I've always loathed television commercials and radio ads. Being a veteran listener of talk radio, I must have logged in a few million hours of being exposed to all types of sales pitches.


When I previously sold cable and Dish Network door to door in San Diego, I always encouraged my customers to utilize the ability to delete commercials. This can be done with the Tivo, or DVR. I really hated the program interuptions, and felt they were nothing more than a waste of my time. Radio commercials were even worse in my opinion. It's kind of the same frustration as wanting to watch Mtv to see some good videos. Good luck finding any videos on the MTV nowadays.

Well, things have changed. I am commercial freak. And no, I'm not just talking about downing beers while watching the much anticipated Super Bowl Ads. I especially dig the late night commercials on stations like UPN, Fox Sports Regional Channel, and other local cable affiliates. It's the only slots I can really afford to advertise in, and it's interesting to see how some really low budget businesses construct their ads.

Some of the stuff is horrible. I'm almost in disbelief sometimes, and wonder "How do they stay in business"? Then I learned the "Secret". Ok, it's not a secret. A simple phone call to the station's sales manager and I instantly found out that television advertising is relatively cheap. What blew my mind was how cheap it was to get a 1/2 hour infomercial slot at night. It was so dirt cheap, I wanted to just have a "Beer Drinking Show" with my buddies. Kind of like our own "Cheers" show, but with an obnoxious edge to it.

So yeah, I'm addicted to reading and listening to ads now thanks to all you copywriters. Whether it be the local plumbers latest commercial or Dairy Queen ads, Toy's R Us, they are intriguing. It's very interesting to analyze each and every word within the ad, and try to figure out why the author chose that specific phrase.

I've even have crossed to the darkside on the radio ads too. They are downright entertaining now. I guess it's just how you look at things. Had I not have been so narrow minded and annoyed by the ads, I would have realized that each bit of sales copy blasting into my headphones was a valuable lesson in disguise. The lightbulb has finally gone off......

Welcome to the darkside!

Once you become a student of marketing, the whole world of sales/marketing/advertising becomes a fascinating place to observe.

Every time an ad catches your attention or "wakes you up" out of the ad-blocking trance that most people are in, something magical has happened and you should study every aspect of that ad to see what device or technique they used to "grab your attention".

Once you are here on the darkside, ads are no longer annoying or intrusive... They are fun and fascinating!

Eric

Great topic...

my wife thought I was bonkers for watching a full day of infomercials this past Saturday, and even DVD-recording them... (weekends are packed with infomercials, eg Magic Bullet, HairClub, Carleton Sheets, Tempurpedic, Little Big Ladder, Showtime Rotisserie... the list goes on)...

But wait, there's more!

I try to grab downloadable versions of them at the production companies' sites as well, or via google video searches, and for transcripts...

I spent Saturday on infomercials as I needed to write 32 new video streaming infomercial script "sound bites" for my sites, and this was a perfect way to absorb the pacing and phrases to use...

That's the only tv I watch, is infomercials. And the only magazines I read are National Inquirer, Cosmopolitan, the Star (and golf/trading mags). My wife doesn't quite get it.

Nothing like "tuning in to what sells to the masses" to put you in the frame of mind for writing top copy. And my video scripts turned out to be the best I've ever done to date .... it's fun...and insanely profitable. The top infomercials are written by some of the best in the biz, you can tell the difference between sizzling ones (and see jwgreensheet for rankings/sales) and the duds. Learn the difference, it's useful.


Ken

Ken,

Man I know just how you feel! My wife and kids think I'm nuts too.

The other night, I was sitting on my bed working on my laptop, while my wife was next to me watching TV and a commercial came on that actually snapped me out of my laptop trance and made me notice it.

Of course I dove for one of the dozens of notepads I have laying around everywhere, and I frantically jotted down everything about the ad I could remember. How they grabbed my attention, their hook, everything about the ad.

The whole time my wife is just shaking her head... After 11 years of marriage, she is used to it and she knows what I'm doing... But she still thinks I'm crazy.

GREAT FIND!!!

You've got to share some URL's!

Eric

P.S. - I thought I was the only "nut job" recording infomercials on DVD (I call them my "video swipe files".) Its nice to read that I'm not alone in my obsessions... In addition to infomercials, often you can pick up some good selling tips by watching QVC or the "Home Shopping Channel".

Sweet thread.

I like to watch the late night infomercials but had never thought of recording or downloading them.

Yall have opened my eyes to another aspect of swipe files.

Oh Geez...I can almost hear the side of my computer creak as the Gigabytes max out my hard drive.

Awesome stuff,
Yancey

P.S. Is there a support group for spouses of marketers?

Yep... It's called the shopping mall.

She calls it "retail therapy".

I knew I had "arrived" as a marketer, the day my ability to earn surpassed my wife's ability to spend.

Eric

Am I the only one who smells "malt-flavored" opportunity here?

A "reality show" -- with Product Placements... that's where the real money is -- and you can't "delete" out those commericals cause the product is in front of you while you watch the show.

Show title: "Beers, Fears, Cheers and Tears"



People will watch almost anything -- the most absurd stuff -- on tv these days.

Hey Ken...

A book that may help you with crafting your video messages is:

Television Secrets for Marketing Success
by Joseph Sugarman

I'm sure you already have it, but if not its a fascinating read.

And, of course you cant go wrong with anything by Joe Sugarman!

Eric

Hi - right re Sugarman, all 4 of his books are terrific ("Triggers" plus the 3 marketing ones).

I liked Ron Popeils' autobiography, and "this business has legs", about the thighmaster, also the other infomercial books out there...

video files, yes they're great, I use a recordable sony dvd burner (set -top), then transfer the files to my external drives.. as of current count, I have 8 300-gig maxtor external firewire drives, and they're almost full.. (it'll be nice to see 500-800-1terabyte drives someday).

excellent to study the craft... and we can all tell our spouses that "there's a bunch o copywriters out there that do this!" ... at least that makes it seem a bit more normal.. it sure works well to get copy hooks, ideas from.


==========================

"Top 10 List You're Married To A Copywriter/Infomercial Nut"...

#10 Your partner interrupts post-coital cuddling to say "But Wait, There's More!..."

#9 Every time you go to the mall, you have this irresistible urge to try and upsell YOURSELF with the checkout cashier....

#8 ... (c'mon help me out folks....)


mirthfully,

ken

Where do I sign up?

#8 You use a presumptive close on your partner - instead of persuading them to go out to dinner, you offer them two choices of dining experience (which they pay for - ha!)

#7 You have to rewrite the menu because the dish descriptions aren't sufficiently mouthwatering and won't generate maximum response

#6 You can't understand why the waiter doesn't say "But wait, there's more ...!" and upsell you to their platinum dining experience with 3 FREE bonuses

#5 You give your partner a 30 minute infomercial on why they should have sex with you tonight - including all the benefits, all the features, testimonials (!!!!), and 2 bonuses if they order before midnight. Unfortunately, this has the effect of sending him to sleep.

#4 When he wakes up in the morning, you're there, bright eyed and bushy tailed waiting to say "but wait, there's more - if you order before midday I'll give you a free set of steak knives"

#3 When he still doesn't respond you ask "do you want fries with that?"

#2 As your partner is packing his bags you ask "What is the single biggest reason you didn't buy today?"

#1 As he runs out of the door screaming, you follow after him shouting "so can I add you to my mailing list then?"