babble home
rabble.ca - news for the rest of us
today's active topics


Post New Topic  Post A Reply
FAQ | Forum Home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» babble   » right brain babble   » babble banter   » Infomercials you love to hate

Email this thread to someone!    
Author Topic: Infomercials you love to hate
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 18 October 2008 03:23 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Been up most of the night, couldn't sleep in the motel I'm staying while waiting for an x-ray this morning. Watching Thane.ca, some kind of small, handy convection oven that cooks foods super fast - neat advert, except for Mr. T, still shilling after all these years - he introduces himself by breaking through the door at the entrance - or at least he tries to - he appears stunned and almost knocked out by the effort, he's not as young as he was on "The A Team" a few decades ago. Naturally the paid audience goes berzerk when Mr. T finally breaks through the door. Yeah, Mr. T still has his Mohawk.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
rural - Francesca
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14858

posted 18 October 2008 04:50 AM      Profile for rural - Francesca   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
When my daughter was born in 1990, her days and nights were mixed up, so I spent a lot of time, explaining 'infomercial' products to her. As a newborn, as long as I was chatting to her she was happy.

The 'flowbee' was always my favourite!


From: the backyard | Registered: Dec 2007  |  IP: Logged
writer
editor emeritus
Babbler # 2513

posted 18 October 2008 05:27 AM      Profile for writer     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I loved the flowbee so much, I put it in a short story.

[ 18 October 2008: Message edited by: writer ]


From: tentative | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 18 October 2008 05:44 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I really miss the "Patty Stacker" - the best way of making burgers, ever. Remember those? They were flogged on TV in the 1960's or so, we had one, long since gone.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
writer
editor emeritus
Babbler # 2513

posted 18 October 2008 06:28 AM      Profile for writer     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
There's some new patty product, though. Have you seen it?

I can't remember what is supposed to be good for, though.

Guess it's not the most successful infomercial.


From: tentative | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 18 October 2008 06:42 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
No, haven't seen anything new related to burgers.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
writer
editor emeritus
Babbler # 2513

posted 18 October 2008 07:34 AM      Profile for writer     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Boom Boom, you are taking me where I've never been before: http://www.infomercialratings.com/
From: tentative | Registered: Apr 2002  |  IP: Logged
Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214

posted 18 October 2008 07:41 AM      Profile for Tommy_Paine     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I guess the king of this kind of marketing is Ron Popiel (Ronco), although he got his start before the advent of "infomercials". I believe his first product was a frying pan cleaner.

It was a cheap paint scrapper-- nicely marked up.

One has to wonder why a product is better sold over T.V. than in stores. My answer (captain obvious, here) is that they are products best seen and not touched before purchase.

It pains me to admit that I have watched the infomercials for the "Magic Bullet". Somewhat counterintuitively, it's a food processor and not a sex toy.

I'm not interested in the product being, well, rather jaded after the "Ronco Pocket Apendectomy Kit" debacle and my subsequent suspension from all London Secondary School science classes, but I am interested in the pitch. It's interesting, in the way that Fox's "When Good Pets Go Bad" schlockumentary was interesting.

Incedentally, I don't think that Buffalo was ever a good pet.

So, I am a bit of a connoisseur of sorts, of bad T.V. Bad 70's made for T.V. movies, the worst commercials, the most formulaic sitcoms, the most unscarry horror movies, I know them all, and have them in a handy easy to use guide.

And now, it can be yours for not $99.99, not $59.99, but for the low low price of $29.99.!!!!!!!!! Plus shipping and handling.

But wait! There's More!

If you act now, get my latest diatribe on Bob "Benedict" Rae for no extra Charge!!!!!!!!

That's a 120.00 dollar value!!!!!!!!

Act now while quantities last. Operators are standing by.

[ 18 October 2008: Message edited by: Tommy_Paine ]


From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 18 October 2008 08:29 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 

From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 18 October 2008 08:33 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by writer:
Boom Boom, you are taking me where I've never been before: http://www.infomercialratings.com/

I like the one for Hip Hop Abs


From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214

posted 18 October 2008 09:49 AM      Profile for Tommy_Paine     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
What I think is not just interesting, but important to understand, is the durability of such marketing techniques.

I've seen adds from the 1800's that have the same schtick. You'd think that after a person gets burned on those X-ray specs in the back of comic books, they'd, you know, recognize the modus operandi of shady advertising, and be immune to the pitch. And even if you didn't get burned, you'd see it happen to others and avoid products sold with dubious techniques.

But, either the same people fall for it over, and over again, or everyone falls for it once.

Explains alot about election results lately.


From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
Mojoroad1
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15404

posted 01 November 2008 04:12 PM      Profile for Mojoroad1     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
The "Shammy Wow" guy

and anything thats brought to you by "brand power"


From: Muskoka | Registered: Aug 2008  |  IP: Logged
Tommy_Paine
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 214

posted 02 November 2008 06:24 AM      Profile for Tommy_Paine     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I find him annoying-- except for the first time through. His patter was interesting, in that it included all the usual elements of cheezy commercials, but with a more amusing delivery.

More annoying to me is (I might have the name wrong) "Billy Mays" (or is it Mayer?) the guy who does commercials for a number of products. His delivery is a high pitched shrill on the edge of shouting.

Thank you to whoever invented the remote.

As annoying as that is, it's done for a reason. Advertisers know a lot of people leave the T.V. on as background noise or engage themselves in other things while commercials are on. That guy's voice is at a frequency made to cut through the noise in your house-- and your walls.

Related, almost all chanels now broadcast commercials at a higher volume than the program. I would point to the History Chanel as being one of the worst offenders.

Of course, this is actually illegal, and the cable companies claim they don't do it.

But, they are liars.


From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791

posted 02 November 2008 06:45 AM      Profile for Boom Boom     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
There's a lot of salesmen on TV that come across as loud-mouthed crazies, and I, too, give thanks for having a remote that liberates me from having to sit through their nonsense.

I remember seeing these type of sales crazies live at booths at the Ottawa Exhibition in the 1950s and 1960s - but you could see their wares up close and watch them demonstrate their products. Some of that stuff back then was pretty cool, and I remember my mother buying a plastic/metal thingy that made potatoes into french fries ready for frying. Didn't even have to first peel the potatoes, just wash them. We used that thing for about 20 years, maybe longer, and it only cost four bucks with other stuff included in the package, such as a juicer and a peeling knife. Incredible value.


From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004  |  IP: Logged
Mojoroad1
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15404

posted 02 November 2008 11:47 AM      Profile for Mojoroad1     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Tommy_Paine:
I find him annoying-- except for the first time through. His patter was interesting, in that it included all the usual elements of cheezy commercials, but with a more amusing delivery.

More annoying to me is (I might have the name wrong) "Billy Mays" (or is it Mayer?) the guy who does commercials for a number of products. His delivery is a high pitched shrill on the edge of shouting.

Thank you to whoever invented the remote.

As annoying as that is, it's done for a reason. Advertisers know a lot of people leave the T.V. on as background noise or engage themselves in other things while commercials are on. That guy's voice is at a frequency made to cut through the noise in your house-- and your walls.

Related, almost all chanels now broadcast commercials at a higher volume than the program. I would point to the History Chanel as being one of the worst offenders.

Of course, this is actually illegal, and the cable companies claim they don't do it.

But, they are liars.


Actually, they aren't breaking the law, they get around it. What they do is crank EVERYTHING in the commercial to the loudest they're allowed to. When compared to the more nuanced soundscape in a TV show it shrieks by comparison. Same net effect though.


From: Muskoka | Registered: Aug 2008  |  IP: Logged

All times are Pacific Time  

Post New Topic  Post A Reply Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
Hop To:

Contact Us | rabble.ca | Policy Statement

Copyright 2001-2008 rabble.ca