Suh-weet!

After livin' on the edge for a while, Trojan has released a new spot for their Vibrating Tri-Phoria. Not sure why the guy at the end is so excited, but I like the catch-phrase. Suh-weet!

Weekly Round-Up

It's bad out there ... but that hasn't stopped DRTV marketers from launching more items than I have time to review. Here's a round-up of the latest:

1. Ab Radical. Pitch: "The radically fast way to tone your abs anywhere." Comments: The Website is already down, so I guess we know the outcome. Abs is one of those great categories that delivers one big hit per year, but a dozen other products crash and burn. [a]


2. Beauty Cups. Pitch: "The new strapless bra cups that fit you perfectly, can add a cup size and are a fraction of the cost of a regular bra." Comments: Telebrands had some success with a product called Natural Bra a few years ago, but I don't think the concept will play as well today. Plus, the product isn't as good as that one was. [a]


3. Bungee. Pitch: "Let your lost items find you" with this "virtual lost and found." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: This is a bit too complicated for DR. More important, it's prevention and prevention ... [a]


4. Celeb Curls. Pitch: "Work like magic to transform your look from drab to fab." Marketer: Emson. Comments: The "look like a celebrity" pitch is way too tired and obvious to work today. Moreover, I can't think of a single hair curling product that has worked on DRTV. Feel free to post a comment and remind me of one. [a]


5. Charge Buddy. Pitch: "Has four USB ports, so you can charge four devices at the same time." Comments: A tech-oriented commercial featuring young kids and teens is not a recipe for success in DRTV. It's just a matter of demographics. The majority of DRTV buyers don't have young kids or teens, and they don't use a lot of gadgets. Oh, and the price of this is $29.95? Prediction: Bomb.  [a]


6. Memory Paw. Pitch: "Now you can honor the memory of your cherished pet." Marketer: Telebrands. Comments: Another site that is already down. I like the "emotional blackmail" approach (HT: Fred V.), but you still need to solve a problem to be successful in the pet category. [a]


7. Bell +Howell Micro-Cam. Pitch: "One of the world's smallest DV camcorders." Marketer: Emson. Comments: A tech item for three payments of $19.95? Prediction: Bomb. [a]


8. Nail Wow. Pitch: "The nail design that goes on fine every time" Comments: Amateur hour. Prediction: Bomb. [a]


9. Sunny Seat. Pitch: "The (cat) bed you put on your window." Comments: I didn't make it past the part where it mounts to glass windows or doors using "industrial strength suction cups." Most DRTV products solve a problem. This one could actually create one. [a]


10. Skedaddle. Pitch: "The pet-friendly way to keep pets off the furniture." Marketer: SAS Group. Producer: Blue Moon Studios. Comments: I like this one. First there was Bark Off; now there's "Keep Off!" If it works, this will be the second time someone discovered a strange dichotomy in the marketplace. Ontel was the first with Cami Secret, since it appears both enhancing cleavage and hiding it are winning ideas on DRTV. [a]

Review: Dual Diamond Scrubber

Description: A scrubbing sponge
Main Pitch: One side "scours like a steel-wool pad" while the other side "lifts, traps and removes food, dirt and grime"
Main Offer: $10 for four plus a "mega size" and dusting mitt
Bonus: Double the offer (just pay shipping)
Starring: Joe Campanelli
Marketer: Merchant Media
Producer: The Schwartz Group
Website: www.DualDiamondScrubber.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

There's nothing wrong with this commercial. I even applaud the attempt at a new approach (more on this later). It's the product I think has zero shot. For one thing, Ontel already tried it. For another, scrubbing sponges are a common item at stores across America. That means this is a "better than" product pitch, and that makes the odds of success very low.

As for the commercial, I like the technique of using a skeptical "everywoman" ("Judy") to play off the pitchman. I hope the creative team will use it again.

Review: Swivel Store

Description: A swiveling spice rack
Main Pitch: "Conveniently keeps all your spices in less than four inches of space"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one
Bonus: 2nd one (just pay P&H)
Marketer: Allstar & Merchant Media
Producer: Blue Moon Studios
Website: www.BuySwivelStore.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

If I didn't know the history of this category, I would probably declare this campaign "likely to succeed." After all, the product meets my criteria and the commercial is, of course, solid. It's the category that's the killer for me.

In its broadest sense, the category is "organization." We know some organizational items always do well on DRTV. Closet organizers are one. Shoe organizers are another. But in the kitchen, it's a different story. With the exception of Smart Spin, I can't think of an item that has been successful. (And half the story with Smart Spin was the huge value: The current offer is 98 pieces for $19.99!)

In many ways, I think the market for organizational items is like the market for "germaphobe" items or "green" items. There are millions of people out there who are passionate about killing germs, saving the planet or organizing their cabinets and drawers. But using national DRTV media to reach them is like using a shotgun to hit a fly. It's just not efficient.

Put another way, I believe the mass market is closer to the Oscar Madison end of the spectrum than the Felix Ungar end, and that this sort of product will only get the Ungars of the world excited enough to buy on impulse. (Under 30? Click here now.) That's my theory, anyway. It's quite possible that when it comes to using spices, the activity is so common that organization is a pressing concern. In other words, spices could be like shoes or closets. I guess we'll find out.

On a side note, this commercial gave me a new DRTV catch-phrase to add to my collection:

"Turns any cluttered mess into an organized success."

It's a great line I've heard enough times now to declare a keeper!

Review: My T Driver

Description: A screwdriver with super-torque
Main Pitch: "Allows anyone to drive screws effortlessly into virtually any surface"
Main Offer: $19.95 for one
Bonus: Belt pack (just pay P&H)
Starring: Bart Baldwin
Producer: Meltzer Media
Marketer: Harvest Direct
Website: www.MyTDriver.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

This campaign meets most of my criteria. The product is different and solves a problem, and the creative is well done. So why the negative prediction? It's the category. With the exception of Bit Shooter, which had a ridiculous premium (a free power drill), I can't think of a successful short-form campaign for a tool of this kind. I think that's because at retail, there are so many varieties of screwdriver available.

I also think it's tough to find success with an item that downgrades from power to manual. This hasn't worked well in other categories (e.g. Kitchen King Pro, a manual food processor, never caught on), and I don't think it will work well in this category.