As Seen On TV Blog | News | New | Products | Infomercial

With both AccuWeather and the 2012 Farmer’s Almanac predicting another cold, brutal, stormy winter, it is best to get prepared while things are still relatively pleasant outside.  Having a longstanding reputation for being The Biggest Cold Weather Wimp Ever, I am personally quite excited by all of the As Seen On TV products designed to keep me snug and cozy all winter long–without wrecking my utility bills.  Whether you are looking warm yourself, your house, or even . . .yes . . . your dog, SeenOnTV Express has the top selling infomercial products to make for a cozy winter despite the bleak forecast.

As Seen On TV Blankets and More

Wrap up in comfort to keep yourself, your kids, and your pets snug as a bug.

• Snuggie:  choose from the original Snuggie, Designer Snuggie, Snuggie Varsity, or even Custom Snuggie
• Snuggie for Kids:  especially designed in a smaller size for children
• Snuggie for Dogs:  fits much more easily than tight pet sweaters and still allows freedom of movement
• Forever Lazy:  more than a blanket with sleeves, Forever Lazy is like a blanket with sleeve and legs–one piece for warm comfort no matter what you’re doing  . . . or not doing.

As Seen On TV Heaters

The exquisite look of Amish craftmanship paired with safe, radiant heat make As Seen On TV Heaters a popular way to cut utility costs while staying cozy even on the coldest of days.

• Heat Surge Hand Crafted Amish Electric Fireplace:  puts out 4606 BTUs of heat through a realistic, flickering flame, giving the ambience of a real fireplace
• iHeater:  uses infrared heat to safely heat up to 1,000 square feet while remaining cool to the touch, saving you up to 50% on your utility bills.

Other As Seen On TV Products for Winter:

• Twin Draft Guard:  blocks drafts around windows and doors, keeping warm air in and cold air out, cutting energy costs by up to 30%
• Pet ZZZ Pad:  if a Snuggie for Dogs isn’t enough, try this unique warming pad designed for your pet’s bed

Even though there are so many products available to help keep your temperature up and your heating costs down, I’m still hoping that the predictions of another Snowpocalypse prove false.  In the meantime, bundle up.  Baby, it’s cold outside.

A couple of weeks ago, the Seen On TV Express blog discussed how As Seen On TV blankets and lounge wear elevate relaxation and comfort to an art form.  Featured in the blog post was Forever Lazy, the one-piece fleece suit designed to keep you warm and comfortable from head to toe all winter long.

When I wrote that post, despite poking a little fun at the Forever Lazy, I decided that I really would like one.  I mean, I’ve always been a little jealous of my toddler in his warm, fuzzy, footie pajamas and wished I had a pair for myself.  Unfortunately, adult footie pajamas are hard to find and expensive.  The feet in footie pajamas can’t possibly comfortably fit a range of foot sizes, flopping around on teeny tiny feet, and causing the more Sasquatchian among us to curl their toes or bust out the ends like a hobo.

Another problem with footed pajamas is for those people who really don’t like to wear socks or whose feet get hot when covered.  Personally, I wear socks pretty much at all times, and I hate for my feet to be cold, but footie pajamas just don’t have the coverage I want.  Forever Lazy does not have built in feet, but it does come with free matching footies/slipper socks.  Wear Forever Lazy with socks as thick or thin as you want–or with no socks at all.  You can even put on your shoes to run out to the mailbox or pick up the newspaper to start your day of leisure.

Recently, I was in a major retail store and I saw women’s footie pajamas.  For the same price as the hard-to-find adult footie pajamas, you can get two pair of Forever Lazy with its Buy One Get One Free offer.

When I wrote the blog post on As Seen On TV loungewear, pillows, and blankets, I had no idea how Forever Lazy would take off.  Since that time, I’ve seen dozens of posts about the Forever Lazy infomercial on my personal Facebook page, and I’ve seen several news articles about how Forever Lazy is going to overtake Snuggie as the must-have, kitchy-yet-fabulous, As Seen On TV gift.  I’ve seen that, just like the Snuggie parties of a few years past, Forever Lazy parties are becoming a new trend.  I’ve even heard of bars where all the bartenders wear Forever Lazy as part of the shtick.  Many people believe that Forever Lazy will quickly triumph over the Snuggie in the “Cozy War.”

I, for one, believe it.  As Seen On TV products are constantly growing, evolving, and becoming better than ever.  If the Snuggie was the top-selling infomercial product, with 20 million sales between their release in September 2008 and December 2009, then it stands to reason that two to three years later, a new blockbuster infomercial product would take its place.  Forever Lazy seems to be that product.

I fully expect to see one under my Christmas tree this year–even if I have to buy it for myself.

As Seen On TV products have always been marketed on the premise that they make life easier.  Chores are done more quickly, more efficiently, more easily, and with less mess than ever before when you use the latest, greatest infomercial products.  It’s a premise that works well, as the As Seen On TV industry continues to grow and reach record profits despite a persistently deflated economy.

In recent years, infomercials have gone beyond the idea of making chores easier and have started touting As Seen On TV products that even make leisure more . . . well, leisurely.  These products make relaxation an art.

I’m not sure if it started with the Total Pillow, which conforms to just about any possible shape one might want for proper and perfect cradling of the head while lounging, or if that icon of relaxation and warmth, the Snuggie, was the instigator.  I do know that I am all about any product that make relaxing and staying warm even easier and cozier than it was before, and that any As Seen On TV product that glorifies laziness is totally making my Christmas wish list.

Enter “Forever Lazy.”

No, that’s not just a description of your SeenOnTV Express blogger.  It’s the actual name of  As Seen On TV loungewear that makes comfort, warmth, and coziness priorities and takes laziness from the list of Seven Deadly Sins and makes it practically a virtue.  If you thought Pajama Jeans were designed for ultimate comfort, wait until you get a load of Forever Lazy.

Forever Lazy is footless, one piece fleece loungewear.  It looks, in short, awesome.  If you have ever seen a baby in pajamas, and saw that baby sleeping like . . . well, like a baby, and thought to yourself, “Why don’t they make pajamas like that for adults,” THEY DO.  Forever Lazy is like the perfect onesie for grown-ups.  You can swaddle yourself head-to-toe in cozy, warm fleece and still have complete range of motion to get up and grab another cup of coffee or hot chocolate before curling back up with your book or Netflix or whatever.  It even has flaps like the old “union suits” for quickly taking care of your, um, business.

I’m not kidding.  This is on my Christmas wishlist.  If Santa sees fit to bring it to me, I promise you this . . . I will not take it off from December 26 until sometime in April.  Bring on Snowpocalypse 2012.

On a side note, I think it is important to instill children with the virtues we hold dear.  As Seen On TV coziness extends its benefit to children as well:  Pillow Pets, Happy Nappers, and BlanKid are all combination cuddly stuffed animal/blanket/pillow sets that help your kids stay comfortable and comforted.  And while you are snuggling in front of the TV for family movie night, you and your honey can snuggle up under your Couples Snuggie while your kids are warm and toasty in their Snuggie for Kids.  Even your pets can get in on the action inaction with Snuggie for Dogs or the PetZZZ Pad pet bed warmer.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but with As Seen On TV blankets and more, inside it’s so delightful.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

One of the really, really hard things about working for a company that offers As Seen On TV products is that you want to buy almost everything you see.  We’ve discussed before how infomercial products are designed to fill a need that you may not have even realized you had, so when I see a product that solves any dilemma in my life, or that looks fun, or that will make things easier, or . . . well, I just want it.  A lot.

Of course, money does not, in fact, grow on trees, so I have really worked to curb my impulse spending.  Instead buying the things that I oh-my-goodness-have-to-have-now, I have started keeping a mental As Seen On TV wishlist.  Here are some of my top picks on infomercial products that I desperately want (and will only be able to refrain from buying for so long):

1. The Instyler – Smooth, shiny, and bouncy hair?  Eliminate frizzies in less time?  Straight hair that isn’t smashed flat and limp?  Using one tool to curl or straighten?  Who wouldn’t love this?!  Sign me up.
2. The Flex Mini – Okay, seriously.  A butt workout without working out.  A lunge-free and squat-free way to get firm thighs and rounded glutes.  It’s on.
3. Big Top Cupcake – I don’t honestly know why I want this so badly.  I just do.  I think it would be fun to make these for my son’s birthday parties.  Or maybe it’s just the idea of a ginormous cupcake sounds so heavenly.
4. Luminess Airbrush Tan – I was raised in the era of the “healthy glow” by a mother who ingrained in me that “tan fat looks better than white fat,” but am now forced to face the facts about the sun’s damaging properties.  With an airbrush tan, maybe I could have that sunkissed look I love without those pesky wrinkles and melanoma.
5. Gyro Bowl – I have a toddler.  End of story.

Of course, this is an incomplete list of Stuff I Want.  I pretty much want every Beachbody exercise DVD program and all of the plants that let me grow my own cherries/blueberries/peppers/insert-produce-here at home.  As long as I’m doing this, I know my As Seen On TV wishlist will continue to grow like grass on a Canada Green lawn.

On a side note, a few of the products to which I’ve already succumbed include Strap Perfect, Kangaroo Keeper, Emery Cat, Snuggie, and Bare Lifts–all of which have been well worth it!

What’s on your infomercial wishlist?

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:

“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:

A CNN report from last year indicated that the nation’s recession had a surprising impact on the sale of infomercial products.  According to the report, companies such as Telebrands who specialize in As Seen on TV marketing saw record profits with the beginnings of the recession.  Telebrands CEO A.J. Khubani reported that the upswing in sales continues with the lingering recession, and to boost earnings–and stimulate economic recovery through consumer spending–the company continues to search for and market new, innovative as-seen-on-TV products.

Financial analysts say that this trend is to be expected as consumers spend more time at home, avoiding costly entertainment venues, restaurants, and shopping malls.  With an increase in time at home comes an increase in television viewing for most consumers.  With more exposure to television marketing, consumers see a number of ways to improve the quality of life at home.  If they aren’t dining out, shouldn’t they find a way to make cooking easy and more enjoyable with an infomercial kitchen product like the Big Boss Grill?  If they are watching television or reading a book, why not do so comfortably with the Snuggie or the Total Pillow?

Infomercials offer everything to consumers stressed out by the recession and the gloomy state of the economy:  cost, convenience, and comfort during a difficult time.

View the CNN report on the recession’s effect on infomercial marketing here:

Now that Halloween is over and November is here, retailers across the nation have already begun relentlessly pushing their Christmas merchandise.  For those of you ready to get your holiday shopping rolling and beat the Black Friday rush, I bring you the perfect gift idea.  I realize this is Way Back Wednesday, and you may be thinking that whatever fabulous gift I am about to reveal to you may no longer be available for your purchasing pleasure.  However, this magnificent, um, specimen is still on the market today.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present . . .

The Potty Putter:

“Just aim and shoot.  The ball.  Into the cup.”

Every family has a golf lover in the mix.  Now you can be the holiday hero by being the one who bestows the perfect gift upon that hard-to-please curmudgeon.  I mean, your family gathering just will not be complete without The Potty Putty.

Every so often, an infomercial gift will hit the airwaves that seems ridiculous but sells millions.  The Snuggie comes to mind (although I admit I was wrong to ever mock The Snuggie), as does Big Mouth Billy Bass (more on him later).  However, I don’t actually think The Potty Putter will ever make that list of smash-hit holiday gifts.

There really is a golf lover in every family, though, and Seen On TV Express has a great selection of golf gifts that won’t embarrass anyone on your gift list.

I love Fall.  It is by far my favorite season, and I’ll admit that I start planning Halloween costumes and decorations far in advance of the actual season.  In my neck of the woods, temperatures are often in the 80′s well into October, but I’ll throw on a pot of chili just as a matter of principle.  However, when football season hits, I start dreaming of cooler weather, beautiful foliage, and pumpkins on every doorstep.  I hate to be cold, so when the weather is cool, I love nothing more than snuggling on the couch under a warm blanket.  That’s why this year, I’m going to cave and get a Snuggie.  Oh, how I mocked the Snuggie when it first came out.  I believe I’ve even mocked it here on Way Back Wednesday.  But I borrowed one in a freak snowstorm last winter and fell in love with it.   Now that you can order a Sports Snuggie, it will be the perfect accompaniment to college football, one of the truly great things about Fall.

You know, the idea behind Snuggie is not new.  In fact, there is another blanket with sleeves called the Slanket.  Now, I ask you:  which would you rather cuddle up with?  A Snuggie (insert cozy, warm, cuddly images here) or a Slanket (“Marv!  Call the plumber!  The drain is backed up and there’s slanket all over the floors!”).  The Snuggie has become a smash hit in the world of blankets and in the world of infomercial products in general.  I think it has a lot to do with the name.

A name can make or break a product.  Here I am going to give you a list of some of the most poorly named infomercial products available.  These names are so ill-conceived that I can’t even comprehend the strategy behind them.  In fact, these names are so unspeakably bad that I’m going to refrain from making my usual snarky comments and just let these horrible product names speak for themselves.

• Catch It:  A litter box product designed to help scoop the kitty business from the litter.  Go ahead.  Say it out loud and think about the product.  You’ll get it.
• Nads:  An all-natural hair removal product supposedly named for its creator’s daughter.
• Magic Bullet:  It’s a blender.  Duh.
• Rack Trap:  I guess this is exactly what it says it is.  It’s a little pocket you put inside your bra.  That’s an even worse name than The Hooter Hider nursing cover.

Last but certainly not least on my horribly named products list is . . . well, I’ll just let you see the infomercial that was really, truly, honest-to-goodness seen on TV:

That’s T-I-D-D-Y.  Can you even imagine the product proposal meeting where that name was chosen?  I mean, what names did they turn down, for the love of Pete?!

It just makes my brain hurt.

I’ll admit that I’m pretty much a klutz, and if there is a way to mess something up, I’ll find it and expand on it, creating a glorious fiasco of the simplest task.  However, even I can manage to accomplish many of the tasks deemed so completely difficult and virtually impossible by television infomercials.  The marketing of many seen on TV products relies heavily on the concept of making a difficult task easy.  After all, who knew a traditional blanket was such an unwieldy contraption until the invention of the Snuggie?  (As someone who smugly mocked the Snuggie when it first came out, I became a devoted fan during a blizzard last winter.  I could hold a baby and keep myself bundled up without smothering us both.)

As I was researching this week’s Way Back Wednesday blog post, I came across the following video, a “Tribute to Doing it Wrong.”  This video takes several of the many examples of How to Screw Up Simple Tasks demonstrated in television infomercials, and sets the montage to the classic Beatles tune “Help.”  Fitting, no?

It just kind of makes me feel warm inside to see people who are so much better than I am at failing royally.  Walking?  Too hard!  Using a blanket?  Impossible!  Pouring milk?  Never!

Thank goodness for products which make our lives so much easier and take the fail out of surviving another day full of obstacles and hazards.