History of Infomercial Products

Written by businessideas.info

Infomercials are not a new trend; in fact, they have been around for decades.  Nowadays, they often appear late at night on cable television stations.  Most people brush off infomercial products as scams, and/or believe that infomercials are not a profitable industry.  On the contrary, many of these products have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars, and producers are constantly looking for the next big thing.

Ron Popeil is considered the king of the infomercial and is remembered for his outrageous conceptions.  He is responsible for such products as the Pocket Fisherman, GLH Formula 9, and the Vegematic.  The Pocket Fisherman was a valid replacement for the traditional line and hook, and could fit anywhere, even your pocket (as the name suggests).  GLH Formula 9 allowed the user to literally spray hair on to bald spots.  The name makes the product sound very scientific and official, but GLH just stands for "Great Looking Hair" and Formula 9 was an extension that Popeil made up out of thin air.  The Vegematic was one of the original slicers that so many consumers were amazed by.  It has since spawned a never ending list of knock-offs, some of which can still be seen on television today. 

Jingles are an incredibly efficient way to increase sales and spread popularity.  The Clapper is a perfect example of this.  With this device, all the user had to do was clap their hands to turn on an appliance.  What really made The Clapper so popular was the commercial's signature song, which you can probably remember off the top of your head.  When an advertiser can plant their message into a consumer's mind permanently, they are successful.

An exotic name quickly arouses interest and curiosity.  The Ginsu Knife, which was actually just a regular supermarket cutter, was marketed as a cut-through-anything product.  On the infomercials, excitement was created by demonstrations of the knife cutting through watermelons, tomatoes, and even aluminum cans with ease.  The word Ginsu does not even have a significant meaning; it was picked because it sounded cool.

One of the most successful infomercial products of all time, the Chia Pet, does not even have a practical use.  Customers were fascinated with "pottery that grows", and the multitude of varieties that the product came in, such as regular animals, Looney Tunes characters, and Homer Simpson.  Like the Ginsu Knife and The Clapper, it had an interesting name and memorable tune, respectively.