Where's my BOGO (Buy One Get One)? His and Hers?
Infomercial products can be truly innovative products that really solve everyday problems. On the other end of the spectrum, there are ones that are so low in innovation and are marketed in such a lowbrow manner that they insult the entire viewing audience (consumer)...this latest one is definitely in the latter camp. It's called the Slobstopper and it is advertised as an Adult Commuting Bib....because, as their online tag line states, "Bibs are not just for Babies!"
The 30 second tv spot shows a younger "workplace type" dude in a car doing a Mt. Vesuvius type coffee spill all over himself...A girl walking towards him sees this and immediately frowns. Next, they show him looking over at the same girl walking towards him on the street. But now, he is wearing the Slobstopper and does his next "Ted Striker"ish spill (a la "Airplane!", the movie). He seems happy and the girl seems just as happy that he spilled over himself now that he is wearing the bib. I can guarantee you, this dude is going to get nowhere, wearing that thing, if he's indeed trying to impress any chicas. It might be better if he learned how to drink without spilling.
The featured product is basically an adult sized bib made out of PUL, which is a two-sided material: one side absorbs the spill and the other acts as a waterproof barrier (I'm thinking waterproof mattress cover for toddlers). It comes in the non-feminine basic colors of Blue, Green and Black....so it seems like they are definitely taking aim at the Todd "Todd!" DiLaMuca (Bill Murray) target market, as opposed to Lisa Loopner (Gilda Radner). Like pictured above, Uncle Rico could be selling this product door-to-door on "Napoleon Dynamite 2", if they ever make the sequel.
The ad also talks about those "unplanned accidents" that happen... I usually prefer the planned ones, so they are really not accidents at all. If I accidentally douse myself with a full Starbuck's Venti on the way to the big interview, I'd rather spend $20 towards a shirt replacement than buy a product that can't be worn in public or even in private, for that matter.
I think they would have better luck seriously trying to market and sell this item to the elderly population: ones in retirement homes, ones that live at home and are being cared for by their adult children or ones who are still able to drive and take jaunts out to Denny's for breakfast on the weekends. But the company marketing and selling this (out of Illinois?) decided on the target market of adult commuters. Sure, the entire workforce currently driving to work is a huge market. However, I'm thinking the ones out of that market who eat and drink while driving (target market) would want to buy and wear this on their ride to work is probably close to nil.
The other ad featured on their Slobstopper website is different and even cornier. It goes through the "have you ever" routine, showing a guy getting sprayed with a hot chocolate like substance and the voice over saying at the end "Don't be a Slob! Get Slobstopper!" They are committing a marketing cardinal sin by picking a name that demeans the buying consumer or the recipient of the gift (the slob in your life). With low-level product innovation and lowbrow branding, don't be surprised if this one doesn't last long on tv or the web....so we can all benefit from its absence.
Get a free new product review...e-mail me today at
info@innovationinmind.com
The featured product is basically an adult sized bib made out of PUL, which is a two-sided material: one side absorbs the spill and the other acts as a waterproof barrier (I'm thinking waterproof mattress cover for toddlers). It comes in the non-feminine basic colors of Blue, Green and Black....so it seems like they are definitely taking aim at the Todd "Todd!" DiLaMuca (Bill Murray) target market, as opposed to Lisa Loopner (Gilda Radner). Like pictured above, Uncle Rico could be selling this product door-to-door on "Napoleon Dynamite 2", if they ever make the sequel.
The ad also talks about those "unplanned accidents" that happen... I usually prefer the planned ones, so they are really not accidents at all. If I accidentally douse myself with a full Starbuck's Venti on the way to the big interview, I'd rather spend $20 towards a shirt replacement than buy a product that can't be worn in public or even in private, for that matter.
I think they would have better luck seriously trying to market and sell this item to the elderly population: ones in retirement homes, ones that live at home and are being cared for by their adult children or ones who are still able to drive and take jaunts out to Denny's for breakfast on the weekends. But the company marketing and selling this (out of Illinois?) decided on the target market of adult commuters. Sure, the entire workforce currently driving to work is a huge market. However, I'm thinking the ones out of that market who eat and drink while driving (target market) would want to buy and wear this on their ride to work is probably close to nil.
The other ad featured on their Slobstopper website is different and even cornier. It goes through the "have you ever" routine, showing a guy getting sprayed with a hot chocolate like substance and the voice over saying at the end "Don't be a Slob! Get Slobstopper!" They are committing a marketing cardinal sin by picking a name that demeans the buying consumer or the recipient of the gift (the slob in your life). With low-level product innovation and lowbrow branding, don't be surprised if this one doesn't last long on tv or the web....so we can all benefit from its absence.
Get a free new product review...e-mail me today at
info@innovationinmind.com
