Lens Doctor: Old Gold?

New Name: Scratch 911
Current Marketer: Telebrands
Original Marketer: DTR (Victor Grillo)
Original Hit Year: 2007 (No. 31 on the JW Annual)
Website: www.GetScratch911.com
Prediction: On the fence

The magic of the original product was in the "right before your eyes" eyeglass-repair demo. Insofar as that has been captured, this revival attempt has a shot. I also like that the product comes in a different form than the original as I tend to believe reviving an old item requires a new twist.

Finally, they've also expanded the uses to include modern problems (e.g. scratched phone screens), which can only help. We'll see ...

Copper Wear

Description: Copper-infused compression sleeves
Main Pitch: "Specifically designed to give you compression when you need it to help you move the way you want"
Main Offer: $14.99 and up
Bonus: N/A
Marketer: Tristar
Website: www.CopperWear.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

Remember that multi-player conflict I said might be brewing? (And there are signs a third competitor might hit the market in a few weeks or so.)

I suppose this should have been a duel, but the difference in creatives is such that it wouldn't be much of a contest. I still haven't discovered who did the commercial for Copper Flex, but that creative is an order of magnitude better than this creative. (Update: It was Blue Reef Productions out of Los Angeles.)

For my thoughts on the product, see that earlier review. I will add that if this marketer has a long-form strategy in mind or in play, that makes more sense to me that trying to pitch sportswear to the short-form demographic.

Straight 2 Sleep

Description: A pillow
Main Pitch: "Cradles your head like an infant in its mother's arms"
Main Offer: $29.99 for one (queen/standard)
Bonus: None
Marketer: IdeaVillage
Website: www.GetStraight2Sleep.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

I could be wrong about this, but I don't think enough time has passed since there were four pillows on the shelf for the pillow category to experience a resurgence. That said, I recall being surprised by just how many pillows were able to co-exist in one end cap, so you never know.

As for the commercial, I found the pitch to be overwrought. Lines like "cradles your head like an infant in its mother's arms" and "why take a sleeping pill when you can have a sleeping pillow?" are just trying too hard. The consumer has eyes and can plainly see this is a fairly typical pillow, so the exaggerated claims just destroy any credibility the product may have had.

Pocket Cam

Description: A miniature video camera
Main Pitch: "Get hours of action video you could never get with a handheld camera"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one
Bonus: Swivel mount, dash mount, shirt clip, lanyard
Marketer: Telebrands
Website: www.BuyPocketCam.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

Assuming that credibility isn't a factor, there's definitely a market for a poor man's GoPro since those cameras retail for $200 and up. But is the DR buyer the right target for such a product? I don't think so.

That's pretty clear from the commercial, which features very few "everyday" uses. Skateboarding, zip-lining, go-carting and alligator-feeding aren't exactly things our 50+ target customer does often. And the other uses are handled pretty well with a smart phone or nanny cam.

As with a product such as Magic Jack, I think there is probably a pretty big market for this item. It's just not the DR market.

Pasta Express: Old Gold?

New Name: Pastafina
Current Marketer: SAS Group
Original Hit Year: 2006 (No. 30 on the JW Annual)
Original Marketer: Tristar
Website: www.BuyPastaFina.com
Prediction: On the fence

I liked this product when it came out originally, and I think this revival version hits all the same, correct notes. The magic was always watching the pasta move as it cooks, and the production team has captured that. Tony is also in his element pitching anything Italian, and it shows in the passion he puts into his delivery. Bottom line, I have nothing but positive comments about the commercial and the pitch.

The only question for me is whether this is the kind of item you can bring back. What the product actually does is pretty basic and underwhelming, so the marketer is banking on seven years being long enough for people to have forgotten the item so they'll "fall for" the pitch a second time.

I'm truly 50/50 as to whether that will work.