'As Bean on TV'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYMZUD_yml7Q00zXlJR8LhtXX46cekvLbjXnpQW9D7plHxlJW5bYEWeIdiiq0hhH8mY-BI3gPzJK0uIdYaEtrYxDBCPu5yyAQxfNjn4xQq2aVe4k6ayUiw9YcAYXyDpykqxrmTSLBmyc/s643/acemetrix101921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYMZUD_yml7Q00zXlJR8LhtXX46cekvLbjXnpQW9D7plHxlJW5bYEWeIdiiq0hhH8mY-BI3gPzJK0uIdYaEtrYxDBCPu5yyAQxfNjn4xQq2aVe4k6ayUiw9YcAYXyDpykqxrmTSLBmyc/s320/acemetrix101921.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<p>After I posted about Melissa Joan Hart's <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/noteworthy-as-bean-on-tv.html"><u>"As Bean on TV" commercial</u></a>, Joseph Gray sent me some consumer research his <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/industry-news-ispot-acquires-drmetrix.html"><u>new colleagues at iSpot.tv</u></a> had conducted.</p>
<p>Some further background on the three-minute creative: Apparently it was created for National Coffee Day (9/29) and had one big airing on ABC during the reality show <i>Bachelor in Paradise</i>. iSpot estimates the airing cost $250,000 and generated approximately three million impressions.</p>
<p>Peter Daboll, former Ace Metrix CEO and now head of iSpot.tv Strategy & Insights, said that "given the unconventional and quirky approach," he wanted to examine what viewers thought of the ad. His team "maintains a database of 100,000+ television and digital ads across all categories (since 2010) with a nationally representative sample of at least 500 unique U.S. viewers of each ad," he explained. As a result, they can get "both quantitative and qualitative results across a wide array of demographic and consumer targets within 24-48 hours."</p>
<p>An example of the kind of finding they generate is the graphic above. It shows that "when asked to name the Single Best Thing about the creative, viewers mentioned the characters/celebrity (Ms. Joan Hart) at a disproportionate rate," according to the report.</p>
<p>Interesting stuff, but I was more curious about reactions to the 'DRTV parody' aspect of the creative. Digging into the report, I noticed that of the 25 or so representative comments included in the analysis, about one-third expressed the main reason <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2010/01/wal-mart-challenges-hopkins.html" target="_blank"><u>Claude Hopkins still has a point</u></a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>“This was hilarious. I'd buy all three if it were a real infomercial. The characters played their parts incredibly well and the jokes were funny and the story was well paced.” - Female 21-35</li>
<li>“I'm guessing you can actually order all 3 coffees. I'm going to have to check on this...” - Female 36-49</li>
<li>“It was a good commercial but I didn't know what was real, what was the truth.” - Male 50+</li>
<li>“I didn't get if they were being serious about all the other things coffee can be used for [or] if it was a joke.” - Female 21-35</li>
<li>“I was intrigued by some of the uses for coffee grounds and wondered if they were real or not.” - Female 50+</li>
<li>“It was funny. I like Melissa. But was it a real ad or a joke? Who would want to buy coffee that removes tough things off pans?” - Female 36-49</li>
<li>“I was completely lost. Was this a spoof on commercials? Was this a real commercial? What was actually being advertised?” - Female 36-49</li>
</ul>
<p>In summary: "Key consumer reactions focused on whether the parody was real or not," Peter said.</p><p>OK, so maybe getting people to order wasn't the real goal. Perhaps the advertiser felt that any direct sales would be gravy, and the real point was to get in front of three million consumers and remind them about these coffee brands. </p>
<p>When it comes to achieving such goals, one of the key challenges is to cut through the clutter. A funny commercial six times longer than the standard commercial — one that also happens to feature a likable celebrity — seems like a good way to pull that off. In other words, people may not <i>buy</i> from clowns, but maybe they will remember the clowns and their funny props (in this case, the coffee)? </p><p>"It was certainly an unconventional, if not risky, move to run such an ad in prime time," Peter agreed. "It was a highly polarizing ad, meaning it had its lovers and haters, with few in the middle. But certainly, it scored above norm in attention and information content."</p><p>Does that mean this approach was ultimately effective? To answer that question, consumer-research types use various "brand recall" metrics. As the name indicates, this is when you ask viewers to recall the name of the brand in the commercial they just saw. "Aided awareness" uses a multiple-choice question where the brand name is one of the choices. "Unaided awareness" uses a harder, fill-in-the-blank question. Peter's report included information about the latter.</p>
<p>"While not a conventional coffee/tea ad, the three-minute spot spurred positive intent among 46% of gen pop viewers," Peter reported. "Brand recall was, however, low even for Maxwell House at under 60% (the subject of a good portion of the ad). Unaided recall of Gevalia and Ethical Bean was negligible (fewer than a handful)."</p>
Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-45462846773359228282021-10-18T09:37:00.007-04:002021-10-18T09:47:07.566-04:00Noteworthy: As Bean on TV
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/PueaR1LM95k" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_new"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC7ofZiNvDtURbj1RDy_8RgRhwJBFtepzj4BM8wb5AKowWJmG-AqMb-UPTy-xPNA_CvP_SfuWnlAJETB0skYJuJ9LiuV-ZGWifh5gbUtMFS9Sg3kYXhsXaUIQYRyoEZA5vgxHzgkfoCE/w400-h223/asbeanontv.jpg" width="380" /></a></strong></div>
<p><strong><br />Description:</strong> Maxwell House, Gevalia & Ethical Bean coffee<br />
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Yes, we really did this"<br />
<strong>Offer:</strong> $19.99 for all three<br />
<strong>Bonus:</strong> Free shipping<br />
<strong>Starring:</strong> Melissa Joan Hart<br />
<strong>Marketer:</strong> The Kraftz Heinz Company<br />
<strong><a href="https://asbeanontv.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>
<p>Testing the "<a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2010/01/wal-mart-challenges-hopkins.html"><u>people don't buy from clowns</u></a>" theory, this three-minute commercial parodies our industry at the same time it tries to use its techniques to sell a real offer.</p>
<p>I supposed it could work as reminder advertising for the first two brands and awareness advertising for the third brand (at least, I'm not familiar with it). But if the idea is to get a feasible ROI...I wouldn't hold my breath.</p>
<p>As for Ms. Hart, she's quite lovely, and I like her comedic timing. The writing for this creative is also clever and fun. Indeed, the whole "skit" reminds me of <a href="https://ispot.tv/a/OJVc" target="_blank"><u>what Ryan Renolds is doing</u></a> so well with advertising right now.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-44498015569206315032021-10-15T08:45:00.000-04:002021-10-15T08:45:00.259-04:00New & True: ID Police<p align="center"><a href="https://youtu.be/xH16m5kBapg" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/id_police.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>Description:</strong> An identity-protecting ink roller<br>
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Just roll it on and your information is gone"<br>
<strong>Offer:</strong> As low as $9.99<br>
<strong>Bonus:</strong> Free shipping on multiples<br>
<strong>Marketer:</strong> Telebrands<br>
<strong>Producer:</strong> Kerrmercials<br>
<strong>Rank:</strong> No. 9*<br>
<strong><a href="https://getidpolice.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>
<p>This is a new twist on Old Gold. The first hit in this category was SAS Group's <a href="http://www.scimark.com/blog/march_response.pdf" target="_blank"><u>Black Out</u></a>, which was No. 50 on the 2011 JW Annual.</p>
<p>Telebrands has had repeat success with the "Police" brand. Back in March, <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/04/grease-police.html"><u>Grease Police</u></a> hit No. 9 on the <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/04/true-top-10-march-2021.html" target="_blank"><u>True Top 10</u></a>.</p>
<p>-----<br>* Source: <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_new"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> Weekly Rankings, Media Week #41</p>
Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-65885924802690508872021-10-15T08:40:00.000-04:002021-10-15T08:40:00.258-04:00New & True: Ruby Sliders<p align="center"><a href="https://youtu.be/eO05f46OWJk" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/rubysliders.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>Description:</strong> Chair leg covers<br>
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Protect your floors, prevent scratching and slide with ease"<br>
<strong>Offer:</strong> As low as 99 cents each<br>
<strong>Bonus:</strong> Free shipping<br>
<strong>Marketer:</strong> Telebrands<br>
<strong>Producer:</strong> Cole<br>
<strong>Rank:</strong> No. 15*<br>
<strong><a href="https://www.rubysliders.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>
<p>This is a new twist on Old Gold. It is similar to Ontel's <a href="https://ispot.tv/a/7eZT" target="_blank"><u>Furniture Feet</u></a>, which was a <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-true-top-spenders-of-2015.html"><u>2015 True Top Spender</u></a>.</p>
<p>-----<br>* Source: <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_new"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> Weekly Rankings, Media Week #41</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-63401263769036120702021-10-11T09:59:00.071-04:002021-10-11T09:59:00.258-04:00Industry News: iSpot Acquires DRMetrix<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/iSpottv-DRMetrix.jpg" /></p>
<p>iSpot.tv announced today that it has acquired Joseph Gray's firm, DRMetrix.</p>
<p>Readers of this blog will be quite familiar with DRMetrix as it is the service that delivers the industry's preferred weekly ranking of DRTV spending. Its technology is also the source of my monthly <i><b>True Top 10</b></i> charts as well as my annual <i><b>True Top 50</b></i> reports.</p>
<p>On the other hand, many may only know iSpot.tv as a useful place to find and watch commercials. The company clearly has much larger ambitions. It seems the service intends to be the one place its clients can go to measure all aspects of their television advertising campaigns.</p>
<p>For instance, earlier this year <a href="https://www.acemetrix.com/insights/blog/ispot-acquires-ace-metrix/" target="_blank"><u>iSpot acquired Ace Metrix</u></a>, a research firm that specializes in understanding what consumers think of advertising creative. Using fast focus groups and the latest technological tools for measuring reactions, iSpot via Ace can now help clients understand the persuasive power of their commercials.</p>
<p>With the acquisition of DRMetrix, iSpot gains the technology to detect when national cable networks are running those commercials in both national and <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/en/the_drmetrix_difference.html" target="_blank"><u>Digital Program Insertion (DPI)</u></a> ad breaks.</p>
<p>“DRMetrix has developed unique and real-time measurement capabilities around creative versioning and dynamic advertising that will become increasingly important as the TV ad market evolves,” says Sean Muller, founder and CEO of iSpot, in today's release.</p>
<p>That evolution is happening quickly. So-called “linear” TV (traditional broadcast and cable television) is shedding viewers at an alarming pace. The challenge is following these “cord cutters” to streaming apps such as YouTube and over-the-top (OTT) services such as Hulu, what iSpot calls “time-shifted, VOD [video on demand] and streaming environments.”</p>
<p>It's exactly that challenge that has Joseph Gray most excited about today's announcement. In a recent conversation, he told me that iSpot gives DRMetrix the ability to determine “household level exposure to TV commercials via devices such as smart TVs.”</p>
<p>“The direct-response industry has always been challenged to measure certain things, such as cover-ups on network cable,” Joseph said. “Now national networks are giving DR advertisers the leftover part of the audience from advanced advertising campaigns and billing it as a traditional DPI ad break. The lack of transparency is frustrating.”</p>
<p>“Advertisers and agencies need a way to understand this type of delivery, and that's why we are incredibly excited to join forces with iSpot,” he continued. “When you measure ad impressions at the 'consumer glass' level (the device itself), quantifying all of these different types of delivery becomes possible.”</p> Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-40201969780161484492021-10-04T17:19:00.005-04:002021-10-04T17:22:08.054-04:00True Top 10 (September 2021)<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/top10b.png"></p>
<p>Two new (although still familiar) campaigns have broken into the True Top 10. Here is the list for September 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/bionic-spotlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/05/granitestone-blue.html"><u>Granitestone Blue</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/bionic-floodlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/gotham-steel-hammered-design.html"><u>Gotham Steel Hammered Design</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2019/09/new-true-nutrichopper.html"><u>NutriChopper</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/05/copper-fit-ice-knee.html"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://granitestone.com/" target="_new"><u>Granitestone</u></a>/<a href="https://www.granitrocksetsite.com/" target="_new"><u>GraniteRock</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/10/microtouch-titanium-max.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Max</u></a></li>
</ol>
<p>That's right: September was basically the Emson and IdeaVillage show. Emson had six of the top 10, and IdeaVillage had the other four. These days, it's all about the brands!</p>
<p>-----<br><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br>Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-82136400317211338532021-10-04T17:18:00.006-04:002021-10-04T17:24:11.245-04:00MicroTouch Titanium Max<p align="center"><a href="https://youtu.be/3FCh_g0SR9U" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/titaniummax.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>Description:</strong> A micro-trimmer<br>
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Goes where no other grooming tool can"<br>
<strong>Offer:</strong> $14.99 for one<br>
<strong>Bonus:</strong> None<br>
<strong>Brand:</strong> MicroTouch Titanium<br>
<strong>Marketer:</strong> IdeaVillage<br>
<strong>Producer:</strong> Blue Reef<br>
<strong><a href="https://www.titaniummax.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>
<p>This is the third MicroTouch Titanium rollout. The other two are: <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a> and <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/microtouch-solo-titanium.html"><u>MicroTouch Solo Titanium</u></a>.</p>
<p>The former campaign first broke into the True Top 10 <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/true-top-10-january-2021.html"><u>in January</u></a>, and the latter campaign <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/true-top-10-may-2021.html"><u>in May</u></a>.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-8189360504877934252021-10-04T17:04:00.001-04:002021-10-04T17:04:21.641-04:00Gotham Steel Hammered Design<p align="center"><a href="https://youtu.be/Y6BrUNLO5eo" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/gothammered.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>Description:</strong> A nonstick pan with a hammered-copper look<br>
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Beautify your kitchen like never before"<br>
<strong>Offer:</strong> $19.99 for one with free shipping<br>
<strong>Bonus:</strong> Egg pan (free)<br>
<strong>Brand:</strong> Gotham Steel<br>
<strong>Starring:</strong> Chef Daniel Green<br>
<strong>Marketer:</strong> Emson<br>
<strong>Producer:</strong> Cole<br>
<strong><a href="https://gothamhammered.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-29813783510359487552021-09-01T14:45:00.002-04:002021-09-01T14:45:55.002-04:00True Top 10 (August 2021)<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/top10b.png"></p>
<p>Yet another slow month and reshuffling of a familiar deck. Now that summer's almost gone, we should start to see some new activity.</p>
<p>Here is your True Top 10 for August 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/gotham-steel-stackmaster.html"><u>Gotham Steel Stackmaster</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/05/granitestone-blue.html"><u>Granitestone Blue</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/gX9_jrQTiXI" target="_new"><u>Granitestone Stackmaster</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/bionic-floodlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/03/tacshaver.html"><u>Bell+Howell Tac Shaver</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/05/copper-fit-ice-knee.html"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/11/copper-fit-energy-socks.html"><u>Copper Fit Energy Socks</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/05/lucindas-kitchen-spurtle.html"><u>Lucinda's Kitchen Spurtle</u></a></li>
</ol>
<p>Emson surges into dominance with fully half of the top 10 campaigns. IdeaVillage fills out the rest of the list with four familiar campaigns. Kalorik's Spurtle sticks around for another month.</p>
<p>-----<br><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br>Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-32521786342284534142021-08-02T10:40:00.002-04:002021-08-02T10:40:35.510-04:00True Top 10 (July 2021)<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/top10.jpg"></p>
<p>Still pretty slow. Most of the top campaigns from last month remain at the top. They just shuffled around a little.</p>
<p>Here is your True Top 10 for July 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/07/arctic-air-pure-chill.html"><u>Arctic Air Pure Chill</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/05/copper-fit-ice-knee.html"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/11/copper-fit-energy-socks.html"><u>Copper Fit Energy Socks</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/gotham-steel-stackmaster.html"><u>Gotham Steel Stackmaster</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2019/02/copper-fit-compression-gloves.html"><u>Copper Fit Compression Gloves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/05/lucindas-kitchen-spurtle.html"><u>Lucinda's Kitchen Spurtle</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tryviviscal.com/" target="_new"><u>Viviscal</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/bionic-spotlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a></li>
</ol>
<p>Ontel's new Arctic Air takes the top spot. IdeaVillage's Copper Fit is still the No. 1 brand in the Top 10.</p>
<p>We have seen a lot of campaigns, some of them older, jump into the Top 10 list for a month and then disappear. Last month, it was two older campaigns (Avento's Hearing Assist and Eagle Eye's Hydro Mousse). For fun, I took a quick look at where those campaigns fell last month.</p>
<p>The answer: Hearing Assist dropped all the way down to No. 98 (from No. 7 last time), and HydroMousse dropped to No. 19 (from No. 5).</p>
<p>-----<br><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br>Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-15468245899924702842021-07-28T19:26:00.012-04:002021-07-28T19:39:45.367-04:00Ron Popeil, RIP<p align="center"><a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/28/ron-popeil-dead-dies-infomercial/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/RIP_candle.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Sad news, I'm afraid. <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/07/28/ron-popeil-dead-dies-infomercial/" target="_new"><u><i>TMZ</i> is reporting</u></a> that the great <b>Ron Popeil</b> "experienced a severe medical emergency Tuesday and died early Wednesday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A." He was 86.</p>
<p>Early in my career, I met Mr. Popeil at the Housewares Show in Chicago and later had the honor of interviewing him for a newsletter that IdeaVillage CEO Andy Khubani and I were doing at the time. Mr. Popeil was always gracious and full of gems, which I eagerly snapped up and put to good use. May he rest in peace. His impact on our industry is immeasurable.</p>
<p>For those interested, you can <a href="http://scimark.com/downloads/whatshot15.pdf" target="_blank"><u>download and read the interview</u></a> with Mr. Popeil. I also highly recommend his autobiography, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Salesman-Century-Ron-Popeil/dp/0385313780/" target="_blank"><i><u>Salesman of the Century</u></i></a>. The title is no exaggeration: He was indeed.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-25216245766315587342021-07-07T12:02:00.002-04:002021-07-07T12:04:29.856-04:00True Top 10 (June 2021)<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/top10.jpg"></p>
<p>Not much going on these day. Here is your True Top 10 for June 2021:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/02/microtouch-titanium-trim.html"><u>MicroTouch Titanium Trim</u></a></li>
<li><a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/arctic-air-brella-shield.html"><u>Arctic Air Brella Shield</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/05/copper-fit-ice-knee.html"><u>Copper Fit Ice Knee Sleeves</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/07/arctic-air-pure-chill.html"><u>Arctic Air Pure Chill</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/gfHPcKJ_gUA" target="_new"><u>Hydro Mousse</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2020/08/bionic-spotlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Spotlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/h3At0ArV_pQ" target="_new"><u>Hearing Assist</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/06/bionic-floodlight.html"><u>Bell+Howell Bionic Floodlight</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://ispot.tv/a/thNG" target="_new"><u>Meaningful Beauty Supreme System</u></a></li>
<li><a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2021/03/never-lost-face-mask.html"><u>Copper Fit Never Lost Mask</u></a></li>
</ol>
<p>A couple of old campaigns have suddenly resurfaced. Avento's Hearing Assist first tested in the spring of 2018, and I have Eagle Eye's <a href="https://scimark.blogspot.com/2014/12/weekly-round-up.html"><u>Hydro Mousse</u></a> originally airing in the spring of 2014.</p>
<p>-----<br><b>Source:</b> AdSphere™ brand rankings for the last media month.<br>Visit <a href="https://www.drmetrix.com/" target="_blank"><u>DRMetrix</u></a> for more information.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138974380228458851.post-79971000830834400292021-07-07T11:56:00.008-04:002021-07-07T12:01:12.596-04:00Arctic Air Pure Chill<p align="center"><a href="https://youtu.be/LqY1jiv155M" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.scimark.com/blog/aapurechill.jpg"></a></p>
<p><strong>Description:</strong> A personal space cooler<br>
<strong>Pitch:</strong> "Super cools your place in just seconds"<br>
<strong>Offer:</strong> $39.99 for one with free shipping<br>
<strong>Bonus:</strong> 2nd one (just pay a separate fee)<br>
<strong>Brand:</strong> Arctic Air<br>
<strong>Marketer:</strong> Ontel<br>
<strong><a href="https://www.arcticairpurechill.com/" target="_new"><u>Visit Website</u></a></strong></p>
<p>The original <a href="https://youtu.be/LvPu2_10Cqo" target="_blank"><u>Arctic Air</u></a> was a portable cooling device that was No. 5 on the <a href="http://scimark.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-2018-true-top-50.html"><u>2018 True Top 50</u></a>.</p>Jordan Pinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330588115690085969noreply@blogger.com