Three New Campaigns Topping the Charts
IdeaVillage & Emson join BulbHead with strong starts to the new year
According to the latest DRMetrix report,1 several new campaigns are topping the charts in addition to the three BulbHead campaigns I wrote about last week.2 As for those BulbHead campaigns, two have improved their rankings. Ruby Space Triangles is now #3 (up from #6) and Angel View is now #11 (up from #15).
Here are the other new chart-toppers…
Campaign: Copper Fit Core Shaper
Marketer: IdeaVillage Products
Producer: Blue Reef Productions
Premium subscribers learned about this project back in November as part of my competitive intelligence reporting.3 By the end of the year, it had broken into the top 10, which is where it now resides. That shouldn’t be surprising given the category history here. As I wrote back in November:
This particular product is similar in design to the waist trainers that dueled in 2015: Tristar's Genie Hour Glass vs IdeaVillage's Miss Belt (both True Top Spenders that year). It also owes a debt to the Telebrands’ hits…Tummy Trimmer (2003) and Slim Away (2012).
Campaign: Bionic Spotlight Extreme 360
Marketer: E. Mishan & Sons
Producer: Hutton Miller
This latest entry in the Bionic line has been steadily climbing the charts. It ended last year in the top 20 and has now broken into the top 10. The creative approach is no doubt a big part of its rise. I particularly like the line: “Take the bull’s-eye off your house.” It’s a clever way to reinforce the common perception that a dark home is an invitation to criminals. This pitch has resonated for years (remember those devices that were supposed to make it look like a TV was on in your home?), and it must be especially effective now that the news is increasingly full of crime stories.
On a related note, I’ve talked about the concept of '“drafting” in the past — i.e., using someone else’s media spending to drive sales of your (similar) product. Well, this concept works with categories, too. Heavy advertising by companies like Ring and SimpliSafe not only drive interest in security products, they also promote general awareness about security vulnerabilities. That makes it easier to talk to consumers about the problem your product solves because someone has already educated them for you.
Campaign: MicroTouch Titanium Rovor
Marketer: IdeaVillage Products
Producer: Blue Reef Productions
Continuing its habit of launching products like a Fortune 500 company, IdeaVillage debuted this campaign with enough ad spending to make it No. 23 in Week 2. It’s now No. 14 and climbing.
The commercial is certainly worthy of such an approach. Watching the opening, you could be forgiven for assuming you were about to see an Apple or Dyson product. Sometimes this technique is over-used and gratuitous, but in this case it makes sense. I think back to The Art of Shaving, a mall favorite from earlier in the century. Those stores proved that men (or their girlfriends/wives?) will invest when it comes to the quality of the devices they use on their face. IdeaVillage has been leaning into that learning ever since, working hard to create the perception of highest quality with all of their shaving devices. In this commercial, you really get a good look at the detail and perfection that went into the titanium surface of this electric shaver — and that can only make the mass-market price point a pleasant surprise.
On a funny side-note: When I first saw this name on the DRMetrix report, I thought it was a typo that should have read: “MicroTouch Titanium Razor.” That is, I figured an old MT product was rising on the charts again for some reason, so I ignored it. It took me about a week to realize I was actually seeing something new! I’m not sure why IdeaVillage chose “rovor” as for this product? The commercial feels kinda sci-fi and makes an odd reference to “all terrain,” so maybe it’s supposed to evoke the Mars rover for some reason? 🤷 Can someone help me out in the comments?
For Premium Subscribers🔒
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Our scouts found two new promising products for your consideration.
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“Weekly Spend Index Report for ASONTV Brands,” Week 3, 01/09/2023 thru 01/15/2023
“BulbHead Starts the Year with a Bang,” Jan 11, 2023