CNBC To Investigate Snuggie, ShamWow Next

[neverfastenough]

CNBC has brought us earth-moving documentaries on the marijuana and cruise industries in recent months. Now it is taking on the shop-at-home TV advertising industry, including the red-hot Snuggie and Shamwow.

Maybe it's just a fad or a coincidence, but it seems like the recession has actually made this stuff suddenly more relevant. Perhaps it's the glut of local TV ad time available now that the auto industry can't afford as much.

CNBC's "As Seen On TV" special feature will air next Weds., April 22, at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET, and again on Sunday, April 26 at 10 p.m. Here's their pitch:

It's a $150 Billion industry, promising people everything from perfect abs to the Perfect Pancake.

Two minutes or less of carefully-crafted commerce aimed solely at making you buy, and buy NOW! A 25-year-old industry whose sales are skyrocketing, despite today's turbulent economy.

CNBC Emmy-nominated correspondent Darren Rovell goes inside the big business of direct-response infomercials that's made the Snuggie, ShamWow! and the Ginsu Knife household names.

Rovell sits down with the industry heavyweights like inventor Ron Popeil, pitch man Billy Mays and Telebrands CEO AJ Khubani, tests which products are busts or buys, and uncovers the psychology behind why some sales pitches strikeout while others are hit out of the park.

But, WAIT! There's more...

CNBC To Investigate Snuggie, ShamWow Next

 

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[Andrew]

Perhaps it's the glut of local TV ad time available now that the auto industry can't afford as much.

Not just a glut of time, but a big drop in cost.

If you are in direct marketing, this is your big shot. The past few years I've worked hard, and rolling in to this recession/depression I'm on the ground running.

 

[Sparlin]

I just saw a show on the Discovery Channel called Pitchmen. I only caught the last part of it, but it shows Billy Mays shooting a commercial. You get to see their thought process as they market new inventions. On this episode, he was selling an energy absorbing foam pad of some sort. His producer put his hand under the pad and they rolled a car over it. It was kind of impressive. I could see a lot of applications for this stuff beyond the packaged product he was pitching.