What to Do When Your Product Really Sucks
Plus: A veteran marketer returns & two promising new products
This week, I’m calling out a long-form campaign that is doing well enough to make it to #28 on last week’s DRMetrix (Week 11, 3/6-3/12). I have typically ignored such campaigns in order to keep the focus of this report on the ‘As Seen on TV’ (i.e. DRTV to retail) side of the industry. However, this campaign happens to be from the most dominant ASOTV player there is — the 2022 True Top Marketer.
Chart Watch
Campaign: Ruvio Cordless Vacuum
Marketer: E. Mishan & Sons
Producer: Opfer Communications
This is a quintessential cleaning product that has every demo an old-school DR marketer like me could possibly desire. Cleaning a light fixture up high? Check. Cleaning under the couch down low? Check. Cleaning behind a radiator? Check. Cleaning between a washer and dryer? Check. Flawlessly sucking up a mess that, for some reason, is in a perfect “S” pattern? Check! This thing does it all.
About the only thing missing from the short-form commercial above is a good “magic” demo. Of course, a veteran host like Beau Rials would never make such a mistake…👇
I really only have one criticism of this creative: the music. The ‘90s called, and they want their infomercial soundtrack back! It’s especially out of place given it’s paired with great production value and some seriously cutting-edge animation. So why cheap out on such a simple thing and cheese up the show? I don’t get it. 🤷
As for the category history here, the only vacuum in ASOTV history that made it onto the charts was Think Tek’s “Pensare” T-Rex vacuum in 2001.
Actually, that’s not exactly true because I’m not counting major brands like Bissell, Shark, Oreck, etc. Those names are all over the charts, of course. But special kudos to Emson for breaking through without a recognizable brand.
Recent Tests 🔒
I only picked up one new test since my last update, but it’s from a veteran marketer who has resurfaced with a new company name.