I love summer.  The golden sun, the long days, the lazy schedule . . . . This summer, though, most of our nation has been gripped by a heat wave that belies last winter’s “Snowpocalypse.”  Even a true summer-phile like me can get a little tired of the unbearable heat when a seemingly endless string of 100+ degree days is unbroken by a good ol’ gully washer.  At SeenOnTV Express, our neck of the woods is crippled by the worst drought since the Dust Bowl, and our lakes, one of the only respites from the heat, have been deemed off-limits due to toxic blue-green algae flourishing in the blistering, dry heat.

The only good thing about this summer’s heat and drought is that it has put the kibosh on mosquitoes, the bane of my existence.  Unfortunately, that is not true of all bugs, pests, no-see-ums, and menacing, prolific flies.  Our hatred of flies in the house has become so extreme that our 2-year-old son has taken to the belief that anything that must be closed must be done in an effort to “keep the flies out.”

I’d better shut the garage door to keep the flies out.

I’d better close the refrigerator to keep the flies out.

I’d better shut the drawer to keep the flies out.

I’m thinking this must be a common refrain in our household, since our toddler has so thoroughly ingrained it into his little heart.

As always, though, there is an As Seen On TV product to solve the problem.  One of my favorite infomercial pest control products is the Magic Mesh magnetic screen door.   My husband and I installed a regular screen door once, and the fact that we remain married after the ordeal is a testament to pure stubbornness.  Magic Mesh, though, is easily installed on most door frames, including those on campers and RV’s.  At the end of the season, when it’s no longer needed, Magic Mesh is just as easily removed and stored.

With Magic Mesh, you can avoid the loud banging of a screen door as busy kids run in and out.  With 18 magnets pulling the screen closed, Magic Mesh closes quickly and quietly, keeping bugs out without making you bug out.

Another key feature of Magic Mesh is its ability to be used hands free.  If you are carrying plates of food to your backyard barbecue, or if you are frequently balancing meat, vegetables, and grill tools for outdoor cooking, Magic Mesh lets you easily exit and enter hands-free–and it closes automatically behind you.

If you’re bugged by insects when you are outside, consider trying Bug Bands insect repelling wristbands.  Chemical-free and odor-free, Bug Bands are a safe alternative to smelly citronella candles or noxious insect repellent sprays.

Most infomercial products are ingenious, identifying a problem (often one you didn’t even know you had) and addressing the solution to that problem.  Do your arms stay chilly while you try to read?  Try a Snuggie!  Peeling boiled eggs takes forever and leaves little bits of shell in your lunch?  Try Eggies!  Is your hair an unruly mess?  Try the Instyler!  From kitchen products to beauty products, from exercise equipment to household products, infomercials provide a wealth of conveniences.

Every so often, though, an As Seen on TV product comes around that leaves me scratching my head.  The Happy Hot Dog Man is one such product.  Now, don’t get me wrong–I’m all for making mealtime fun for the kids (I still want a Big Top Cupcake), but the Happy Hot Dog Man may just be taking it one step too far:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0JHLGkiEEU

“It’s like a toy you can eat!!”

To make fun little Hot Dog Men that you can dress and decorate before devouring, simply place the hot dog into the Happy Hot Dog Man press.  In about a second, you can have a Happy Hot Dog Man with arms, legs, and a smiling mouth.  This trick would take you about three seconds with a knife, so you can see what a time saver it is.  It even comes with a Ketchup Critter and a Mustard Monster to help your kids make messes decorate the Happy Hot Dog Man.

The Happy Hot Dog Man has been mocked featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Good Morning America.

While my initial reaction to the Happy Hot Dog Man is one of ridicule, I actually DO see some practical use for this product.  As the parent of a toddler, I know that making food entertaining is one of the only ways to get a small child to actually eat dinner, rather than pushing it away, saying, “No, mommy!  I don’t like dat yucky dinner!” or throwing it directly on the floor.  And of course, I’m not handing my two-and-a-half year old a knife and having him make his own Happy Hot Dog Man, lest we venture to the hospital to see Happy ER Doctor for a set of stitches.

Maybe the Happy Hot Dog Man isn’t such a silly infomercial kitchen product after all.

Prime time news program 20/20 on ABC recently launched a special report entitled “Infomercial Nation” that looked at the practices behind infomercial marketing and reviewed several top-selling As Seen On TV products.  To introduce “Infomercial Nation,” 20/20 interviewed self-proclaimed “infomercial junkie” Marisa Woolsey, then took a quick look at some of the marketing strategies used to appeal to target audiences and lovers of infomercial products.

In the episode, Marisa Woolsey says that she prefers to be called an infomercial junkie, rather than an addict.  Her compulsion to buy infomercial products, she says, comes from an overwhelming desire to know if the products really work as they claim to.  When Woolsey’s infomercial buying began to impact the family budget, Woolsey took a second job rather than curbing her spending.  She likens receiving a product in the mail to opening presents on Christmas, saying she can’t wait to try out her new purchase.  Apparently, Woolsey is a satisfied customer, or else she would likely not keep buying infomercial products.  In fact, she enjoys her purchases so much that she has taken her “addiction” and turned it into a service:  she has started a blog, Confessions of an Infomercial Junkie.  On her blog, she includes video reviews of each product she buys and demonstrates her personal results with each product or tool.  Her favorite As Seen On TV kitchen products and beauty products?  SodaStream, Ninja Master Prep, Bare Minerals, and the Instyler.

Though the Infomercial Junkie credits a need to know if a product’s claims are genuine with her urge to buy, Infomercial King Kevin Harrison says basic marketing strategies are at play.  Harrison, a featured investor on the ABC show Shark Tank, has been involved with over 500 infomercial products and has reached over $4 billion in sales.  According to Harrison, there are three basic elements to every successful As Seen On TV pitch:

• Tease
• Please
• Seize

In the “Tease,” says Harrison, infomercials identify a problem.  Whether the problem is as complicated as successfully hanging a picture straight or as simple as covering yourself with a blanket while trying to read makes no difference.  The point is that when the pitchman asks, “Has this every happened to you?” you answer with a resounding, “Yes!  And it drives me nuts!”  Identifying this nuisance in your life makes you realize there has to be a better way.

Next comes the “Please.”  In this stage of the infomercial, you are shown the solution to your problem:  a blanket with sleeves (Snuggie), a gadget that automatically stirs your pot (RoboStir), a hair styler that leaves your hair sleek and shiny in less time without damaging your hair (Instyler).  For many people, finding a solution to the problem identified in the “Tease” is enough to trigger an urge to buy, but just in case it isn’t, the third phase of the infomercial pitch is employed.

The “Seize” is the infomercial’s attempt to seal the deal, to entice those who may be on the fence about the product to go ahead and buy.  The most common element of the “Seize” is offering something extra to the consumer.  ”But wait, there’s more,” is the common As Seen On TV phrase that triggers the special, limited time bonus offer.  Buy one get one free, free with purchase, free bonuses . . . these are all an attempt to convince consumers to go ahead an buy the infomercial product.

Regardless of consumers know about these common marketing elements, their basic needs and emotions are what ultimately influence their decision to buy.  If an As Seen On TV product will make their lives easier, will provide a solution to an annoying problem, will help them look better, or will provide comfort, then they are likely to buy that product.

View the entire 20/20 Infomercial Junkie segment here:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peh2WN6Y4Ks

Don Lapre, the self-proclaimed “King of Infomercials” was arrested last month after failure to appear in court for an indictment on 41 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.  Lapre, who made a name for himself selling As Seen on TV money-making schemes, faces fraud charges relating to the marketing of “The Greatest Vitamin in the World” as both a product and a multi-level marketing venture.  On his website, Lapre proclaims his innocence, stating:

“I tried to create the best product on earth, paid out millions, made very little trying to make it a success, had attorneys review my entire company, paid out millions in refunds, tried to make the commission and products better every single year, and in spite of all that, I have been accused of something I did not do.  I did not have the perfect company but never once did I allow one thing to be done that would violate any law.”

Apparently, the law disagrees.  Don Lapre is accused of bilking nearly $52 million from more than 225,000 investors for a business that paid out only $6.3 million in commissions.  According to Quackwatch, in 2006 the Better Business Bureau cited Lapre’s company for failing to substantiate the following advertising claims related to The Greatest Vitamin in the World:

• “Our company will pay you $1000 up front or up to $200 a month for the rest of your life every single time you get just 20 new people to try our amazing vitamin.
• “Each week we pay you on all the revenue earned the week prior! This is the easiest way in the world to start generating $1000 checks over and over again!”
• “Our top people have made thousands and thousands of dollars doing this!”
• “Each month you get just 100 new vitamin clients, we pay you a $5000 bonus! And the top two Independent Advertisers who create under 100 new vitamin clients also get a $5000 bonus!”
• “Endorsed by the NBCCA representing most teams in the NBA.”
• “We use the highest grade and most absorbable nutrients known to man.”

In 2005 and again in 2006, the Food and Drug Administration warned Don Lapre against making drug claims about his vitamin.  Specifically, Lapre claimed that The Greatest Vitamin in the World could be used to fight diabetes, stroke, heart disease, insomnia, cancer, and arthritis.  The FDA admonished, “Your products are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced conditions.”  In 2008, the state of Maryland forbade Lapre and The Greatest Vitamin in the World LLC from doing business in the state, with the Maryland Department of Securities asserting that the company was not licensed to sell business opportunities, and that Lapre had failed to issue refunds to dissatisfied customers.

In June 2011, Lapre was indicted in Phoenix, Arizona, on 41 counts of fraud.  He did not appear for his court date and was arrested on June 27.  Lapre was arrested at a fitness center where he had allegedly been living for two days prior to his arrest.  An FBI wanted poster featuring Lapre described the “King of Infomercials” as possibly suicidal, suffering from depression and anxiety.  At the time of his arrest, Lapre had self-inflicted knife wounds to the groin.

These most recent legal and financial difficulties are not the first for Lapre:

• 1988 – declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy
• 1990 – charged with fraud for “Unknown Concepts,” a credit repair agency that claimed to help customers get credit cards, but instead provided a listing of credit card providers; forced to pay civil penalties and restitution
• 1994 – forced to pay the state of Arizona $45,000 in unemployment and withholding taxes he neglected to pay in 1993 and 1994
• 1995 – the Michigan Attorney General took action against Lapre for failing to register his business; an Assurance of Discontinuance prohibited Lapre from doing business in the state until it was properly registered and restitution and payment of fees was made
• 1997 – the IRS placed a lien of nearly $1 million against Lapre and his wife for failure to pay delinquent taxes
• 1999- filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy

As Seen on TV business opportunities and money-making ventures offer the promise of fulfilling your financial dreams.  However, as with any commercial venture, the adage “Buyer Beware” holds true.  A quick check with the Better Business Bureau would have helped Lapre’s alleged victims from falling prey to his business scam.  Infomercial ventures are no more or less susceptible to fraud than a brick and mortar business.  Legitimate infomercial business opportunities exist through financial coaching, real estate investing tips, and even IRS tax help.  Take time to investigate any opportunity before plunging ahead.  Remember–if it sounds too good to be true . . . well, there may just be a reason for that.