Every so often in my research of As Seen On TV products, I come across a television infomercial that really leaves me wondering . . . is this for real?  Whether its the product or the marketing, sometimes I can’t figure out if I’ve discovered an actual infomercial or an infomercial parody.

Today I came across the TV infomercial for The BackUp, a bedside gun rack.  Yes, that’s right.  A gun rack for your mattress:

The informercial stresses the importance of being safe in your own home, and if a shotgun strapped to your mattress doesn’t just SCREAM safety, I don’t know what does.

The infomercial for The BackUp uses a common marketing technique–you’ve heard that sex sells, but so does fear.  (Remember our discussion of the TigerLight commercial?  I can’t watch that infomercial without getting nightmares.)  The BackUp starts by giving you statistics about home invasions:

• “A house, apartment,  or condo is burglarized every 15 seconds.”
• “It only takes 60 seconds to break into most homes.

Those crucial seconds between the time it would take to get a handgun out of your nightstand and the time it would take to just reach down beside your mattress are vital.  VITAL. However, I find the images of people lying in bed and taking aim to be a little disturbing.  I mean, how many other infomercials can you name in which you see people actually pointing a gun?

The BackUp then appeals to your sense of patriotism.  Having a shotgun by your bed is your American.  Right. If you don’t get The BackUp, the Commies win.

The infomercial product website for The BackUp includes other gems:

• “Where is your shotgun?  Under the bed, in the corner, or in the closet. If so, you’ll never reach it when you need it.”
• “The BackUp is made in the USA. By Americans for Americans.”
• “You need a BackUp for each side of the bed.  If you leave your wife on her side of the bed; when you’re not home then she needs access too.”

The BackUp commercial says that the product is not intended for homes with children.  Really?  Really? The website does not caution against using the BackUp in homes with children, but rather encourages users to talk about gun safety with their children.  I’m a little concerned that this product does not take a little more care in emphasizing a gun owner’s responsibility to lock up their arms if children are present.

But if you don’t have children in your home and you like to do all of your intruder-shooting while reclined comfortably against your pillows, The BackUp is the covert bedside gun rack for you.

What infomercial products leave you perplexed?

Last week we talked about how old As Seen on TV products, such as the Thighmaster, have provided the foundation for today’s modernized, highly-effective products.  Some of the products of yesteryear have become obsolete as technology has evolved.  Others just didn’t stand the test of time.

The products aren’t the only things that have had to change to keep up with the times; the infomercials themselves have had to improve in production quality and acting talent.  Marketing strategies have changed dramatically in the last several years.  To see how far As Seen on TV marketing has come, just watch some old infomercials–it can be quite entertaining!

Our focus for this week’s Way Back Wednesday combines both elements that can send a good product to the infomercial graveyard–an out-of-date product and a commercial with poor acting.