Oh, the magic of television. Everything seems so real, so perfect. Bring home what you see on TV though, and it’s anything but magical.
Known as direct response marketing, infomercials allow millions of Americans to bring home what they see on TV. And they have turned out to be quite the moneymakers. CNBC reports that the direct response marketing industry generates about 150 billion dollars a year.
Infomercials have become notorious over the years, partly due to their signature corny look and amusing hosts. Junior Meg Kirchner describes the hosts as “unrealistically happy,” adding that they’re sometimes too enthusiastic.
The products featured in infomercials sometimes seem too good to be true. So I’ve put some of these products to the test. The directions have been explicitly followed, and the tests that were performed were the same as those done in the infomercial. Let’s get to the products.
Mighty Putty. This putty promises to “fix, fill, and seal virtually anything fast and make it last.” Its infomercial even has the putty pulling an 80,000 pound tractor trailer. Despite the infomercial’s claims, Mighty Putty can’t even support a coffee mug. Just like the infomercial, the putty was kneaded and used to make a mug handle. After the recommended drying time (two hours), the Mighty Putty seemed to hold. But after a light wiggle, the handle came right off. Turns out this putty isn’t so mighty after all.
Aqua Globes. This product’s infomercial describes the product as a “glass ornament that waters your plants for you.” According to the infomercial, you just fill the globe, stick it in your plant, and the globe will automatically water your plant for up to two weeks. Aqua Globes actually work, but there is a catch. The globe kept my plant nice and moist on its own, but it only lasted one week rather than two.
Shamwow. The Shamwow’s infomercial markets the product as a super absorbent towel. During the infomercial, the host repeats the product’s tagline: “You’ll say WOW every time!” As cheesy as it is, I’m still saying “Wow!” The Shamwow cleaned every mess thrown at it. No catch here; the product truly works!
Mighty Mend It. The host introduces the Mighty Mend It as a “flexible bonding agent” that “interlocks the fibers of virtually any fabric.” As in the infomercial, Mighty Mend It was used to repair the ripped pocket of a pair of jeans. The product left a gooey mess on the jeans, and after the recommended drying time of two hours, the pocket came right off again.
Today, there seems to be a product for everything available on TV. Some may seem useful, but you have to wonder whether or not they’ll work. Is dishing out the dough and waiting four to six weeks worth it for these products? You decide.
But remember the bottom line: Don’t believe everything you see on TV.
Collin Hoofnagle can be reached for comment at [email protected].
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