One of the hallmarks of a good infomercial is an effective product demonstration.  Most people, before they are willing to buy a product, want to see how it works.  If an item is sold in stores, consumers may  have a chance to actually hold the product, look it over, and see if it fits their needs.  For infomercial products, however, consumers are limited to a two-dimensional representation of the item shown on their television screen.  To show how a product works and to illustrate its effectiveness, television marketers harken back to the days of street vendors in using product demonstrations to entice potential buyers.

After all, a pitchman could tell you his knives are amazingly sharp, but unless you see them in action, you are just taking his word for it.  Once you see how it can slice through metal and still be sharp enough for razor thin tomato slices, you will be convinced.  Former pitchman king Billy Mays could tell you that Kaboom! cleaner was the toughest, most effective household cleaner available, but until he showed you what it could do with a bathtub that looked like a crime scene, you had no reason to believe him.

After all, seeing is believing.

Of course, “seeing is believing” is only relevant to producing sales if the product demonstration actually works.  One of the problems with earlier As Seen On TV product demonstrations was that they occurred live before a studio audience.  If the product failed, or if the pitchman failed to appropriately use the  product, the whole demonstration became a fiasco.  Take this example of a home shopping demonstration gone horribly wrong:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHZe1hraEU

You can actually see when this demonstration starts to head south, and yet the plucky pitchman continues on, risking life and limb to prove that the ladder actually DOES lock into place.  And yet, it doesn’t.

Fortunately for today’s pitchmen, many informercials are filmed in advance of airing and bloopers can be edited out or segments retaped for the perfect pitch.

At this time of year, millions of American children head back to school, and millions of moms heave a collective sigh of relief.  However, while many parents are enjoying the cessation of the droning, “But, Mom, I’m bored,” others cringe as their children’s sighs of boredom are replaced by cries of frustration.  While the back-to-school season can be a time of excitement and anticipation for many, it is a time of anxiety for many children who struggle in school and for parents who want to ensure the best education possible for their children.  For parents looking to give their students an edge, As Seen On TV educational resources have provided a convenient means of enhancing reading, math, and study skills among children from preschool through college.  One of the most enduring educational products sold on television is Hooked On Phonics.

It is hard to believe that a quarter of a century has passed since American families first heard the familiar catchphrase, “Hooked On Phonics worked for me!”   Designed by a father struggling to help his son overcome reading problems, the Hooked On Phonics learning system was introduced to consumers in 1987, and since that time, the system has continued to grow and evolve.  Originally a simple, yet effective, learn-to-read system, Hooked on Phonics now encompasses new and varied media and technologies to teach reading and other subjects, relying on books, flash cards, computer games, and music to engage learners.

Through partnerships with educational agencies such as KinderCare Learning Centers and Educate, Inc./Sylvan Learning, Hooked On Phonics developed programs for study skills success and other subjects in addition to reading:  Hooked On Spanish, Hooked On Spelling, Hooked On Handwriting, and others.

Recently, Hooked On Phonics re-vamped its flagship Learn to Read program to include more interactive technologies and new materials.  Through SeenOnTVExpress.com, you can take advantage of a thirty-day trial of the Hooked On Phonics Learn to Read system, which includes:

•  8 DVDs to introduce letters, sounds and combinations
• 8 workbooks to reinforce and practice the skills introduced in the DVDs
• 36  illustrated storybooks for independent reading practice
• Online interactive tools for practice through games and printable worksheets.
• Quick Start Guide
• The Advanced Reading Level for further skill development
•  Bonus Sing-along CD with original music
• Bonus DVD with animation, stories, and dance

Research has continually demonstrated that children who are successful in school are more likely to enjoy school and learning.  As your child heads back to school, help him or her to get hooked on learning with Hooked On Phonics.

The Tapout XT extreme home fitness program has become the latest among As Seen On TV exercise videos and equipment to be endorsed by mixed martial artists and MMA champions.  Products such as Tower 200, Jack Rack,  Rip:60, and Muscle Warfare have been endorsed by top MMA fighters including Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Georges St. Pierre, and Travis Limaure, respectively.  With the continued popularity of MMA, it is no surprise that celebrity endorsements from these athletes are among the hottest ways to sell As Seen On TV fitness equipment.

After all, athletes have been demonstrating the effectiveness of various workout programs, exercise equipment, and bodybuilding supplements for years.  If you want an athletic build, who better to ask than an admired and skilled athlete?  Finding an athlete or a sport whose popularity is at a peak is key to an effective endorsement.  For example, NFL defensive tackle Lyle Alzado demonstrated the effectiveness of weight training in his War with Weights program in 1984, only a year after helping to lead the L.A. Raiders to a Super Bowl victory:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9bPLaE5dE8

Though it would probably be difficult today to promote milk-jug-lifting as an effective workout, the point remains that athletes at the peak of their game are often the best candidates for endorsing any product associated with health, wellness, and fitness.  Tapout has made a name for itself as one of the top supporters of MMA athletes, and Tapout gear can be seen on both fighters and fans.  With the release of Tapout XT, the company embraces not only the popularity of MMA, but also the public demand for extreme, high-intensity workouts brought about by programs such as P90X.

Tapout XT includes twelve MMA-inspired workouts designed to get you hard-core results in as little as ninety days:

• Strength & Force
• Plyo XT
• Cross Core Combat
• Competition Core
• Buns & Guns XT
• Yoga XT
• Sprawl and Brawl
• Muay Thai
• Ripped Conditioning
• Ultimate Abs XT
• Cardio XT
• Legs & Back

The program also includes resistance bands, nutrition guide, 10-day slimdown plan, bonus training and abs DVDs, and other essentials to help you get a lean, sculpted fighter’s physique.

With the Olympics in full swing, look out for a surge in product endorsements by Olympic champions and gold medalists lending their fame to everything from cereal to cell phones.  Traditional advertising wisdom holds that “sex sells,” but with our athlete-obsessed culture, it is fair to say that sports sell, too.