Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
www.callttc.com
sales@callttc.com
Better Service = More Sales
MAXIMIZE YOUR MEDIA
Personalized Attention
Highly Skilled Reps
Higher Conversions
TTC DELIVERS RESULTS
Sales and Customer Service
24/7 Inbound Services
Outbound Services
U.S. Based
Bilingual
Providing call center services since 1984!
It is evident that TTC is
as concerned with our
business as we are.
Sue Adomaitis
ADT Security Systems
6 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
Editors Note
D
uring the first few days of the London
Summer Olympics late last month,
controversy raged on social media
outlets especially Twitter about
NBCs coverage of the worlds pre-eminent
sporting event. The network was bashed repeat-
edly for its tape-delayed coverage of key events,
its fawning over American athletes at the ex-
pense of other competitors, and the feeling that
the network was treating the event more like a
poorly executed reality TV show than a series of
wonderfully compelling sporting events.
At the same time, however, NBCs first weekend of primetime broadcasts aver-
aged nearly 36 million viewers, the best first weekend for any Olympics in history
according to Nielsen, with the opening ceremony drawing more than 40 million
viewers the best result ever for a Summer Olympics held outside the U.S.
With numbers like that, its no wonder that NBC was treating its negative social
media reviews with disdain, while at the same time pointing out that online live
viewership of events was exploding at NBCOlympics.com. The network is offer-
ing 5,500 hours of coverage across its TV networks and online platform, twice the
amount of coverage hours as it had for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On the first full
day of competition alone, 10 million U.S. fans streamed events online through
NBCOlympics.com, double the number of those who streamed on Beijings opening
day four years ago.
You might be asking yourself, though, What does this information mean to mar-
keters? Well, aside from making NBCs advertising partners pretty happy, the early
days of Olympic coverage also provide marketers an intriguing look at how TV, on-
line video and social media have combined to create a powerful, multilayered story.
While the complaints about NBCs coverage on Twitter were extensive (just
check the Twitter hashtag #NBCfail for examples), many sports journalists (and
would-be sports journalists) also drove key narratives (and, thereby, viewership) by
watching live streaming coverage online and providing consistent updates about
events that viewers could see later on the networks taped primetime shows.
For many marketers, the story here is about seeing the power and importance
of television exhibited for many whove begun to doubt it (what are all those com-
plaints on Twitter, after all, except a plea for NBC to better use television to cover
key events), while at the same time gaining a look at the growing importance of
online video and social media. In direct response, any well rounded campaign today
still starts on TV, but also includes expansive online video and social media drivers.
Thanks to NBC and the Olympics, that point is being driven
home in a different way.
Thomas Haire, Editor-in-Chief
Twitter: @THrants
Controversy Over NBC Olympics
Coverage Gives Marketers a
Golden Message
To contact the editor-in-
chief regarding the content
of Response, please E-mail:
thaire@questex.com.
Editorial, Advertising & Design Offices:
201 Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Tel: 714-338-6700 or 800-371-6897
Fax: 714-338-6710
Web site: www.responsemagazine.com
Follow us on Twitter: @ResponseMag;
@ResponseExpo; @TheDRMA
Publisher: John Yarrington
E-mail: jyarrington@questex.com
Tel: 714-338-6724
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief: Thomas Haire
E-mail: thaire@questex.com
Tel: 714-338-6722
Contributing Writers: Irv Brechner, Curtis Kleinman,
Bridget McCrea, Doug McPherson, Jordan Pine,
Kirsten Saladow
DESIGN
Graphics Director: Monica Kollmann
E-mail: mkollmann@questex.com
Tel: 714-338-6728
ADVERTISING/MARKETING
Director of New Business Development:
Dan Donati
E-mail: ddonati@questex.com
Tel: 714-338-6723
Operations Manager: Kathryn Flinn
E-mail: kflinn@questex.com
Tel: 714-338-6734
BUSINESS
Executive Vice President of Publishing:
Tony DAvino
Business Manager: Lilian Cindric
PRODUCTION
Production Specialist: Chris Anderson
E-mail: christine.anderson@superiormediasolutions.net
Tel: (218) 206-2207
Classified Production Manager: Amber Terch
E-mail: aterch@superiormediasolutions.net
Tel: 218-206-2129
CIRCULATION
For Subscriptions Call:
U.S. Sales and Service: 866-344-1315 (toll-free) or
847-763-9594
International: 847-763-9594
E-mail: response@halldata.com
Audience Development Manager: Carol Hatcher
E-mail: chatcher@questex.com
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
For Lists: Ilene Schwartz
Kroll Direct Marketing
Tel: 216-371-1667 Fax: 216-371-1669
E-mail: ilene@krolldirect.com
For Reprints:
Tel: 800-290-5460, ext. 100
E-mail: response@theygsgroup.com
Back Orders: Response Magazine
P.O. Box 1267, Skokie IL 60076-8270
President & CEO: Kerry C. Gumas
Executive Vice President & CFO: Tom Caridi
Executive Vice President: Tony DAvino
The Only Independent Source for
Direct Response Marketers
Field Reports
8 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. The pioneer
behind perhaps the best-known
knives ever died July 6. Barry Becher,
the marketing genius behind Ginsu
knives one of DRTVs pioneering
products was 71 and had reportedly
been suffering from kidney cancer.
He passed at a hospital after compli-
cations from surgery.
Becher brought many other prod-
ucts to market, including
the Miracle Slicer and
Armourcote Cook-
ware with his business
partner Ed Valenti.
Together they added
urgency and value
to the sales proposi-
tion with limited
supplies and
But wait,
theres
more!
verbiage. They also
guaranteed satisfac-
tion always.
Becher was
born in Brooklyn
and left for Rhode
Island after high
school. His rst venture was in auto
repair, but he then met Valenti, who
was selling ads for local TV and over-
seeing Bechers auto shop advertising.
The Associated Press reports the two
drove the same Datsun 240Z, had
wives who were schoolmates, shared
a passion for sales and became fast
friends.
Eventually they began a search for
a product they could market through
TV spots, the way some records were
sold. One of Bechers rst products
was a mohair-bristled paint pad that
prevented splatter and cut work
times. After Madison Avenue rejec-
tions, they produced the ad
themselves through Dial
Media, a joint company
they ran out of Bechers
garage. Their rst two-
minute commercial ended
up selling more than a
million units and they repeated their
winning formula with products others
created.
Over the course of a decade, the
duo sold $500 million in products.
Armourcote was the most protable,
but Ginsu remains the most widely
known. Ginsu debuted in 1978 and
ran into the early 1980s, replete with
demonstrations cutting through cans
and chopping wood.
Bechers funeral was held July
9. His family is considering etch-
ing But wait, theres more on his
tombstone.
Barry Becher of Ginsu Knives
Fame Dies at 71
By Doug McPherson
CLEARWATER, Fla. Now that As
Seen On TV Inc., the direct response
marketing giant, officially owns As-
SeenOnTV.com, the company plans to
promote the site more to garner mil-
lions of new users.
Its a site that already has a cult
following of more than 2 million,
and we plan to grow it to many mil-
lions more, says Kevin Harrington,
chairman of As Seen On TV Inc.
Harrington says sales on the site have
been up by 65 percent since As Seen
On TV Inc. announced a year ago
that it planned to buy the website.
The site has been doing well, but
we plan to start a campaign in the
fourth quarter to grow it even more,
Harrington says. Well be launching
30- and 60-second TV ads, a lot of so-
cial media and public relations.
Harrington says that because of
his three seasons on ABCs Shark
Tank, public relations was a natural
and logical move. He says hes already
appeared on the daytime talk shows
The View and The Wendy Wil-
liams Show.
In addition to its 2 million-plus
customers, AsSeenOnTV.com boasts
700,000 E-mail registrants and hun-
dreds of thousands of unique visitors
monthly. The site reportedly gener-
ated $5.45 million in gross revenue in
2011. In the first half of 2012, the site
generated approximately 40 percent
gross revenue growth year-over-year.
As Seen On TV Inc. will assume
the license agreement with Delivery
Agent, the entity that operates the
website. The license agreement calls
for a 7.5-percent royalty of gross rev-
enue to As Seen On TV Inc.
As Seen On TV Inc. paid $2.7
million, using cash, stock and war-
rants. Originally it was announced
that the acquisition price would be $5
million.
As Seen On TV Finishes Purchase of AsSeenOnTV.com;
Plans for Promotion Unveiled
www.responsemagazine.com Response AUGUST 2012 9
ATOMIC DIRECT
creat i ve
product i on
management
st rat egy
503. 2 96. 6131
The Brand
DRTV Agency
I nnovati ve marketi ng through
di rect response tel evi si on.
Por t l and, Oregon
www. atomi cdi rect. com
DirecTV, Viacom End Spat, Agree on New Carriage Deal
NEW YORK Viacom and DirecTV
reached a new carriage agreement in late
July that ended a two-week standoff that
led to MTV, Comedy Central, BET and
Nickelodeon being blacked out in about
20 million DirecTV homes.
Financial and other terms werent
shared, but the deal will last for seven
years. The satellite giant will carry all 26
Viacom channels, or 17 when excluding
HD feeds, but said it is not required to
carry Epix movie channel, the premium
TV joint venture of Viacom, Lionsgate
and MGM, according to Hollywoodreport-
er.com.
In addition to the channels return,
DirecTV customers will be able to watch
Viacom programming on tablets, laptops,
handhelds and other personal devices via
the DirecTV Everywhere platform, says
a DirecTV state-
ment.
A settlement
was in the best interest of both parties, so
Im not surprised they worked out a deal.
I think that DirecTV leveraged the black
out to their advantage to pressure Viacom
to settle, said Peter Koeppel, president of
Dallas-based Koeppel Direct and a mem-
ber of the Response Advisory Board. Nei-
ther Viacom or DirecTV was benefiting
from the negative publicity, and I believe
they realized that a protracted fight could
damage their businesses, their reputations
and ultimately their income, so its likely
they were both forced to compromise in
reaching a settlement.
Despite the deal, hard feelings appar-
ently still exist. Derek Chang, an ex-
ecutive vice president at DirecTV, told
Hollywoodreporter.com that the attention
surrounding the blackout by Viacom
serves notice to all media companies
that bullying TV providers and their cus-
tomers with blackouts wont get them a
better deal Its high time programmers
ended these anti-consumer blackouts
once and for all and prove our industry
FTC Ends Deceptive Prepaid Calling Card
Scheme Targeting Immigrants
CONTI NUED ON PAGE 10 >
WASHINGTON The Federal Trade Com-
mission (FTC) stopped advertising from
a prepaid phone card company DR
Phone Communications that allegedly
lied about the number of minutes cards
actually provided and failed to divulge ad-
ditional fees.
The FTC bought and tested 169 of
the companys cards and alleged none of
them delivered the number of minutes
advertised. The worst performing card
gave less than 1 percent of the advertised
minutes.
The FTC charged the companys ac-
tions violate federal law and also named
the companys website, drphonecom.com,
and David Rosenthal as defendants.
The company has agreed to temporar-
ily stop its claims before a trial where the
FTC will reportedly seek to permanently
halt the claims and force the company to
give up profits made during the ad cam-
paign.
The FTC has taken part in a series of
ongoing efforts to stop deceptive market-
ing in the pre-paid calling card arena,
which reportedly sells billions of dollars
of cards annually often to immigrants
who use them to call friends and family in
other countries.
The FTC claims this scheme targeted
immigrants with brand names such as
Beautiful Asia, Vietnam Best and
Pearls of Africa. The cards were sold in
convenience stores, grocery stores, kiosks
and on DR Phones website.
The FTC said point-of-sale posters
touted consumers could buy 70 minutes
for $5 to call the Philippines, for example.
Verbiage claimed, No Fees, No Con-
nection Fee and No Maintenance Fee.
But small print referenced fees without
explanation of what those fees would be.
One disclosure simply stated, Interna-
tional calls made to cellular phones and
calls via toll-free numbers are billed at
higher rate. without adequately disclos-
ing what those higher rates would be.
Field Reports
10 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
is about enabling people to connect
to their favorite programs rather than
denying them access.
Viacom said in a statement that it
is extremely pleased to get its pro-
gramming back to DirecTV subscribers
and thanked all affected for their pa-
tience during the disruption.
Tim Hawthorne, founder of Fair-
field, Iowa-based Hawthorne Direct
and a member of the Response Advisory
Board, said of the squabble, Its like
being ringside for Frazier vs. Ali: two
megastars whose confrontation is all
about money, with no question of the
outcome. We all knew Viacom would
win in the 12
th
round, taking the tro-
phy of a 20-percent increase. The real
losers are the subscribers.
During the skirmish, Comcast
ran radio commercials, while DISH
Network added key Viacom images of
SpongeBob and Dora The Explorer on
its website to lure consumers. Cablevi-
sion Systems bought keywords from
Google to add consumers. A Cablevi-
sion ad read: Direct Dropped MTV,
Nick, CC & BET. Get Them Back
With Optimum. (Optimum is Cable-
visions digital video service).
And DirecTV put this message on
its website: Switching isnt the answer.
Every TV provider has disputes with
networks. By getting you to switch,
Viacom hopes they will get the 30-per-
cent increase they have demanded.
DirecTV, Viacom End Spat
> Hawthorne Direct, the full service
direct response television agency, has
hired August Tesfasilase as account
executive in its Los Angeles office.
> Customer acquisition agency Acquirgy
and real-time E-commerce shopping cart
recovery leader SeeWhy co-published an
eBook today, titled How Shopping Carts
Kill DRTV Campaigns And What To Do
About It. The book addresses astounding
abandonment rates and can be down-
loaded here: http://SC11.acquirgy.net
> AVC Corp.
has moved its
headquarters
office to Rancho
Dominguez, Calif.
The company also
announces its
new Envirobox,
a 100-percent
plastic-free packaging option that has
already been well received by repre-
sentatives of such major retailers as
Wal-Mart and Sams Club. Finally, the
company has added Nathan Heidrich to
its sales staff.
> Chef Krystle
Velasquez
joins
Hearthware
Inc.s NuWave
culinary team.
> Infomercials
Inc. has relocated to: 2115 W 1150 N,
Springville, UT 84663.
> Meritus Payment Solutions names
Jon Lindhjem vice president of business
development.
> Steve Warnecke joins Newton Media as
director of new business development.
> The Inter/Media Group of Companies
adds Gavin B. Ballas as vice president of
marketing and sales.
> Weigel Broadcasting Co. and Hearst
Television agree to carry Me-TV in five
additional Hearst markets, including
Boston, Sacramento, Calif., Baltimore,
Oklahoma City and Greensboro, N.C. This
brings the total of Hearsts Me-TV affili-
ates to 13.
NewsCorner
Nathan Heidrich
Chef Krystle Velasquez
< CONTI NUED FROM PAGE 9
Response Magazine
Need your research fix? Visit
our historical media billings
research information today.
With long-form DRTV collected
and analyzed by Response
staff, and short-form DRTV
and DR radio collected by
Kantar Media all broken
down by quarter
Responses media billings
research is your one-stop shop
for the best DRTV media re-
search. Just scan the QR code
below or enter the following
Web address now: http://
www.responsemagazine.
com/list/research/media-
billings-141
Response Expo
Now that Response Expo 2012
is history, you can take a look
at a selection of the events
Educational Sessions online,
with both downloadable PDFs
of the PowerPoint decks and
audio! Just scan the QR code
below or enter the following
Web address now: http://www.
responsemagazine.com/
response-expo/2012-
conference-program-
presentations
DRMA
The DRMA Spotlight will return
after a two-month hiatus in
September with another in
a line of compelling stories
about some of the DR indus-
trys leading companies. To
check out all of our recent
DRMA Spotlights, scan the QR
code below or enter the follow-
ing Web address now:
http://www.response
magazine.com/drma/
drma/spotlight
r
EXPO
DR
MA
This Month
on the Response Group Websites
SOMETIMES YOU ONLY
GET ONE AT-BAT,
www.grandslamdirect.com | info@grandslamdirect.com
SO WHY RISK STRIKING OUT WHEN YOU CAN
KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK!
- In-House Short & Long-Form Production
- Product Sourcing & Manufacturing
- Major Retail Distribution
- Superior Campaign Management
ARE YOU READY TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE?
High Quality, Low Price.
CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
760 827 0246
At Grand Slam Direct, we offer over 23 years
of Direct Response production experience and
25 years of retail distribution experience to
our clients. We know rst hand what it takes
to create a high-quality winning campaign that
wont break the bank. In fact, our creative team
has produced dozens of top 100 campaigns.
We Specialize in:
Research Jordan Whitneys Program Rankings
RANK LAST MONTH PROGRAM HOST PRODUCT PRICE PRODUCER/DISTRIBUTOR
1 1 Insanity Shaun T. Exercise DVDs $119.85 Beachbody
2 8 Meaningful Beauty Cindy Crawford Skincare system $39.85 Guthy-Renker Corp.
3 NR Luminess Air Heather Boswell Airbrush makeup $29.99 (trial) Luminess Direct
4 NR Body Revolution Jillian Michaels Fitness DVDs $119.80 GAIAM
5 NR Tapout XT Mike Karpenko Fitness DVDs $119.85 TFit
6 3 My Pillow Tonja Waring Pillow Lead-generating LifeBrands Inc.
7 5 Total Gym Christie Brinkley/Chuck Norris Home gym $14.95 (trial) Total Gym Fitness LLC
8 NR NuWave Induction Cooktop Bob Warden Electric cooktop $119.85 Hearthware Inc.
9 4 Lift-Around Amy Rosen Handheld vacuum $159.80 Euro-Pro
10 6 Wen Alyssa Milano Haircare products $29.95 Guthy-Renker Corp.
TOP 1 0 I NF OMERCI AL S
RANK LAST MONTH PROGRAM PRODUCT PRICE PRODUCER/DISTRIBUTOR
1 5 Proactiv Solution Acne treatment $19.95 Guthy-Renker Corp.
2 1 no! no! Hair-removal device Lead-generating Radiancy
3 NR Flex Seal Rubber spray sealant $19.99 Swift Response
4 3 Stretch Genie Shoe stretching kit $12.99 Hampton Direct
5 7 Gray Away Hair-coloring spray $19.99 QB Labs
6 NR Perfect Tortilla Tortilla pan $10 ASPG
7 NR InstaBulb Battery-operated light bulb $10.99 TELEBrands
8 4 Dream Lites Plush toy with night light $29.95 Ontel Products
9 NR Bright Light Pillow Pillow w/built-in lights $19.99 IdeaVillage Products
10 NR Stompeez Animal slippers $19.95 Infomercials Inc.
TOP 1 0 S P OTS
Source: The Direct Response Monitoring Report Greensheet published by Jordan Whitney Inc. in Tustin, Calif. These are the top 10 infomercials and direct response spots
based on confidential media budgets and Jordan Whitneys monitoring of national cable and broadcast markets for the week ending June 29, 2012.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions in this chart.
For information about the Green Sheet Direct Response Monitoring Report and Jordan Whitneys consulting and tape library services, contact John Kogler at Jordan Whitney
Inc. Phone: (714) 832-3353; Fax: (714) 832-4422; E-mail: greensheet@cox.net; Web site: www.jwgreensheet.com.
12 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
Telephone 310.451.2900 www.mercurymedia.com
Get Guaranteed
Results Instead
of a Guess.
Direct marketers are forever in search of an edge
that will help ensure their chances of success. An
advantage that goes beyond just promises and
presumptions. Thats exactly the reason Mercury
Media pioneered our Performance Guarantee
Model (PGM), an industry-exclusive innovation for
short form that offers marketers an unmatched
measure of condence by delivering predictability
and mitigating risk.
The advantages?
Breakthrough Performance Guarantee is
the industrys most unique xed-cost offering...
a Mercury exclusive
Two Performance Guarantee specialties:
Guaranteed xed cost per action
Guarantees based on traditional media
metrics - GRPs, CPM, etc.
Less risk. PGM transfers risk from you to
Mercury and ensures predictability -- not just
for your media, but for your revenue
Flexibility and scalability. Our plans are
tailored to meet your specic marketing
needs and are highly scalable to meet your
volume goals
Quality Media. Unlike other performance
based programs Mercurys PGM utilizes quality,
top-tier national media
Call us today if you want a guarantee, not a
guess, because PGM is available only from
the performance driven professionals at
Mercury Media.
14 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
SHORT FORM: TOP 5 VERTICAL MARKETS
IMS spot rankings are based solely on Frequency of programs
aired on national cable and satellite networks monitored.
RANK PRODUCT NAME MARKETING COMPANY PRICE OFFERED S&H
HEALTH & FITNESS
1 Lipozene Obesity Research Institute $29.95 $0.00
2 Super Beta Prostate SebaClear $29.95 $6.99
3 Ruby Reds New Vitality $19.95 $0.00
4 Nutrisystem Success Nutrisystem Inc. $77.49 $0.00
5 P90X Beachbody $14.95 $0.00
BEAUTY
1 Proactiv Solution Guthy-Renker Corp. $19.95 $0.00
2 Gray Away QB Labs $19.99 $6.99
3 no! no! Radiancy $284.90 $14.95
4 Twist N Clip Harvest Direct $10 $6.99
5 Tria Laser Tria Beauty Inc. $89.99 $0.00
ENTERTAINMENT
1 California Psychics Outlook Amusements Inc. $0.00 $0.00
2 Hollywood Psychics Hollywood Psychics $0.00 $0.00
3 Dream Lites Ontel Products $29.95 $0.00
4 Psychic Source Expert Link Inc. $10 $0.00
5 Now Country Push Entertainment $0.00 $0.00
HOUSEHOLD/KITCHEN
1 InstaHang Hampton Direct $14.99 $7.95
2 Flex Seal Flex Seal $19.99 $9.95
3 Kobalt Multi-Purpose Lowes $19.98 $0.00
4 Super Clean Super Clean $19.95 $0.00
5 Grout Bully Harvest Direct $10 $7.95
PERSONAL
1 Ageless Male Ageless Male $29.95 $0.00
2 Cyvita Cyvita LLC $19.95 $0.00
3 ZQuiet ZQuiet $9.95 $0.00
4 Vibrating Twister Church & Dwight Co. $59.99 $0.00
5 Total Pillow Hampton Direct $19.99 $7.95
Research The Top DRTV National Cable and Satellite Rankings
LONG FORM: TOP 5 VERTICAL MARKETS
IMS infomercial rankings are based solely on Media Spending for programs
aired on national cable and satellite networks monitored.
RANK MARKETING COMPANY PRICE OFFERED
HEALTH & FITNESS
1 Insanity Beachbody 3 payments of $39.95 plus $24.95 S&H
2 Body Revolution GAIAM 4 payments of $29.99 plus $14.99 S&H
3 Total Gym Total Gym Fitness LLC 30-day trial for $14.95
4 Tapout XT TFit 3 payments of $39.95 plus $19.95 S&H
5 Nopalea Trivita Free bottle plus $9.95 S&H
BEAUTY
1 Meaningful Beauty Guthy-Renker Corp. $39.95
2 Murad Resurgence Murad Inc. $39.95 plus $8.95 S&H
3 Wen Guthy-Renker Corp. $29.95 plus $5.99 S&H
4 Luminess Air Luminess Direct LLC 30-day trial for $29.95
5 Tria Laser Tria Beauty Inc. Lead-generating
ENTERTAINMENT
1 Teen Years Time-Life Music 5 payments of $29.99 plus $1.99 S&H
2 Golden Age of Country Time-Life Music 4 payments of $29.99 plus $12.99 S&H
3 Singers & Songwriters Time-Life Music 5 payments of $29.99
4 Psychic Source Psychic Source $10 reading
5 Music of Your Life Time-Life Music 6 payments of $26.99
HOUSEHOLD
1 NuWave Precision Hearthware Inc. 3 payments of $33.33 plus $29.95 S&H
Cooktop
2 Shark Navigator Euro-Pro 4 payments of $49.95 plus $49.90 S&H
Lift Away
3 NutriBullet NutriBullet LLC 5 payments of $19.99 plus $19.95 S&H
4 Shark Lift Around Euro-Pro 4 payments of $39.95
5 My Pillow LifeBrands Inc. 60-day risk-free offer
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
1 Trudeaus Free Money Free Money $29.95 plus $11.95 S&H
2 Social Media Profits Success TV LLC $19.95 plus $9.95 S&H
3 Trudeaus Free Money 2 Free Money $29.95 plus $11.95 S&H
4 Brainetics Brainetics LLC 30-day trial for $14.95
5 Total Transformation Legacy Publishing Co. Lead-generating
Copyright 2012 Infomercial Monitoring Service, Inc.
All rights reserved. IMSTVOnline.com. Satellite 2, 810-812 Park Way, Philadelphia, PA 19008. Phone (610)-328-6902.
Fax: (610)-328-6791. E-mail sam@imstv.com. Rankings for June 2012. IMS is a research and publishing company that tracks both long-form infomercials and short-form
DRTV spots on nation cable, broadcast and satellite networks. Rankings for each month are based on long-form infomercial media and short-form spot frequency of programs
aired on networks monitored. IMS database and video library services involve all aspect of the DR industry. IMS provides weekly and month report, rankings, verifications, evalua-
tions, research, consulting, film and video production and post production.
No part of any IMS reports may be reproduced or transmitted in any form electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from IMS. IMS is not
responsible for any loss due to errors or omissions in information provided, or for any loss of service due to technical or other difficulties. Please visit IMSTVOnline.com for more information.
Our
COreDireCt
Clients plaCe
mOre than
$4.5 billiOn in
DireCt
respOnse
annually
manage
meDia buys
anD COnsumer
respOnses
fOr yOur
shOrt anD
lOng fOrm
Campaigns
analyze
yOur meDia buys
tO finD yOur best
perfOrming
statiOns,
Dayparts anD
Creative
Optimize
yOur buys
using yester-
Days results
tO ensure
tOmOrrOws
perfOrmanCe
Trust CoreDirect to
Manage Your Direct Response
Media Performance
Buy
Analyze Optimize
Manage
695 US ROUTe 46 WeST SUiTe 403
FAiRFielD NJ 07004-1556 973.276.0882
COReMeDiA-SYSTeMS.COM
16 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
RANK MARKET (DMA RANK) DR SPOTS LAST MONTH
1 New York (1) 3,550 1
2 Boston (7) 3,067 3
3 Pittsburgh (23) 2,908 2
4 West Palm Beach, Fla. (38) 2,338 15
5 Chicago (3) 2,095 9
6 Phoenix (13) 2,094 8
7 San Diego (28) 1,957 4
8 New Orleans (51) 1,870 7
9 Atlanta (9) 1,763 12
10 Las Vegas (40) 1,714 6
11 Mobile, Ala./Pensacola, Fla. (60) 1,683 5
12 Washington (8) 1,643 10
13 Columbus, Ohio (32) 1,564 42
14 Grand Rapids, Mich. (42) 1,506 14
15 Denver (17) 1,484 11
16 Knoxville, Tenn. (61) 1,445 13
17 Miami-Fort Lauderdale (16) 1,427 17
18 St. Louis (21) 1,414 24
19 Indianapolis (26) 1,393 20t
20 Nashville (29) 1,364 29
21 Detroit (11) 1,292 16
22 Memphis (49) 1,270 22
23 Hartford-New Haven, Conn. (30) 1,254 19
24 Seattle-Tacoma (12) 1,240 26
25 Cleveland-Akron (18) 1,236 25
RANK MARKET (DMA RANK) DR SPOTS LAST MONTH
26 Philadelphia (4) 1,207 27
27 Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (24) 1,203 23
28 Portland, Ore. (22) 1,183 33
29 Greenville-Asheville, N.C. (37) 1,074 20t
30 Milwaukee (34) 1,051 32
31 Sacramento (20) 984 37
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul (15) 955 18
33 Louisville (48) 947 31
34t Kansas City (31) 875 38
34t Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark. (56) 875 36
36 Tampa-St. Petersburg (14) 856 35
37 Dallas-Fort Worth (5) 820 45
38 Cincinnati (35) 819 41
39 Charlotte (25) 771 43
40 Oklahoma City (44) 753 30
41 Houston (10) 711 40
42 Greensboro, N.C. (46) 685 28
43 Fresno-Visalia, Calif. (55) 643 34
44 Austin (47) 635 50
45 Los Angeles (2) 629 46
46 Orlando-Daytona Beach, Fla. (19) 552 48
47 Jacksonville (50) 547 47
48 Tulsa (59) 541 39
49 San Francisco Bay Area (6) 514 44
50 San Antonio (36) 477 49
DES I GNATED MARKET AREAS
Research DMA Local Cable Rankings: Total DR Spots
Nielsen operates as an information and measurement company worldwide. It offers critical media and marketing information,
analytics and industry expertise about what consumers buy and what consumers watch on a global and local basis. The above
data is from Nielsen Monitor-Plus
, a provider of competitive advertising intelligence. Rankings from June 2012. Nielsen Monitor-
Plus
delivers timely and insightful data necessary to assess advertising effectiveness across 18 media, including television
in all 210 DMAs and Spanish-Language measurement across a growing number of media. Monitor-Plus
, please E-mail:
sigma@nielsen.com.
www.responsemagazine.com Response AUGUST 2012 17
By Jordan Pine
Copyright 2012 SciMark Corp. These reviews represent the opinions of the author. Any inaccuracies are unintentional. To report an inaccuracy
or provide other feedback, E-mail: jordan@scimark.com. The SciMark Report is also a blog at scimark.blogspot.com. SciMark Corp. is a firm that
specializes in short-form DRTV advertising. For more information and a full description of the S7 scoring system, visit www.SciMark.com.
Research SciMark Report
NEAT KEEPER
Description: A wallet for women
Main Pitch: The incredibly elegant,
crocodile-embossed wallet thatll give you
an organizational edge
Main Offer: $10 for one in green, pink
or red
Bonus: Second one (pay a separate fee)
Marketer: TELEBrands
Website: www.GetNeatKeeper.com
Rating: 2 out of 5
Heres what I know about the wallet category: Unique wallets for men sell,
unique wallets for women do not. On the mens side, there are several hits to
talk about going all the way back to the Magic Wallet from the Golden Age of
DRTV. More recently, Ontels Slim Clip was a solid hit in 2009. On the wom-
ens side, however, its all failures. For example, at the same time Slim Clip
was taking off, Allstar was making a smart attempt to expand the Buxton
line with a cell phone holder/wallet. It flopped and so did
every other attempt at a womans wallet thereafter. In
fact, the only wallet women have purchased from DRTV in
recent history was the Aluma Wallet (also a TELEBrands/
Sullivan collaboration), but that had a unisex positioning.
Thus, my current theory is that once a wallet gets too
female and this one certainly fits the bill with its pink
crocodile styling it becomes unlikely to succeed. The
reason, no doubt, is the glut of wallet options available to
women from every brand imaginable. Its much like trying
to sell a purse on DRTV (also not recommended).
Copyright 2012 SciMark Corp. These reviews represent the opinions of the author. Any inaccuracies are unintentional. To report an inaccuracy
or provide other feedback, E-mail: jordan@scimark.com. The SciMark Report is also a blog at scimark.blogspot.com. SciMark Corp. is a firm that
specializes in short-form DRTV advertising. For more information and a full description of the S7 scoring system, visit www.SciMark.com.
DUELING EGG COOKERS
EZ EGGS
Main Offer: $10 for two with lifters,
separators
Bonus: Two more, holder, separator and
EZ Bacon Maker (just pay separate S&P)
Marketer: SAS Group
Website: www.GetEZEggs.com
Rating: 3 out of 5
EGG GOURMET
Main Offer: $10 for two with recipe guide
Bonus: Two more, holder, separator and
Bacon Gourmet Tray (just pay a separate fee)
Marketer: TELEBrands
Website: www.GetEggGourmet.com
STICK N CLICK
Description: An LED strip light
Main Pitch: Just peel, stick and
click and have all the light you
need
Main Offer: $10 for two
Bonus: Two more (pay separate P&H)
Marketer: Ontel Products
Website: www.StickNClick.com
Rating: 2 out of 5
In 2006, Ontel had a good run with an item by this same name except
back then, it was a mini puck light instead of a strip light. Thats right:
This is a recycled name, which raises several interesting questions. Is it a
good idea to recycle the name of a successful item? If so, how long should
you wait to do so? The answer to these questions and many more
depends on what you believe about branding. Some believe that the amount
of advertising put behind the average DRTV product is sufficient to create a
brand. Others argue that DRTV doesnt generate nearly
enough impressions to hit that high bar. I subscribe to
the latter belief. Years ago, I did a brand recall study of
the best-selling item at that time. We estimated that the
average woman had seen the commercial for the female-
skewing product at least seven times. Yet when we
showed a group of women a picture of the product and
asked them to pick the correct name from a list of four or
five names, a frighteningly small minority chose the right
answer. So my view is: Recycle away! Why the poor rating
then? Because, as I have demonstrated on many occa-
sions: the lighting category is dead (at least for now).
Rating: 3 out of 5 Rating: 3 out of 5
Rating: 2 out of 5
WHAT MAKES UP THE
SCIMARK SEVEN (S7)?
The PRODUCT should be:
(1) needed; (2) targeted; and
(3) different.
The CATEGORY should be:
(4) un-crowded.
The COMMERCIAL should be:
(5) engaging; (6) motivating; and
(7) clear.
On my blog (scimark.blogspot.com), I have a regular
feature titled Old Gold? Thats where I usually
write about resurrected items like these. But this is
the first Old Gold Duel, so it makes the magazine.
The original hit was TriStars Egg Wave, No. 11 on
the Jordan Whitney annual for the year 2000. Will
history repeat itself? Im not so sure. On one hand,
not much has changed in 12 years. Families are
still in a rush and dont have time to make a good
breakfast. The microwave still features prominently
in most kitchens. And eggs are as popular as ever,
as witnessed by the recent success of Allstars
Eggies (No. 31 on my True Top 50 for 2011). On the
other hand, fast and healthy breakfast solutions
abound these days, and making delicious eggs
in the microwave just doesnt sound as credible
as it once did. This one could break either way. As
for who will win the duel if its a success: I give
the edge to TELEBrands. No DRTV company is as
aggressive as they are when it comes to maximizing
a hit at retail.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Research 1Q Short-Form 2012 Media Billings
1Q Short-Form DRTV Media Billings Hold Steady
Total spending falls less than 1 percent, while average campaign spending jumps more
than 18 percent.
Analysis by Thomas Haire
> > Fig. 1
Total Quarterly Short-Form
Media Billings
> > Fig. 2
First-Quarter 2012 Short-Form
DRTV Media Distribution
Syndication:
$49,757,400
4.7%
F
irst-quarter 2012 short-form DRTV media billings
results provided by Kantar Media were nearly iden-
tical to 1Q 2011 results, totaling $1,061,044,900.
The decrease of $8.9 million dollars registers as just
a 0.8-percent loss, and the total spend is the second-highest
in the past five first quarters.
First-quarter 2012 also reflected a rise of $23 million when
compared to 4Q 2011, a 2.2-percent increase from the final
quarter of last year.
Comeback for Collectibles
Just seven of the 17 categories claimed gains this quarter
when compared to the same period from 2011. Drug and
Toiletry showed the highest dollar gain with an astounding
$79 million increase (18.1 percent). This came on the heels
of the categorys 1Q 2011 performance that saw it gain $40.7
million. In complete contrast to 1Q 2011 when it suffered a
weighty 72.6-percent dip, Multiple Category Ad made a
complete comeback in the first quarter of this year, earning
top percentage-gainer honors by far boasting a 90-percent
increase of about $800,000, bringing its first-quarter 2012
total to more than $1.6 million. The Home and Building
category finished second in both total dollar ($12.5 million)
and percentage (77.4) gains in 1Q 2012.
The General category did not fare as well, suffering the
greatest dollar loss (and second greatest percentage loss) in
1Q 2012, dipping $41.6 million (30.1 percent). Collectibles
and Art saw the greatest percentage loss 69.5 percent a
dollar loss of $3.7 million. The Crafts, Hobbies, Sporting
Goods and Toys category also suffered through a dismal
quarter, losing 26.4 percent, or $21.9 million.
Network, Hispanic Make Solid Gains
Network TV and Hispanic Network TV fared far better in
first-quarter 2012 than they did during the same time period
the prior year, becoming the only two outlets to enjoy gains.
While cable TV remained the dominant media outlet this
quarter (boasting 77.2 percent of market share), it lost $16.6
million when compared to 1Q 2011 spending. However, Net-
work TVs $12.6 million rise helped it gain back a percentage
point of market share, as did Hispanic Network TVs $8.4
million jump.
Faltering after a solid first quarter a year ago, Syndication
lost $11.5 million in spending (nearly 20 percent) in 1Q
2012. Spot TVs 7.4-percent decrease left it floundering in
fifth place among TV outlets.
Proactiv Outspends Others to Claim No. 1 Spot
The total number of short-form DRTV campaigns aired
in first-quarter 2012 1,138 signified a 16.3-percent
decrease when compared to the same period in 2011. Sub-
Total: $1,061,044,900
Network TV:
$42,456,000
4.0%
Hispanic
Network TV:
$114,936,000
10.8%
Cable TV:
$819,024,600
77.2%
Spot TV:
$34,870,900
3.3%
CONTI NUED >
0
$100 million
$ 200 million
$ 300 million
$400 million
$ 500 million
$600 million
$700 million
$800 million
$900 million
$1 billion
1Q 2005
Short-Form
1Q 2004
Short-Form
$
7
2
3
,
3
7
4
,
9
0
0
$
5
7
0
,
1
9
1
,
8
0
0
$
7
4
1
,
4
8
1
,
1
0
0
1Q 2006
Short-Form
$
9
3
0
,
6
3
2
,
1
0
0
$
1
,
1
7
3
,
5
7
0
,
0
0
0
$
1
,
0
2
2
,
9
9
7
,
6
0
0
1Q 2007
Short-Form
1Q 2008
Short-Form
1Q 2009
Short-Form
$
9
9
5
,
7
5
0
,
3
0
0
$
1
,
0
6
9
,
9
0
9
,
8
0
0
1Q 2010
Short-Form
1Q 2011
Short-Form
$
1
,
0
6
1
,
0
4
4
,
9
0
0
1Q 2012
Short-Form
18 Response AUGUST 2012 www.responsemagazine.com
1Q Short-Form DRTV Media Billings Hold Steady
> > Fig. 3 First-Quarter 2012 Short-Form DRTV Categorical Distribution
Proud To Serve
e Direct Response
Industry
Targeted consumer publicity can play
an important role in your DR campaign.
SSA specializes in achieving product-based
editorial coverage to compliment your
media by reinforcing consumer awareness.
To discuss how publicity can help generate leads and drive sales, contact:
Steve Syatt, (818) 907-5929 or email at Ssyatt@ssapr.com
Apparel: $32,224,600
Audio supplies and equipment: $24,154,800
Automotive and travel: $5,422,300
Business: $55,665,600
Collectibles and art: $1,622,900
Computers, software and home ofce: $43,488,400
Correspondence schools: $9,000,600
Crafts, hobbies, sporting goods and toys: $61,138,200
Drug and toiletry: $515,886,400
Food and beverage: $6,898,200
General: $96,616,000
Home and building: $28,378,400
Household, furniture and appliances: $134,003,800
Lawn, garden, seeds and bulbs: $2,030,000
Multiple category ad: $1,649,300
Publishers and book clubs: $15,651,400
Video suppliers and equipment: $27,214,000
Total: $1,061,044,900