This is topic Who watches infomercials? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-29-2009, 07:27 PM:
 
With all of the mass hysteria going around about the death of that Billy Mays guy and how he was as good/not as good as some other guy named Vince I just have to ask who watches infomercials? And more importantly.... WHY???

I watched one once when I was a child. They seemed like commercials for shitty products that couldn't afford commercials.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-29-2009, 07:50 PM:
 
Hitler,and others were also very good "front line" talkers - marketing and selling a "product" that could be believed in.

They could sell the shirt off of your back if they wanted to..

The excellent art of persuasion...
 

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Posted by Galen Murphy-Fahlgren (Member # 4535) on 06-29-2009, 08:52 PM:
 
I see them a lot, although I only watch them sparingly. I usually watch an hour or two of TV after I get home from work, and that 1-4am time frame is chock full of them.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-29-2009, 09:38 PM:
 
I used to sort of enjoy the "Amazing Stories" one about the miracle car paint scratch remover/disguiser. It had a British guy that was kind of funny. But I haven't watched one in years now. DVD is better for very late night TV.
 

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Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 06-29-2009, 09:42 PM:
 
I used to watch "Ron Popiel" late at night. Infomercials are sometimes more entertaining than some of the crap on TV.

Once in a while they have a really good product. Oxy Clean really works well.
 

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Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 06-29-2009, 09:42 PM:
 
Every time a Billy Mays commercial comes on....I MUTE the volume.
I can't stand infomercials.
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 06-29-2009, 10:02 PM:
 
There are commercials, and there are program-length infomercials. Billy Mays did both.

It's not like infomercials are appointment viewing. But more than once while channel-surfing I've stopped on some infomercial and just had to watch at least a few minutes. I mean who among us has stumbled onto a DualSaw infomercial and not felt a compelling need to buy one.
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-29-2009, 10:38 PM:
 
Watch infomercials?

I'd rather watch my fingernails grow.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 06-30-2009, 02:07 AM:
 
I remember stumbling across one commercial where it showed someone fixing a bald spot with what looked like a spray paint can. I don't know if it was a real commercial or an infomercial, but it was late at night. Anyone else see this?
 

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Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 06-30-2009, 02:21 AM:
 
Hair in a Can. One dumbass I worked with told me I needed it. It wasn't funny the first time, but after pointing this out over a dozen times, I told him to STFU PLZ and dammit.
He concluded that I am sensitive about the small "clearing" on the top of my head that the flies like to land on. I deny that. I was simply tired of his incessant "hair in the can" suggestion.
All the substance would really do was darken the "peach fuzz" on one's head and darken the scalp with the same hideous color of whatever was in that can.
I recommend wearing a cap. More dignity there.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-30-2009, 03:01 AM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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I remember stumbling across one commercial where it showed someone fixing a bald spot with what looked like a spray paint can.

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quote: David Stambaugh

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I mean who among us has stumbled onto a DualSaw infomercial and not felt a compelling need to buy one.

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quote:

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quote: David Stambaugh
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I mean who among us has stumbled onto a DualSaw infomercial and not felt a compelling need to buy one.
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Did you?

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The infomercial made me think seriously about why I must need one of those things, but I resisted and did not buy one.
 

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Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 06-30-2009, 10:51 AM:
 
I laugh at the infomercials most of the time. They're always demonstrating some gizmo that does something really, really impossibly well in their "demonstrations". Oh, and it's just 19.99. Then, but wait, there's more, we'll also give you this other little thing and this other little thing. These are not available in stores!

My logic is this: If the gizmo worked as well as they said it did, some smart large company that already has the power to market stuff and get it in stores would have already done it, and consumers would prefer it over the competition, and the product would be successful. So, it gives me the idea that the product really does not work as well as they say it does, or if so, not for long. The product is likely to be very cheaply made and not durable because for 19.99 you're not going to get an $80 quality whatever it is.
 

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Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 06-30-2009, 01:21 PM:
 
Eckerd / CVS pharmacy used to have a end cap on one of their aisles which had products "as seen on TV," where some of the infomercial-sold items would be displayed.
The only infomercials worth watching the first time around was the Time/Life music cds, even when they made the ambiguious demonstration why the cds should sound better than the same songs in your vinyl collection using scratchy records in their demo.
I own the Fabulous 50s set, though I bought them at Sams Club, not through Time Life.
 

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Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 06-30-2009, 01:47 PM:
 
The Ron Popiel rotisserie cookers have been reviewed favorably in several magazines. A friend ordered one from the infomercial and something broke the second or third time he used it. He called the number provided and they sent a replacement by next day shipment along with a pick up tag for the busted one. The replacement has worked as described in the ad for 5 years and it gets used at least a couple times a month.
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-30-2009, 05:13 PM:
 

quote: Louis Bornwasser

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Infomercials and daytime network TV are the reasons people who are in hospitals get well and leave.

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Now, that is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!


 

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 06-30-2009, 06:18 PM:
 
Most of the products that sell well in direct response ads do end up in stores. Oxiclean was only sold on Tv at first but now you can get it at any grocery store or home improvement store. I imagine it can be quite difficult to get the fine folks at Wal Mart to place an order for 10 millions units of a product to sell nationwide that still hasn't sold at all.

Most infomercials are the same 5 or 6 minute block played over and over, so I will stop and watch a little bit sometimes. The last infomercial I can remember watching and actually being interested in the product was for something called the master multi tool or something like that. I is a saw/chisel, but used an oscillation motion (imagine the saw they use for lobotomies.) Of course I found another product just like it at a store for about a third of the price.

I think most product aren't worth it, but there are a few good ones on tv ads. I bought some sham wows at the fair last year and they do work well, but they are far from the miracle towel Vince makes them out to be.
 

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Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 06-30-2009, 07:13 PM:
 
My son found a package of those German engineered chamois in his trunk. They are from before the Sham Wow hype and had cost him a whopping $1.00.
 

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Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 07-02-2009, 11:41 PM:
 
This is the best infomercial ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9SbwjRF3gA
 

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Posted by Kevin Carpenter (Member # 5331) on 07-02-2009, 11:46 PM:
 
I didn't like infomercials that much, although the Magic Bullet was always entertaining...
I did, however, really enjoy the show Pitchmen on Discovery. It was interesting to see how pitchmen pitch a product to make it sell.
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 07-03-2009, 12:37 AM:
 
Also when the George Foreman grill first got started it was only available via Infomercial. Now you can buy one any where and every where. If you watch the show "Pitchmen" They explain why your getting the extra things and why the price tag of 19.99. Its a great show and actually gives you some insight into the whole process.
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 07-03-2009, 12:40 AM:
 
Between the infomercials and eBay I'm headed to the poor house...
 

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Posted by Luke Anderson (Member # 5316) on 07-03-2009, 09:49 PM:
 
I've been telling friends and family for years that "Next year I am only buying Christmas presents from Infomercials."

Might be kind of fun actually to give or recieve a TV product, it's gotta be more fun than opening a package of underwear or a new scarf.

-Luke
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 07-03-2009, 11:53 PM:
 
I'm finding most of the informercial products at places like CVS & Walgreens drug stores, Target or Meijer stores, but almost always at the same price as on TV. Big advantage of this is that you don't have to worry about those outrageous shipping and handling charges.

I picked up those upside down tomato things and they seem to be working out OK. BUT, Home Depot made an similar thing from a bucket and a sponge. I'm going to try that next year.

The only place I've seen infomercial stuff discounted was at JUNGLE JIMS store in Cincinnati. They were about 25% off there. I picked up this inside windsheild cleaner thing for my Dad.

(If you ever get to Cincinnati, you MUST check out JUNGLE JIMS...absolutely amazing, but that's a whole other topic.)
 

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Posted by Matt Young (Member # 5327) on 07-04-2009, 01:56 PM:
 
best infomercial ever. It's a Billy Mays mitty putty commercial "dubbed" with a more "soothing" voice

Billy Mays Dub
 

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