“As Seen on TV” is Alive and Well

Recently I am getting less and less interested in big brand, main stream products. They are usually expensive, not so innovative. Casual shoes is a good example as my Facebook feed are getting plethora of kickstarted shoes product. Shoes that can walk on nails, oils, cross river, odourless and best of all: no socks needed! Adidas, Nike, New Balance stores won’t even have anything close to it.

Thanks to Digital Marketing; it could breath new life to “As Seen on TV” (ASoTV) era back from land of the dead. As early 80s kid, I often find my mom watching and paying close attention to TV host pitching (more like preaching) those magical pillow that could help getting asleep for less than 3 minutes. From meat quick defroster pad to healthy nano bracelet for whatever health benefits. Dialling the big bold phone number running at the bottom of TV screen, we could buy the product with “special discount price” during the show.

ASoTV was a flourishing business back then. It is now dead and forgotten until the rise of Kickstarter, Indiegogo; those crowdfunding platform. The success formulas are getting repackaged and recycled.

PR Level Production

ASoTV host scripts are written by TV professionals, PR level. Successful Kickstarter projects mostly hire PR or Marketing consultants to cleverly tinkering those subliminal words into our minds. They even helping photo shoots, graphics, and videos.

Psychology Trick

“Get this wonderful hole wall fixer with 35% off discounts if you call us during the show, don’t miss out!”, is the usual sentences came out from ASoTV’s host.

This psychology trick has been around for hundreds of years. Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is basic human instinct. The other example of seen-FOMO is: If everyone is buying donuts from the shop on the left, it would be considered weird / awkward / socially unacceptable if we buy donuts from the shop on the right. Timed discounts are unseen-FOMO, triggering phobia, our body release the stress hormone in the brain called cortisol. The only way to counter the stress is just to surrender to it. But I believe this ancient psychology trick won’t affect person acknowledged about it though.

They are also the ZMOT

Zero Moment of Truth is decision-making moment. In ASoTV show, ZMOT is in their hands too. Honestly it’s crazy! Picture this: It’s 1985, you are strolling in the mall to buy a treadmill; would you believe every words the saleswoman wants you to hear? Would you believe her heartily and completely? You won’t let her be your decision-making moment right? I would ask my treadmill mania neighbour first and see what would he advise choosing mine. Anyways, that’s not the case in ASoTV show or Kickstarter products; they covered all angles about your problems in YouTube video, critics 5 star reviews, cleverly showing product features using beautiful CGI graphics that could enhance your life without sounding so cheesy; sadly I’d be fallen into this trap willingly.

The big difference which underlines why AsOTV dead and kickstarted products are alive and well is Digital Marketing. It’s playing its part big time especially Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Google Remarketing; as they would keep remind and remind you about that awesome shoes you seen once.

In the end, successful formulas are recycled, and repackaged in this internet era. And human psychology marketing level works. Always. So far.