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D2C Goes Digital featuring Collette Liantonio for her 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award!

ERA’s annual convention emphasizes multichannel marketing with new educational content, the Moxie Awards, and more

D2C Goes Digital

ERA’s annual D2C Convention closed out another successful show on Sept. 18 after hosting more than 3,400 professionals at the Wynn Las Vegas for three days of education, networking, and dealmaking.

Themed ‚“Branch Into New Growth With Smarter Multichannel Strategies,” this year’s show concentrated on tapping a marketplace in which consumers use many digital channels in addition to television to shop. ‚“We know this shift is difficult,” said Julie Coons, ERA’s president and CEO, in launching the show. ‚“Collectively, we need to take a big step forward.”

Underlining the shift to multichannel strategies, Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, founder and chairman of the online video shopping network Joyus, delivered the D2C keynote address, ‚“Internet Is the New TV: Using Video Commerce to Unlock Sales Online.” Shoppers increasingly turn to video first for product information, she said. ‚“More than 70 percent of consumers watch an online video at least once a week, [and] mobile [is] accelerating that move.”

Joyus’ strategy is to offer curated marketing content in support of selling ‚“1,000 of one item” like traditional DRTV advertisers, rather than compete with anything-and-everything marketplaces like Amazon. ‚“But while video adoption is skyrocketing, monetization is not so great,” she said. ‚“I feel like we’re in the early days. Television went through this evolution, and this is what I see happening online.”

The company has been successful at attracting buyers and building relationships, however, and measures its average revenues at 83 cents per view—a vast improvement over
YouTube’s 0.07 cents per view. To launch a video promotion, she says, start with your e-mail prospect list: ‚“They are interested in your product; they are interested in your content; they are likely to convert.”

From there, online video and DR are similar, though online video content offers scalability and may require an adjustment in voice to reach buyers. ‚“The reality is that 70 percent of it is the same fundamental principles‚Äîgreat merchandising, great storytelling, great service,” Singh Cassidy advised. ‚“Go back [to] the principles that have worked for you in the past and dip your toe in the water.”

Content Is King

Educational sessions continued the omnichannel theme throughout the show, providing the many attendees with direction for future marketing efforts. On the first day, ERA offered three Direct Response 101 panel discussions to cover the basics of offline, online, and omnichannel marketing strategies. ‚“Omnichannel is the new ecosystem,” said Elliott Segal, senior vice president of International Production for Guthy-Renker, LLC, and immediate past chairman of ERA. ‚“We need to understand what touchpoints people are engaging with throughout the day.”

The ultimate answer to creating an effective conversion funnel is for marketers to be everywhere at once, panelists said. ‚“Content is king,” said Dawn DuMont-Perdew, president of the DuMont Project, in ‚“Direct Response 101 (Part 2), Online: Your Direct Response E-Commerce and Digital Strategy.” ‚“When people want something, you have [to] make yourself visible and available to them.”

But the reality is that there are no longer people who can be considered native to a particular media; most consumers connect to several traditional and new-media channels every day. ‚“Your consumers are bouncing between messages,” said Erica DePalma, vice president of Digital Marketing for Media Horizons, Inc. ‚“Make sure you have a consistent, branded presence, because it is very important that the messaging and the offer are aligned across exposures.”

For as many data points that the Web and mobile add to the marketing mix, however, online strategies have allowed marketers to test campaigns faster and cheaper, panelists added. Additional sessions discussed monetizing Facebook, email marketing, and other online strategies.

Day two moved educational sessions to the D2C Think Tank and Learning Lounge on the show floor, where speakers and panels continued to concentrate on Web 3.0 (a.k.a. ‚“social commerce”) topics. ‚“If you’re going to do online video, you’re going to want to think a lot about strategy,” said Charles Voloshin, digital marketing manager for Portland, Ore.-based Wacom, in ‚“Five Things You Need to Know about Online Video.” The company primarily uses YouTube videos to sell its high-end drawing tablets, he said, and Google Analytics to view the purchase funnel. ‚“We can actually see when they bought.”

ERA also organized a last-minute session to help marketers understand and address one of the most pressing issues facing the industry: Operation Choke Point. Manatt’s Linda Goldstein and Venable LLP’s Ellen Berge and Jeffrey D. Knowles talked about the regulatory initiative and its chilling effect on payment processing.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) started increasing scrutiny of support businesses at the start of the Great Recession, Knowles said, and has accelerated its actions since. ‚“The FTC is using its authority to go after not only merchants, but also payment processors [it alleges] are either aiding and abetting the actions of merchants or helping merchants facilitate mass fraud on consumers.”

Negative option marketers are at especially high risk from FTC, Department of Consumer Protection, and Department of Justice action, since they often have high chargeback and refund rates. FTC can hold payment processors responsible for the ‚“entire consumer injury” or entire processing volume of a product it says employed fraudulent marketing practices‚Äîin other words, everything it earns. ‚“The whole risk model is changing,” Knowles said.

Day three featured more networking on the show floor, additional sessions including a special ‚“State of the Industry” talk featuring Media Analytics CEO Jeff White and ERA’s Julie Coons, and the conclusion of the InventHelp-INPEX New Product Showcase and Pitch by the Pros. This year’s winner? Sean Forhan and his Ballroom Dance Fitness program.

Throughout, marketers brainstormed ideas on the show floor, and in the conference rooms and lounges of the Wynn. ‚“Every year, I come in trying to find one or two innovative ways people are doing things, and this year I’m coming out with handful,” said Tim Pearson, senior vice president of Direct Holdings Global. ‚“People are getting smarter about how they control their data. There are some pretty sophisticated models on the numbers side. In the past, it was entrepreneurial courage; now, it seems like fewer companies are using calculated ways of going to market.”

Concepts Team with Co in the middle

Celebrity Guests

Chris Reinmuth, vice president of Meritus Payment Solutions and ERA chairman, emceed the annual Moxie Awards to close out the show. Punctuated by spoof videos set to the tune of Yakety Yak and Pharrell Williams’ summer megahit Happy and streamed live on the Internet, the gala awarded more than 25 Moxies, recognizing excellence in short- and long-form creative, branding, and presentation.

‚“The Moxies rock,” said Katie Williams, president of Ideal Living. ‚“This is where we can celebrate all of us‚Äîall of the people behind the scenes, and some of the people in front. It’s always a blast.”

Honoring talent, the DR Icon Award went to the ‚“leading lady of daytime television,” Susan Lucci, for her involvement with products such as Youthful Essence, the Malibu Pilates Chair, and home shopping channels. ‚“I never expected anything like this,” Lucci said, in thanking ERA for the award. Speaking of her signature role, ‚“Erica Kane always had the gusto‚Äîthe moxie‚Äîto grab an opportunity when she saw it,” she said. ‚“I’ve always thought that there is a little Erica Kane in all of us‚Äîor at least there is in me.”

Lucci discovered the Home Shopping Network during a weekend trip with her husband. Soon after, she was tapped to appear on HSN and QVC, and was always careful to pitch only those products she used and trusted. ‚“I have had the great pleasure and opportunity to work with so many talented and creative people,” she said. ‚“They are artists and marketers. I don’t know what’s next for me in DR, but I know DR is in my blood.”

Collette Liantonio, president of Concepts TV Productions, took the 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award for her 30-year history of producing winning DR campaigns. ‚“I’m honored by this outpouring of love,” Liantonio said. After discovering that she was ‚“a terrible waitress,” she gave up on her first dream, she said‚Äîbeing an actor. After teaching high school, she joined a commercial production company. ‚“I loved the action and getting overnight results. I was hooked.

‚“In the 35 years I’ve been in the industry, I have seen an amazing change from cutthroat competition to mutual collaboration,” Liantonio added in thanking her staff, clients, partners, and ERA. And while taking the Lifetime Achievement Award has a certain ‚“obituary ring to it,” she said, ‚“I’m not dead yet. In the classic words of our industry, But wait, there’s more!’‚Ää”

To read the full article, please click here.

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It’s Neat to Meet Steve! (He’s our new editor.)

Concepts TV welcomes award-winning Steven T. Miller as our new Motion Graphics Designer and Video Editor. Miller joins Concepts with 10 years of experience in motion graphics and non-linear editing. He has worked with many high profile clients, including Ford Motors, Home Depot, A&E Network, Discovery Communications, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Turner Broadcasting. The winner of five Graphic Design USA Awards in 2013, he is incredibly talented and we are delighted to have him on board. We are also very nosy, so I sat down with Steve to get the inside scoop on our newest addition. Here’s the lowdown

Read more

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What’s scarier than a boss? Try six of them!

This past Halloween, the zany Concepts team decided to pull a prank on their beloved leader, Collette Liantonio, by dressing up as her and posing in her office. This was the scene Liantonio unknowingly walked in on

Read more

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American Entrepreneurship Today

‚“I’m Not Dead Yet!” Funny Feminist, Collette Liantonio, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

co accepting LAA award

For Immediate Release:

BOONTON, N.J. (October 17, 2014) The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) honored Collette Liantonio, President and Creative Director of Concepts TV Productions, with its 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. Liantonio accepted the award during the Moxie Awards Gala on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014 at the Wynn Las Vegas.

‚“I am honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Liantonio says. ‚“It has been a great privilege to be a part of the DRTV revolution, and to work with so many talented clients and vendors whom I now view as family. I am proud of our history and excited for our future.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to a member of the association whose work is acknowledged by colleagues and the public as having a visible impact on the industry. Past honorees include Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey, and Ron Popeil.

‚“Collette Liantonio is an innovator in every sense of the word,” says ERA president and CEO Julie Coons. ‚“She has not only helped to elevate direct response marketing through her creative contributions, but as a highly successful entrepreneur and thought leader, she has helped pave the way for women to grow and prosper in this industry.”

Indeed, in her acceptance speech, Liantonio humorously recalled some of the trials and tribulations she has encountered as a female entrepreneur in a man’s world including a potty-training toddler who interrupted a sales meeting to show Mommy her new accomplishment. ‚“I clapped My potential clients clapped We didn’t get the job.”

Those bumps in the road only made Liantonio more determined as she went on to build an infomercial dynasty.

Since launching Concepts TV Productions in 1983, many of her DR spots and infomercials have become legends, such as Ambervision, Bedazzler, Pajama Jeans, Contour Pillow, and the George Foreman Grill. Some of her latest hits include BeActive, Veggetti and Cat’s Meow. Concepts TV has won more than 150 awards, and their spots have featured celebrities such as Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Wayne Gretsky, Arnold Palmer, and Fabio.

But as Liantonio infamously stated in her speech, ‚“I’m not dead yet. I’m having way too much fun and the best is yet to come ”

Liantonio was recently named among the 25 Most Influential People in DRTV, and one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee (EAC) of Electronic Retailer, and has served twice on the ERA’s Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), the Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the Women-Owned Business Enterprise for New York City (WBE).

Concepts TV Productions, based in Boonton, N.J., is one of the world’s most experienced producers of commercials and infomercials. Inspired by our motto, ‚“hit after hit,” we are dedicated to developing and producing the most profitable and dynamic Direct Response and Brand Response commercials for our clients. We pride ourselves on creating those unforgettable ‚“magic moments” that help build brands, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

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CONTACT: Concepts TV Productions Kristy Pinand (973) 331-1500

 

To read full article, please click here

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POSITIVE POST IT DAY!

Caitlin Prater-Haacke was a typical high school student in Alberta, Canada until something atypical happened to her - cyberbullying. A hurtful message urging her to die posted on her Facebook feed. Instead of getting even; she got positive. In retaliation, she took to Post Its; writing a positive message for everyone in her school and hanging them on their lockers. Read more

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Concepts Climbs to Victory with Maxi Climber on Patch.com!

Concepts Climbs to Victory with Maxi Climber!

Concepts Climbs to Victory with Maxi Climber!

For Immediate Release:

Las Vegas, NV (October 14, 2014) It was a big night at the 2014 Moxie Awards for Concepts TV Productions, a New Jersey DRTV (Direct Response Television) agency. Not only did their President and Creative Director, Collette Liantonio, win the Lifetime Achievement Award, their company brought home the award for Best International DRTV Campaign for Maxi Climber.

‚“We pride ourselves on developing uniquely creative concepts that lead to memorable TV moments,” says Liantonio. ‚“We turn products into household names and create internationally recognized brands for our clients.”

Concepts produced Maxi Climber for INOVA, a top marketing company in Mexico.

Maxi Climber encourages viewers around the world to climb to greater heights in their workout routines. Using the Gravity Vault (a rock climbing facility in Chatham, NJ) as the backdrop to the infomercial, Concepts creatively demonstrated how closely this revolutionary exercise machine emulates the actual sport.

‚“Part of the thrill in producing a Fitness Long Form is making your product stand out,” says Jim Nolan, VP and Senior Editor, Concepts TV. ‚“With INOVA, we came up with an amazing hook: Maxi Climber works the same muscles you use when rock climbing. This allowed us to style the infomercial with dynamic rock climbing visuals, including shooting on-site at a rock climbing facility and on location in California and South Beach, Miami for first time user reactions across the country. It makes Maxi Climber very memorable.”

This winning creative combination of exercise and entertainment translated into international sales and artistic accolades. Packed with excitement and adventure, this infomercial truly rocked!

‚“We strive for excellence with each and every spot,” says Liantonio. ‚“Although it is so exciting to be recognized for creative achievement, we always make sure the product is really the star.”

These awards will join the other 150 awards in Concepts’ trophy case.

Concepts TV Productions, based in Boonton, N.J., is one of the world’s most experienced producers of DRTV commercials and infomercials. Its direct marketing expertise has helped our clients achieve billions of dollars in sales. Many infomercials have become direct response television legends as a result of outstanding sales success.

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CONTACT: Concepts TV Productions
Kristy Pinand
(973) 331-1500

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Funny Feminist, Collette Liantonio, Recieves Lifetime Achievement Award!

‚“I’m Not Dead Yet!”
Funny Feminist, Collette Liantonio, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

co accepting LAA award

For Immediate Release:
BOONTON, N.J. (October 13, 2014) The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) honored Collette Liantonio, President and Creative Director of Concepts TV Productions, with its 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. Liantonio accepted the award during the Moxie Awards Gala on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
‚“I am honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Liantonio says. ‚“It has been a great privilege to be a part of the DRTV revolution, and to work with so many talented clients and vendors whom I now view as family. I am proud of our history and excited for our future.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to a member of the association whose work is acknowledged by colleagues and the public as having a visible impact on the industry. Past honorees include Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey, and Ron Popeil.
‚“Collette Liantonio is an innovator in every sense of the word,” says ERA president and CEO Julie Coons. ‚“She has not only helped to elevate direct response marketing through her creative contributions, but as a highly successful entrepreneur and thought leader, she has helped pave the way for women to grow and prosper in this industry.”
Indeed, in her acceptance speech, Liantonio humorously recalled some of the trials and tribulations she has encountered as a female entrepreneur in a man’s world including a potty-training toddler who interrupted a sales meeting to show Mommy her new accomplishment. ‚“I clapped My potential clients clapped We didn’t get the job.”
Those bumps in the road only made Liantonio more determined as she went on to build an infomercial dynasty.
Since launching Concepts TV Productions in 1983, many of her DR spots and infomercials have become legends, such as Ambervision, Bedazzler, Pajama Jeans, Contour Pillow, and the George Foreman Grill. Some of her latest hits include BeActive, Veggetti and Cat’s Meow. Concepts TV has won more than 150 awards, and their spots have featured celebrities such as Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Wayne Gretsky, Arnold Palmer, and Fabio.
But as Liantonio infamously stated in her speech, ‚“I’m not dead yet. I’m having way too much fun and the best is yet to come ”

Liantonio was recently named among the 25 Most Influential People in DRTV, and one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee (EAC) of Electronic Retailer, and has served twice on the ERA’s Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), the Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the Women-Owned Business Enterprise for New York City (WBE).
Concepts TV Productions, based in Boonton, N.J., is one of the world’s most experienced producers of commercials and infomercials. Inspired by our motto, ‚“hit after hit,” we are dedicated to developing and producing the most profitable and dynamic Direct Response and Brand Response commercials for our clients. We pride ourselves on creating those unforgettable ‚“magic moments” that help build brands, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
# # #

CONTACT: Concepts TV Productions
Kristy Pinand
(973) 331-1500

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Continuity Program

ERA’s 2014 2015 Board will build upon strategic initiatives designed to keep the association strong for years to come.

Continuity Program

Each year, ERA cycles in a new Chairman and Board, bringing new perspectives while ensuring continuity with three-year member terms. At the D2C Convention last month, Elliott Segal officially ended his term as chairman, having spearheaded the association’s embrace of digital marketing channels and other strategic initiatives. Chris Reinmuth, vice president of Midmarket Sales at Meritus Payment Solutions, now takes over, promising an activist term.

Reinmuth is ERA’s first chairman from the payment-processing industry, and plans to expand the association’s advocacy to meet the growing regulatory pressure on payment processing. Reinmuth will expand upon Segal’s initiatives to tap new markets and ‚“grow the association into a more digitally relevant association that understands the ever-changing needs of our customers,” he says. ‚“My No. 1 goal is to position our association as the group that will be the leader in direct response for another 25 years.”

Supporting Reinmuth in that goal is a cross-section of some of the industry’s most seasoned experts and entrepreneurs who have the drive to make ERA succeed for decades to come. Again this year, Electronic Retailer reached out to new and returning Board members to discuss their reasons behind serving, the key issues they hope to address this year, and what they believe ERA must do to ensure future growth. Here’s what they had to say.

ER: As a new Board member, what goals have you set for your tenure?

Shannon M. Moyer: To contribute in a meaningful way by offering a fresh perspective. I believe my experience as associate general counsel at QVC—where I have been intimately involved in government affairs activities for several years and have worked on a variety of legislative/regulatory issues such as online sales tax and privacy/consumer protection—will allow me to bring a useful and unique perspective to the Board.

ER: What inspired you to serve on the Board?
Katie Williams: Since my early days in DRTV—way back in the dinosaur age [before] online marketing—I have recognized the importance of a trade organization that provides a voice on behalf of the reputable companies in our industry. The work that ERA does today on behalf of the electronic retailing, home shopping, and DRTV industry is vital.

Moyer: To gain a perspective of how other electronic retailers—of different sizes, with different product offerings, and using different means of marketing—view and address common issues and obstacles.

Collette Liantonio: I wanted to serve on the Board to help acknowledge and spearhead the new mission. The DRTV industry must embrace contemporary media methods in order to stay current and modern. We have to evolve with the times in order to stay successful, and embrace mainstream media.

Richard Wechsler: I believe that the association [can] make a difference to the membership, and that I [can] help guide that. This is a very exciting time for ERA, and it’s a privilege to be a part of stewarding that change.

ER: What impressions did you come away with after your first year on the Board?

Jane Dyer: I was truly impressed with the incredible group of passionate leaders working hard to shape the ever-evolving industry. It has been an amazing opportunity to learn, contribute, and share my experience and industry knowledge. Until you get involved, it is hard to understand how many issues ERA touches, and how vital the organization is to industry growth.

Liantonio: After my first year on the Board, we realized the importance of contemporary media methods and worked together to utilize new media strategies. It is imperative that we continue to embrace new media such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and so on in order to create a higher-performance hybrid, integrating DRTV practices with interactive Web-based marketing.

Christopher Hearing: While ERA has challenges ahead of it as our industry continues to evolve, I’ve been pleased to see that the management team understands those challenges and is committed to overcoming them. There is a clear sense of purpose on the Board and among the management team that evolution is critical to our long-term success.

Wechsler: The most lasting impression after serving my first year on the ERA Board is how much the association does.

Babak Azad: Given that as an industry, we needed to make a pretty aggressive shift, I was pleased with the Board’s and staff’s desire and responsiveness to do so. It won’t happen overnight, but if you look at the agenda for this year’s D2C event, I think the sessions scheduled are reflective of this shift. I am a firm believer that in a world that is rapidly changing, you have to be a part of that change‚Äîor else it will happen to you as opposed to with you.

ER: How do you feel your involvement has benefited ERA members?

Liantonio: I’ve been in business for more than 30 years, earning wisdom in the direct response industry; I know who we are and what we’re about. When you couple that with my entrepreneurial spirit and my thirst for technological trends, I am an asset to the Board as we try new things to build and expand our industry. Just recently, I helped initiate the PR Council for ERA.

Hearing: I participated in both stages of the Strategic Plan development over the past year. While [ERA President] Julie [Coons] and her team did the bulk of the work, I was able to put my planning skills to use to help guide the process and ask the right questions along the way to make sure we came away with an actionable plan that will propel ERA forward.

Azad: My biggest priority was helping drive the emphasis toward digital. [The fact] that a number of Board members were pushing this initiative so strongly drove this shift.

Williams: I’ve owned leading businesses in different sides of the industry‚Äîon the agency side, the client side, and both the domestic and international sides. I understand the issues of all these different business segments, and can represent their viewpoints. I’m also passionate about embracing the digital marketing world‚Äîan important focus of ERA.

Wechsler: Members benefit [from] the entire Board and ERA staff. I can’t single myself out. But I can say that this Board is very passionate, and committed to challenging the association to be better in all areas.

ER: What do you think is the Board’s most significant accomplishment of the last year?

Dyer: Recognizing that the industry is evolving into an omnichannel environment and what strategies can we put into place to be more valuable to its members.

Liantonio: We are embracing new media, new technology, and new beginnings in order to ensure our industry grows. We are changing the perception of DRTV and becoming a visionary element in multichannel campaigns.

Hearing: The Board has pushed the management team to address the long-term challenges facing our industry. Industry evolution presents a unique opportunity for ERA to get in front of the change and lead members through education and communication. Our members will [have seen] tangible evidence of our evolution at the D2C Convention as we address this evolution head-on with a focus on digital transformation.

Williams: You’ll see the Board’s emphasis on multichannel reflected in the educational tracks for D2C. ERA’s educational programs have always been strong. At every session, I get at least five profit-generating ideas for my company. I only wish I had time to attend all the sessions.

Wechsler: The Board’s success is represented by the association’s accomplishments. Legislatively, it may have been our successful efforts to have the FCC maintain its current negative-option rules‚Äîthat was really important. In terms of events, the D2C Convention, The Great Ideas Summit, and the Government Affairs Fly-In were successful on all levels. We’ve made significant strides in content.

ER: What do you see as the most important issues ahead for ERA?

Dyer: It is important that ERA remains a relevant organization and we need to focus on ways to increase the membership. We need to remain vigilant in our self-regulation programs and advocacy on Capitol Hill.

Moyer: I see the potential for expansive and potentially overreaching regulation to be a key issue for ERA and its members, particularly in the areas of consumer privacy and data protection. While additional regulations are well-intended, they can often have unintended consequences that adversely affect retailers and consumers alike. It is crucial for ERA to partner with regulators to ensure that regulators understand the implications of proposed regulations, and that such regulations are tailored in such a way to achieve their commendable goals without imposing undue burdens.

Hearing: In addition to the changing nature of our industry, the expanding footprint of the regulatory environment is a threat to all of us. The Department of Justice’s Operation Choke Point poses a very serious risk to our service providers and as a result, poses a serious threat to all marketers. Even if a company is doing everything the right way, it is easy to foresee becoming entangled in a regulatory net due to the actions of a completely unrelated company that doesn’t play by the rules.

Azad: We can’t forget about our government legislation efforts, which are a crucial part of maintaining our ability to market, while we continue to adapt in the TV, digital, and retail worlds where we market to our customers.

Wechsler: Supporting and strengthening ERSP, our self-regulatory program, is a critical issue that can’t be taken for granted. In terms of education, the association needs to lead membership into the digital age. And I believe we need to set up mechanisms to allow the membership to speak directly to the association and the Board.

Williams: Counterfeits have cost the businesses in our industry hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. I would like to see more companies join our small but determined Anti-Counterfeiting Committee. Regulatory agencies have heightened their activity, and it’s imperative that ERA’s advocacy continues and strengthens. And ERA should lead the charge in establishing self-regulation guidelines for the online world.

Our industry is in a time of transition. Channel dilution and changes in TV viewership have resulted in lower ROIs from TV advertising, but at the same time, it’s difficult to generate an equivalent impact on awareness and sales via digital media. Our members are eager to find ways to thrive in a multichannel environment.

ERA’s 2014 2015 Board
Chairman of the Board: Chris Reinmuth, vice president of Midmarket Sales, Meritus Payment Solutions
Outgoing Chairman: Elliot Segal, vice president, International Products, Guthy-Renker, LLC
President and CEO: Julie Coons
Chairman-Elect: Gregory J. Sater, partner, Venable LLP
Secretary: Patty Booth, president, Thane Direct Canada, Inc.
Treasurer: Brian Archibald, president, Provida Life Sciences

Board Members:
Babak Azad, senior vice president, Media & Acquisition, Beachbody, LLC
Gerald A. Bagg, CEO, Quigley-Simpson
Jeff Campbell, chief operating officer, UFC Fit
Jane Dyer, vice president, Merchandising, HSN, Inc.
Christopher Hearing, president, Direct Holdings Global
Poonam Khubani, vice president, TeleBrands International
Collette Liantonio, president, Concepts TV Productions, Inc.
Brandon Lewis, president, EvTech
Shannon Moyer, associate general counsel, QVC, Inc.
Marina Randolph, Murad, Inc.
Richard Wechsler, president and CEO, Lockard & Wechsler
Mike Wells, director, Zestify Media, Ltd. (ERA Europe Representative)
Katie Williams, president, Ideal Living

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2014/10/continuity-program/#sthash.c4h1Pw1Y.dpuf

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ERA, Industry Experts Talk Infomercials With MainStreet.com

How Startups Earn Millions at Infomercials, TV Shopping Networks and Walmart

How Startups Earn Millions at Infomercials, TV Shopping Networks and Walmart

NEW YORK (MainStreet), Tony Little’s first infomercial in 1993 earned him $150 million in retail sales. Not bad for a now 58-year-old body builder.

‚“It was a series of three videotapes called 'Target Training' with me leading one-on-one exercise workouts,” Little told MainStreet.
After paying some $250,000 to National Media to produce the series and $100,000 to test, Little’s company has earned $4 billion in worldwide sales.

‚“I’m currently looking at the short form infomercial market for several product categories that are successful on the Home Shopping Network,” said Little, whose product categories include fitness, fashion, wellness, nutrition and motivation.

Infomercials alone constitute a $150 billion market and each dollar spent on direct marketing yields a return on investment (ROI) of $12 compared to $5 from non-direct marketing, according to the Electronics Retailing Association (ERA).

‚“Anyone can come up with a product,” said Julie Coons, president and CEO with the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA). ‚“Shows like ABC's 'Shark Tank' highlight budding inventors who dream of marketing that hit product or service; however, it's not that easy to just make an infomercial and assume it will be successful right from the start.”

While barriers to entry into the infomercial industry may only be financial initially, certain products sell better than others.

‚“Real estate and stock market analysis products are ideal for infomercials, because the seller can be proactive in warning about risks,” said Collette Liantonio, president of TV Concepts Productions.

Other products that sell well include books, tapes, exercise equipment, kitchen, cleaning and beauty products.

‚“Infomercials showcase whole segments of books and offer reviews by people who have used and enjoyed the infomercial system,” Liantonio told MainStreet.

However, the infomercial industry is not without its checks and balances.

‚“The testimonials you see should be truthful and accurate,” Coons told MainStreet. ‚“Any testimonial that is too good to be true is subject to review and disciplinary action by the government and our industry self-regulation program.”

Products successfully sold with infomercials can find shelf life and new sources of revenue at retail stores such as Walmart, Walgreen and Target.

‚“The last five years have been an exciting time of change,” said Coons. ‚“There has been a strong move for infomercial products to be offered at retail stores in As Seen On TV sections.”

For example, Sue Ismiel created Nad’s hair removal gel in her kitchen in the 1990s.

‚“You need to make the audience believe that you have created a new world from a place of frustration,” said Ismiel, CEO with Sue Ismiel & Daughters. ‚“The unwanted hair problem was the frustration for me. The story of a mother’s love for her daughter and doing something about the frustration is what connects with the viewers.”

Today Nad’s is advertised in 30- and 60-second commercials directing the consumer to retail stores.

‚“Once the product hits retail shelves, the heavy investment in long-form infomercials is not necessary,” Ismiel told MainStreet.

With or without an infomercial in tow, not just any product can find its way to shoppers at retail storefronts, such as Target, Walmart, Win Dixie, Walgreens or HEB.

Winning the Shelf Placement

The Global Market Development Center (GMDC) out of Colorado Springs hosts conferences twice a year to help facilitate deals between suppliers and service companies who pitch their products to retail buyers.

‚“We have companies that go from very small to millions of dollars,” said Mark Mechelse, director of industry insights and communications with the GMDC. ‚“They need to be ready to write orders after pitching because if they don’t, they can lose business.”

Some 600 supplier members paid $2,500 to attend the general merchandise conference in San Antonio this month where they pitched up to 85 retailers at the JW Marriott Conference Center.

Entrepreneurs displayed their pet toys, collapsible Tupperware, non-food items, baby products, kitchen wares and gifts. GMDC will meet again in Orlando and Phoenix in 2015.

‚“We don’t get involved in infomercials or advertising,” Mechelse told MainStreet. ‚“There could be companies here that have As Seen On TV products but it’s a small part of what we do.”

One advantage of infomercials is that entrepreneurs can price their products higher than when advertising with a mere TV commercial.

‚“It is harder to get an impulse buy for a high-ticket item from a short commercial,” said Liantonio. ‚“People aren’t as likely to spend $99 after watching just two minutes of an advertisement. You also can’t get a sense of a special book or tape from a short commercial.”

‚“Overnight is great because viewers are bored, have insomnia or work unusual hours,” Liantonio said. ‚“Saturday and Sunday mornings are ideal, because people can watch half hour segments at their leisure.”

--Written by Juliette Fairley for MainStreet

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Homeworld Business features Collette Liantonio being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award!

Concepts TV’s Liantonio Honored By ERA

Monday September 15th, 2014 - 12:28PM

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LAS VEGAS— The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) will honor Collette Liantonio, president of Concepts TV Productions, with the 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Liantonio will be recognized during a special presentation at the Moxie Awards Gala on Thursday, September 18, 7:00 p.m. at the 2014 ERA D2C Convention at the Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to an ERA member whose work has had a visible impact on the industry and has been acknowledged as doing so by other colleagues in the industry and the public at large, according to ERA. Liantonio will join past honorees Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey and Ron Popeil.
To read full article please click here ---> Homeworldbusiness

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Packing in the Sales in Response Magazine

The world of consumer packaged goods (CPG) today is a broad swath of old brands being reborn, new campaigns and products full of profitable promise, and even plenty of body parts (yes, you read that right).

By: Doug McPherson

 

Long before the mammoth direct response consumer packaged good (CPG) product OxiClean, there was Jelmar, a company Manny Gutterman started in the late 1960s.

Today Jelmar offers a large suite of cleaning products. But long before he opened Jelmar, Gutterman created a national sales representative organization, Manny Gutterman & Associates Inc., in 1949 to sell all kinds of proprietary CPG products to chain drug, variety, hardware and department stores.

The sales channel was so successful, it gave Gutterman the direction and confidence to develop and sell his own brand-name products. And in the late 1960s, when a friend in advertising asked Gutterman to sell a warehouse full of cleaning products, he created Jelmar to do it.

Gutterman, along with sons Steven and Arthur, reformulated and repackaged the abandoned product and sold it as Tarn-X¬Æ. As one of the first products that used the phrase ‚“As Seen On TV” in commercials and on packaging, Tarn-X eventually became the No. 1-selling metal cleaner in the United States, as well as a household staple that can be found in every major retailer.

Jelmar kept growing, and in the 1980s, Gutterman and his sons, along with business partner, Al Eicoff, began looking for a complement to Tarn-X. They ended up with a powerful lime and rust remover, CLR® (calcium, lime and rust) was born.

Over the years Jelmar continued to introduce products including Thermal Fork, Tarn-X Silver Polish, Tarn-X Jewelry Cleaner, CLR Outdoor Furniture Cleaner, CLR Grease Magnet, CLR Power Plumber, CLR Bath & Kitchen Cleaner, and most recently, the new CLR Stainless Steel Cleaner and CLR Stone Cleaner.

Today, Jelmar remains in family hands. Arthur’s daughter, Alison Gutterman, became the president of Jelmar in 2007.

And she attributes much of the company’s sales success to direct response.

‚“We’ve created numerous spots over the years for the CLR line,” Gutterman says. ‚“The DRTV approach not only helped promote CLR’s full line of products in a single spot, but it helped increase the products’ retail distribution and shelf space and drove retail sales, too.”

In fact, Jelmar has parlayed its success from consumer circles to commercial sales.

‚“Now we have an industrial division and sell products up to 55-gallon drums,” Gutterman says. ‚“I’m sure that some of our success in that division is a result of people knowing our products from home use, and transferring them to a commercial use.”

A Perfect Fit: DR and CPG
Today the company Al Eicoff started back in 1959, A. Eicoff & Co., is a thriving DR agency in Chicago. And it’s still working with Jelmar. Bill McCabe, A. Eicoff & Co. president, says the story of Jelmar is a great example of why DR and CPG are a perfect fit.

‚“DR is a good sales vehicle for many reasons. We know it can both build a brand and generate results simultaneously, and when I say results, that includes coupon redemptions, website visits and sales along with store traffic and sales,” McCabe says. ‚“But an often overlooked advantage of DRTV for CPG is its ability to differentiate the product from others via longer-length commercials, one-to-two-minute spots. These spots cut through the clutter of 30-second spots and the additional time allows the spot to tell a more compelling and more memorable story.”

McCabe says he created two-minute commercials for Breathe Right nasal strips that he tested three times in five markets.

‚“With each test, the results were terrific. The client told us they asked us to run a third test because after the first two, no one could believe how great the results were,” McCabe says. ‚“The demonstrability of the product lent itself to DRTV, there was a motivating story to tell and the longer-length commercial helped differentiate the product.”

So what’s different about CPG compared to other categories that might make it a good candidate for DR? McCabe says one of his clients put it best ‚“when he told me that when consumers see their product in the store, there’s no way they can learn the story behind the product by just looking at the packaging.”

McCabe says DR gives them the both the opportunity and the time to tell their story so that when shoppers see the product in the store, they’re pre-sold.

‚“The best CPG products for direct response have a story to tell,” McCabe says. ‚“In many instances, these are relatively complex products, technology to explain, features to demonstrate, benefits that may not be obvious but are meaningful to consumers. These stories can’t be told in 30 seconds, and they can’t be told effectively without DRTV’s ability to demonstrate and motivate.”

In fact, McCabe believes CPG brands can often go it alone in DR without branding ads.

He says, ‚“A brand can stand alone because DRTV has become highly brand conscious as more and more blue chip companies include DRTV in their marketing mix (see sidebar, page 32). The best direct response advertisers and agencies know how to blend branding and response-producing elements seamlessly.”

Veterans’ Varied Vivid Examples
It’s tough to argue with McCabe’s take on the power of DR in CPG. Today there’s a huge selection of CPG products using DR to boost bottom lines. And there’s plenty of proof of some serious staying power.

Industry veterans have vivid examples.

Bill McAlister, president at Top Dog Direct, says Urine Gone, the pet stain and odor remover, is one of his oldest, most successful products. ‚“It’s been around the longest, about nine years, and I think it’s a good example of a consumer packaged good that just keeps selling,” McAlister says.

It’s sold in 24 oz. bottles with a black light that helps consumers detects stains.

‚“We get a lot of return customers, we’re selling refill jugs (a 48 oz. refill jug sells for $25.49 on Amazon.com and has a four-star rating from 110 reviews) and people are buying it over and over again,” McAlister says. ‚“It’s outselling other products three to one. And we’re all over in retail, Walmart, Target, everywhere.”

Infusion Brands Intl., the company behind AsSeenonTV.com, Ronco, DualTools and other brands, may have found a CPG winner in DOC C

loths. The company reports it has sold more than million on TV, and counting.

DOC Cloths include eight layers of woven wood pulp fiber and trap and release 99.99 percent of germs and bacteria when rinsed in warm water. Infusion Brands is selling the product on HSN.

A.J. Khubani, CEO and president at DR giant TELEBrands, says in the CPG category, things don’t get much better than Heeltastic, a cream that softens rough heels.

‚“It’s been selling about a million units a year since 2009, and the sales are very consistent month to month,” Khubani says. ‚“For Heeltastic, there was a true void in the marketplace. There was no good product for cracked heels.”

He says short-form DR helped create a memorable brand. ‚“We came in and we built recognition. Now we’re in all the major retailers. It’s such a good product that brand loyalty followed,” Khubani contends.

He adds that in the CPG category, marketers typically sell more product in the first year. But Heeltastic has maintained a healthy momentum. ‚“We’re very pleased with 1 million units a year and we also know word of mouth is good,” Khubani says.

Collette Liantonio, president of Concepts TV Productions, jokes about something Khubani told her once. ‚“He called me a body-part specialist because I have something like seven successful ads running right now that help consumers with different body parts,” Liantonio says.

Indeed, Khubani has a point. Liantonio has products covering, quite literally, from head to toe, from Gray Away for those battling ever-growing stands of silver hair to Miracle Socks for aching legs and feet.

‚“I laughed when he said that, it sounds a little gruesome,” Liantonio says. ‚“But not all the products are about the Baby Boomers. A lot of the products come down to being an affordable way to deal with pain, they’re health aids, and it’s a very exciting time for these kinds of products.”

She says for most of her CPG products, short-form drives to retail, which is where the real money is. ‚“Where short-form will generate $100 in sales on the airing, that goes up to $1,000 in retail,” she says. ‚ñ†

To read full article, click here.

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The 9 New Realities of Direct Response in Direct Marketing News

Late-night yell-and-sell pitches have given way to sophisticated, multichannel, ROI-centric campaigns.

"Uh oh! Has this ever happened to you?”

What was once the relatable rallying cry of direct response marketing has become a tired joke. But the direct response (DR) discipline itself is far from finished. The world's largest brands are increasingly emboldened to go beyond seeking mindshare and ask for the sale. And infomercial kings now boast of driving an ever-increasing amount of their sales from indirect channels.

It's an upside-down world. But here are nine new direct response marketing realities to guide you through it.

Channel surfing isn't coming back...

TV viewership is on a steady decline among all but the oldest demographics, and DVR and streaming services aren't going anywhere. Events such as major live sports continue to draw outsized audiences, but media rates for such programming are well out of the reach of the typical direct response ROI. So smart DR marketers need to find ways to reach audiences intentionally, rather than accidentally.

One solution is to make a direct appeal to well-qualified prospects for viewership of direct response content (see ‚“Live Streaming the Direct Response Way” on page 23 for an eye-opening example). Another is to expand the search radius for media beyond the traditional day parts and time formats associated with DRTV. ‚“Before, two-minute spots were my favorite, but I now can buy a lot of five-minute inventory. I'm surprised at the availability, especially on cable,” says Telebrands CEO AJ Khubani.

...but TV audiences are more targeted than ever

Let the ever-widening landscape of cable and digital broadcast channels and programming work for you by doing a deeper demographic dive. The long-term success stories in DRTV have shifted with their audiences, offering more targeted products that resonate with live viewership. ‚“The wisdom used to be that [DRTV spots] had to be universally appealing, but at this point I can target children, senior citizens, muscle-heads, or couch potatoes,” says Collette Liantonio, president of studio Concepts TV Productions. ‚“There are enough stations, enough broadcast media, and enough Internet that I can appeal to almost anyone. Twenty years ago you couldn't sell a product for cats on TV; now it's a mainstay.”

Relationships have a place in direct response

Customer retention and horizontal integration aren't found in old-school spray-and-pray shilling, but direct response is today more than just a one-time sale. Consider the case of Infusion Brands, a direct response marketer that controls both the venerable Ronco products brand and the newer eDiets lifestyle brand.

Rather than operating them as two separate lines of business, Infusion plans to create more value by painting the two as the ideal combination for a healthy lifestyle, building more lifetime value and cross-selling opportunities with no additional marketing cost. ‚“Everybody who calls in after a Ronco infomercial may not convert to a purchase, but we can offer all of them a free subscription to eDiets,” says Bob DeCecco, Infusion Brands CEO. ‚“That's a cost-per-acquisition of zero, because we already spent the money on the Ronco infomercial, and we can combine the hardware of Ronco with the software of the eDiets program.”

Kickstarter is the new infomercial

A compelling offer for a previously unheard of product, one not sold in stores; video presentations that lean heavily on the credibility and charisma of scrappy inventors making their cases directly to the public; a special bonus if you act now; another special bonus for just a few dollars more.

This is not a TV spot for a new chicken rotisserie. It's Kickstarter. Although Kickstarter styles itself a ‚“crowdfunding” platform and not a pure sales medium, it bears the key hallmarks of direct response. Instead of upselling viewers ‚“for a few dollars more” to pick up a spatula or some extra coat hangers, Kickstarter lets buyers earn extra benefits by funding projects for more than the minimum ‚“purchase” price.

The benefits can be capped at a certain limit, and the entire funding process only lasts a maximum of 60 days. ‚“It's the purest example of modern direct response, and the structure removes every barrier to the sale,” says Joshua C. Mabus, owner of Mabus Agency. ‚“I see that 89 of 100 backer promos have been sold and I know I have to be fast to get in on the last 11. It's the limited-time offer' in a modern, cool way.”

More than two million people funded Kickstarter projects in the first half of 2014. Nearly 70% were first-time Kickstarter users. Disregard Kickstarter's DR potential at your own peril.

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Liantonio to Recieve Lifetime Achievement Award in Electronic Retailer!

Liantonio to Recieve Lifetime Achievement Award in Electronic Retailer

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The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) announced that it will honor Collette Liantonio, president of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, with its 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award. Liantonio will accept the award during a special presentation to be held during the Moxie Awards Gala, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014, at the Wynn Las Vegas.

 

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to a member of the association whose work is acknowledged by colleagues and the public as having a visible impact on the industry. Past honorees include Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey, and Ron Popeil.

 

‚“Collette Liantonio is an innovator in every sense of the word,” says ERA president and CEO Julie Coons. ‚“She has not only helped to elevate direct response marketing through her creative contributions, but as a highly successful entrepreneur and thought leader, she has helped pave the way for women to grow and prosper in this industry. We are proud to name Collette as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.”

 

A Brooklyn native, Liantonio earned a B.A. in English from Fordham University and an M.A. in Directing from New York University. Since launching Concepts TV Productions in 1983, many of her DR spots and infomercials have become legends, pitching products such as Ambervision Sunglasses, Pajama Jeans, the Contour Pillow, and the George Foreman Grill. Concepts TV ads have won more than 150 awards, and have featured celebrities such as Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Wayne Gretsky, Arnold Palmer, and Fabio. (For more information on Concepts TV’s first 30 years of pioneering DR work, see ‚“Concept to Completion,” Electronic Retailer, April 2014.)

 

Liantonio was recently named among 25 Most Influential People in DRTV, and one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee (EAC) of Electronic Retailer, and has served twice on the ERA’s Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), the Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the Women-Owned Business Enterprise for New York City (WBE).

 

‚“I am honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Liantonio says. ‚“It has been a great privilege to be a part of the DRTV revolution, and to work with so many talented clients and vendors whom I now view as family. I am proud of our history and excited for our future.”

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2014/08/live-in-las-vegas/#sthash.c4T4OC14.dpuf

Liantonio to Recieve Lifetime Achievement Award

 

The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) announced that it will honor Collette Liantonio, president of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, with its 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award. Liantonio will accept the award during a special presentation to be held during the Moxie Awards Gala, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2014, at the Wynn Las Vegas.

 

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to a member of the association whose work is acknowledged by colleagues and the public as having a visible impact on the industry. Past honorees include Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey, and Ron Popeil.

 

‚“Collette Liantonio is an innovator in every sense of the word,” says ERA president and CEO Julie Coons. ‚“She has not only helped to elevate direct response marketing through her creative contributions, but as a highly successful entrepreneur and thought leader, she has helped pave the way for women to grow and prosper in this industry. We are proud to name Collette as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.”

 

A Brooklyn native, Liantonio earned a B.A. in English from Fordham University and an M.A. in Directing from New York University. Since launching Concepts TV Productions in 1983, many of her DR spots and infomercials have become legends, pitching products such as Ambervision Sunglasses, Pajama Jeans, the Contour Pillow, and the George Foreman Grill. Concepts TV ads have won more than 150 awards, and have featured celebrities such as Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Wayne Gretsky, Arnold Palmer, and Fabio. (For more information on Concepts TV’s first 30 years of pioneering DR work, see ‚“Concept to Completion,” Electronic Retailer, April 2014.)

 

Liantonio was recently named among 25 Most Influential People in DRTV, and one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee (EAC) of Electronic Retailer, and has served twice on the ERA’s Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), the Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the Women-Owned Business Enterprise for New York City (WBE).

 

‚“I am honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award,” Liantonio says. ‚“It has been a great privilege to be a part of the DRTV revolution, and to work with so many talented clients and vendors whom I now view as family. I am proud of our history and excited for our future.”

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2014/08/live-in-las-vegas/#sthash.c4T4OC14.dpuf

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Megatrax Curator’s Club Gives Clients the VIP Experience

Megatrax Curator’s Club Gives Clients the VIP Experience

concepts tv megatrax

Launched in late 2013, the Curator’s Club is Megatrax’s VIP program rewarding client loyalty with special benefits.

One of the many benefits we’re excited about is a raffle that selects one Curator’s Club member for a company lunch on Megatrax every quarter. Congratulations to New Jersey-based Concepts TV (pictured above), the winner of the most recent lunch raffle!

James Nolan, Vice President/Senior Editor for Concepts TV, says: ‚“Megatrax is Concepts TV’s go-to source for compelling music. Membership to The Curator’s Club allows us to easily pinpoint the perfect track for each commercial. Great musicians who are also great listeners --you can’t beat that! Thanks to the entire Megatrax Team...winning The Curator’s Club Raffle equals amazing catered lunch!”

In addition to fun perks like the possibility of free lunches, all Curator’s Club Backstage Pass members get the Megatrax 100% Guarantee. Under this Guarantee, every quarter we’ll create up to 12 original tracks based on Curator’s Club members’ needs (one track per quarter per club member). Tracks must be instrumental only, and :30 2:00 in total duration. (No re-records, themes, logos, bumpers, sound effects or score to picture requests please.) You need it, we’ll create it. Guaranteed.

What could you do with a service like this? We just completed a World Cup Soccer piece that is being used by a large broadcast group. It was a 2:00 instrumental piece reflecting the intensity and excitement of this global event that musically nods to the beautiful host country of Brazil.

If you haven’t already been inducted into the Curator’s Club, and you’d like to know more, please contact us at info@megatrax.com, and check out Megatrax.com/curators_club.php.

To read the full article please click here

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Collette Liantonio to Receive ERA Lifetime Achievement Award at 2014 ERA D2C Convention!

Collette Liantonio to Receive ERA Lifetime Achievement Award at 2014 ERA D2C Convention

Industry pioneer will be honored on September 18 during the Moxie Awards Gala at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Collette LiantonioWASHINGTON, D.C., June 10, 2014, The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) announced that Collette Liantonio, president of Concepts TV Productions, will be honored with the esteemed 2014 ERA Lifetime Achievement Award. She will be recognized during a special presentation at the Moxie Awards Gala on Thursday, September 18, 2014, 7:00 p.m. 9:30 p.m., at the 2014 ERA D2C Convention at the Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to a deserving member whose work has had a visible impact on the industry and has been acknowledged as doing so by other colleagues in the industry and the public at large. Liantonio will join past honorees: Jeffrey Knowles, Kevin Harrington, Katie Williams, Billy Mays, Earl Greenburg, Rob Woodrooffe, Tim Hawthorne, Greg Renker, Joe Segal, Suzanne Somers, Mike Levey and Ron Popeil.

‚“Collette Liantonio is an innovator in every sense of the word. She has not only helped to elevate direct response marketing through her creative contributions, but as a highly successful entrepreneur and thought leader, she has helped pave the way for women to grow and prosper in this industry. We are proud to name Collette as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient,” says ERA President and CEO Julie Coons.

‚“I am honored and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award,” says Liantonio. ‚“As a pioneer of this industry, it has been a great privilege to be a part of the DRTV revolution, and to work with so many talented clients and vendors whom I now view as family. I am proud of our history and excited for our future.”

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Collette Liantonio earned her BA in English from Fordham University and her MA in Directing from New York University. Liantonio also attended Harvard University’s Owner/President Management Program. She is a licensed speech and dramatic arts coach, experienced in all aspects of public speaking and directing. After launching Concepts TV in 1983, many of her direct response commercials and infomercials became advertising legends, such as Ambervision Sunglasses, Topsy Tail, The Abdominizer, Bedazzler, Pajama Jeans, Contour Pillow, and The George Foreman Grill. Concepts TV is the recipient of more than 150 awards. Her infomercials have featured Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Jim Cramer, Wayne Gretsky, Arnold Palmer, George Foreman, Fabio, and dozens of other celebrities.

Recognized as ‚“One of the 25 Most Influential People in DRTV,” Liantonio was ranked one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly. In 2013, her company was ranked as one of the nation’s 500 leading entrepreneurial companies by DiversityBusiness.com. Liantonio was honored by the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey as one of their Women of Achievement in 2014. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee for Electronic Retailer magazine, and has served twice on the Electronic Retailing Association’s Board of Directors.

She is also a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization, the Woman’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Women-Owned Business Enterprise for New York City (WBE).

For more information about the Moxie Awards Gala or to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.retailing.org/moxies/.

 

About the Moxie Awards

The ERA Moxie Awards Gala is direct response marketing’s premier celebration, honoring the best campaigns of the year. Moxie's famous posh blue carpet will welcome guests for a grand entrance. The Gala features live music, exceptional dinner and superb company. For more information, visit http://www.retailing.org/moxies/.

About the 2014 ERA D2C Convention

The Electronic Retailing Association’s 2014 ERA D2C Convention is the 21st annual show where the industry’s top technology innovators, manufacturers, buyers and marketers meet to learn about the hottest trends in the direct-to-consumer marketplace and meet with partners and potential customers to seal critical business relationships. The event will feature nearly 4,000 attendees and 120 exhibitors, a variety of education sessions on industry-related topics and expansive networking opportunities, as well as a wide variety of events on the tradeshow floor. For more information, please visit http://www.retailing.org/d2c/.

About the Electronic Retailing Association

Representing a more than $350 billion market, the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) is the only trade association in the U.S. and internationally that represents leaders of the direct-to-consumer marketplace, which includes members that maximize revenues through electronic retailing on television, online and on radio. ERA strives to protect the regulatory and legislative climate of direct response, while ensuring a favorable landscape that enhances e-retailers’ ability to bring quality products and services to the consumer. For more information about ERA, please visit www.retailing.org.

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Attendees Marvel Over Response Expo’s Networking Events

Attendees Marvel Over Response Expo’s Networking Events

By Thomas Haire

SAN DIEGO, As long time attendees know, Response Expo’s networking events are the hub of deal-making and flat-out fun during the show. And this year’s series of seven networking events, five cocktail receptions, the Seventh Annual Golf Tournament and the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, once again allowed Expo veterans and newcomers alike the chance to mix, mingle, drive business and have a great time.

From Monday night’s Kick-Off Party all the way through to the Closing Night Party at Petco Park (home of the San Diego Padres), which featured a surprise performance from hip-hop legend Young MC, opportunities to connect were around every corner.

‚“From start to finish, the show was top notch!” says Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, vice president of sales and marketing for Concepts TV Productions in Boonton, N.J., and reigning Direct Response Marketing Alliance (DRMA) Member of the Year. ‚“And, of course, the icing on the cake was busting a move’ with Young MC!”

The Kick-off Party, sponsored by Lockard & Wechsler Direct and hosted at the rooftop lounge of San Diego’s swanky Hotel Andaz on April 28, started the week’s networking opportunities. It was the third annual ‚“party before the show,” and led nicely into the next morning’s sold-out golf tournament, which featured breakfast, on-course beverages, fun and games at various holes, and an awards lunch. Golf attendees also showed off their charitable sides, kicking off the Expo’s push to promote Someone Cares, a San Diego-based charity that provides support for the homeless. By the end of the show, Expo attendees had donated more than $2,000 to the cause.

Following the Keynote Address, All-Access Badge holders enjoyed the Opening Night Party in the Sapphire Foyer and Terrace of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. On April 30, attendees were treated to a first-class time at the Venable Justice League Party. Later in the evening, All-Access Badge holders became true networking superheroes during the poolside Masked Marvels Celebration, sponsored by Imagine Fulfillment Services (IFS) and Icon Media Direct.

Expo attendees capped off the three-day event with a private party at Petco Park, and a lively 30-minute surprise performance from Southern California-based rapper Young MC, whose 1989 hit ‚“Bust A Move” remains a showstopper.

‚“It was another fabulous Response Expo,” says Mark Sullivan, vice president of direct response and paid programming for Viacom Media Networks. ‚“From Viacom’s perspective, it may have been our best one yet!”

Adds Bob Aloisio, vice president of sales and marketing for Chicago-based TTC Marketing Solutions, ‚“The show, and all of the events and parties, was outstanding. TTC exhibits at and I attend a lot of shows and events each year, and Response Expo is by far the best.”

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Expo Hall Reverberates With Deals and Excitement

Expo Hall Reverberates With Deals and Excitement

By Thomas Haire

SAN DIEGO, With more than 3,300 attendees, Response Expo’s show floor was the center of the action during the event at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront on April 29-May 1. Attendees mixed and mingled for two days in the Expo Hall, which featured a bevy of prominent booths including those of Thill Logistics and Dial800, as well as the new Masters of the Digital Universe Pavilion, sponsored by Manatt Phelps & Phillips. For the fourth straight year, the New Product Pavilion showcased soon-to-be successes as well as top DR hits, while three networking lounges on or near the show floor helped fuel traffic.

‚“We are on our way to closing a sale with a prospective client I’ve been calling on for more than 20 years,” says Collette Liantonio, president of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions and a 2014 DR Hall of Fame inductee. ‚“He’s nearby us in Edison, N.J., but he’s always stuck with radio until we met again in San Diego. We do great business at Response Expo.”

The New Product Pavilion, powered by Top Dog Direct and located in the center of the tradeshow floor, saw a substantial amount of foot traffic, as did the Bloody Mary Bar and Coffee Bar (presented by Litle & Co. and Response), which offered complimentary coffee and bloody marys to attendees.

Just outside the Expo Hall on the Sapphire Patio, LifeBrands, Rovi, O’Currance and West Direct sponsored the Beer and Wine Garden, which featured food for purchase, as well as complimentary beer and wine. And on Wednesday, April 29, All-Access Badge holders were treated to a complimentary lunch, courtesy of Applied Perceptions.

At the same time, the Invention Home Inventor Pavilion welcomed the creators behind more than 70 new products looking for one shot at DR success, driving plenty of visitors to their end of the Expo Hall.

With a number of major TV and cable network groups setting up shop inside the Hilton, from the ground-level pool area through the second-level lobby bar and all the way up to the Expo level on the fourth floor, a palpable vibe permeated the Hilton, no matter where you looked.

‚“It was great to see the agency/network community in full force at the Hilton this year, it was the buzz of the show,” says Tim Silvia, director of sales, direct response, for New York-based Comcast Media 360. ‚“From our point of view, the proximity of attendees allowed for many unplanned yet productive meetings.”

Adds Brian Norris, director of national advertising sales for DISH Network in New York, ‚“Response Expo was one of the best yet this year. So many on my team commented on how well run the event was. We were thrilled to be at the Hilton this year and are committed to doing the majority of our meetings there in coming years.”

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Billick’s Message Resonates Throughout Response Expo Educational Sessions

Billick’s Message Resonates Throughout Response Expo Educational Sessions

By Thomas Haire

SAN DIEGO, Super Bowl champion coach and current NFL television analyst Brian Billick drew a crowd of more than 600 attendees to the Response Expo 2014 Keynote Address, presented by Havas Edge, on April 29 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The coach of Super Bowl XXXV champion Baltimore Ravens of 2001 kicked off the Expo with a message about relationships, accountability and creating the right mix of personnel to form successful teams and businesses.

‚“You have to become a chief connection officer,” Billick said during a 60-minute presentation including a wide-open Q&A session. ‚“Remember, people don’t care what you think until they know you care.”

Other gems from the witty and thoughtful former NFL headman included, ‚“Those that won’t are no better than those that can’t’”; ‚“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it!”; and a three-step process for communicating with everyone on your team: ‚“Ask, listen and solve.”

Steve Netzley, CEO of Carlsbad, Calif.-based Havas Edge, which sponsored the keynote, says, ‚“As with the keynote speakers from past Expos, Coach Billick’s lesson about how he was able to build a successful organization and culture was insightful. I’m proud to have been a part of bringing another wonderful presenter to Expo attendees.”

Billick wasn’t only working the keynote stage on April 29, though. He was also one of many attendees at the Pre-Show Intensive (sponsored by Dial800) earlier in the day. The event featured a panel of six DR leaders, including experts from marketers like T-Fal and Murad, moderated by Dial800 COO James Diorio.

‚“The Pre-Show Intensive was excellent, and it was so cool to have Coach Billick there,” says Rick Petry, a long-time DR industry leader from Portland, Ore.

The week’s nine educational sessions, which drew more than 550 attendees on April 30-May 1, mixed top marketers, including the Direct Response Marketing Alliance’s 2013 Marketer of the Year finalists themselves, and the key TV network partners who help drive direct response campaigns. Two of those network sessions, one featuring representatives from Viacom Media Networks, Turner Broadcasting, A&E Television Networks and Discovery Communications and another with speakers from DISH Network, DirecTV and Comcast 360, saw standing-room only crowds.

On May 1, a panel made up of six of the inductees to the Direct Response Hall of Fame shared the wisdom of decades of success with a lucky group of attendees in the panel session. At the ceremony itself, the sextet, Chickie Bucco, Tim Hawthorne, AJ Khubani, Collette Liantonio, Tony Little and Katie Williams, was joined by fellow inductees Gary and Mary West and Suzanne Somers. Billy Mays, who passed away in 2009, was saluted with both a moment of silence and a warm round of applause.

‚“Response Expo was awesome,” says Kevin Lyons, CEO & founder of Opportunity Media in Huntington, N.Y. ‚“Billick’s keynote speech was excellent, and the DR Hall of Fame event was spectacular.”

Liantonio, leader of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions and Hall of Fame inductee, says she and her team were thrilled to take part in the event. ‚“The event was simply first class,” she says. ‚“It was just so well run and had a perfect tone. I was so touched to be inducted and to be able to share it with so many of my friends and colleagues over the years.”

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NJBIZ Queen of infomercials: Liantonio became pioneer in industry with Concepts TV

Queen of infomercials: Liantonio became pioneer in industry with Concepts TV

By

Collette Liantonio, the president of Concepts TV, says the crazier the commercial the better.

Having just returned from mountain biking and hiking through Bhutan in the Himalayas, and currently planning her next trip to Iceland, Collette Liantonio shows no signs of slowing down.

 

Not even the sting of a Portuguese man o' war on a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands could quench her thirst for risk-taking.

 

"Most of us crave adventure," Liantonio said.

 

What else would you expect from the woman who took a risk 30 years ago to start her own production company serving an industry no one knew existed?

 

Today, she is the "Queen of Infomercials", the person who almost single-handedly created the concept of selling products on late-night TV with commercials so wacky you can't help but watch them.

 

And, more often than most of us want to admit, buy from them.

 

Liantonio seamlessly balances her global explorations with being a wife, mother and grandmother while serving as president and creative director of her multimillion-dollar production company, the Boonton-based Concepts TV.

 

"I'm not quite sure how I was able to do this, mind you, but I've been able to have a wonderful marriage, family, and still a very gratifying career," Liantonio said.

 

But it wasn't always so easy.

 

———

 

Liantonio started a family while teaching English, Spanish, film studies and speech at Rutherford High School and freelance writing.

 

When a client Liantonio wrote for purchased a direct response company and invited her to direct a commercial, Liantonio jumped at the opportunity despite having no experience.

 

"I filmed my first commercial in 1979 for a bug zapper, and it ended up being a success," Liantonio said.

 

Though Liantonio would join an advertising agency in Manhattan shortly after, she couldn't shake the thrill of directing.

 

"I just loved the idea that you could air a commercial and, hours later, know if it was successful based on how many products you sold and how the audience responded," Liantonio said.

 

That simmering passion would begin to boil after enduring a terrible commute into Manhattan each morning while being a single mother of two small children.

 

So Liantonio left her stable job at the ad agency to start Concepts TV in 1983, signing the direct response company that started it all as her first client.

 

"That company hadn't had a hit since my bug zapper commercial, so it was a good opportunity for me to jump back in," Liantonio said.

 

Liantonio has since produced more than 3,000 successful commercials, turning products such as Pajama Jeans, Bedazzler, the George Foreman Grill and PedEgg into household names.

 

Her infomercials have featured dozens of celebrities, including Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Wayne Gretzky and Fabio.

 

And with more hits than any other company in the DRTV business, Concepts TV has always been a top-10 winner for short- and long-form infomercials.

 

"I'm known for wacky campy memorable demonstrations," Liantonio said.

 

Like the time she hired sumo wrestlers to demonstrate Furniture Fix, which supports sagging couches, by sitting them together. Or the time she filmed the largest Amish community in Ohio, knowing the Amish cannot look directly into the camera, in a horse barn for The Amish Fireplace.

 

"It's really hard to get someone to take their credit card out in one minute to make a purchase," Liantonio said. "There's an art to it."

 

———

 

If infomercials are an art, consider Liantonio a Picasso, Concepts TV's sales have increased by 35 percent over the last five years in an industry worth billions of dollars.

 

"Our revenue is not only based on production, but also on a percentage of sales," Liantonio said. "We're only as good as the products we sell That's why we're perhaps bigger than we appear."

 

While Concepts TV may seem like a small business located within a Victorian home in Boonton, it's anything but.

 

The company works with clients all over the world in locations such as Korea, Mexico City, Jamaica, Scotland, London and more. Concepts TV also has the capability to create bilingual commercials for the Hispanic market.

 

"I only choose to film in New Jersey because I can pay someone $500 dollars to film in their house for the day. If I were to shoot in Los Angeles, they'd want $5,000."

 

Some of Concepts TV's biggest clients are mainstream direct marketers, including New Jersey-based Telebrands Inc., IdeaVillage Products Corp., Ontel Products and Tristar Products Inc.

 

Mike Govindani, one of Liantonio's clients, is a partner at Fairfield-based Spark Innovators Corp., a product development, marketing and distributing firm specializing in the As-Seen-On-TV industry.

 

"The spots that Collette and her unbelievably talented team have produced for us have been extremely successful," Govindani said. "For the projects we typically hire her for, we expect to sell a minimum of 2 to 3 million units of that product in the first year, and that's on the low side of what she can bring in."

 

John Santilli, senior vice president of operations at King of Prussia, Pa.-based Lenfest Media Group, chooses to work with Concepts TV in New Jersey because of the collaborative nature of its team: "They incorporate our ideas and apply their direct response knowledge and creativity to them Collette and her contributions are a big part of our continued success."

 

———

 

Liantonio has a master's degree in theater education from New York University, so it's no wonder she runs Concepts TV team like a theater group.

 

"The idea of a cohesive, loyal team is all important to me," Liantonio said.

 

She also takes her staff away on yearly company retreats, which in the past have included beach vacations in Cancun, spas in Arizona and sailing trips throughout the British Virgin Islands.

 

Concepts TV currently has 12 employees and one staff member in LA, where Liantonio plans to grow the West Coast business by putting another full-time production team on the ground there.

 

With such great employee benefits, job security and mentorship opportunities, it's no surprise Concepts TV continues to grow, and is still considered a leader in its industry 30 years later.

 

In a traditionally male-dominated industry, Liantonio has earned more than 100 industry awards, and she'll be the first woman inducted into the DRTV Hall of Fame in just a few weeks.

 

She has long been a strong advocate for female leadership and entrepreneurship. She serves with several organizations including the Women Presidents' Organization, a nonprofit membership community for female presidents of multimillion-dollar companies, which provides peer advisory groups to accelerate business growth.

 

"You'll be respected if you know what you're doing, because you can't argue with success," Liantonio said.

 

Rated one of the 25 most influential people in her industry and one of the state's Top 150 Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly, Liantonio has no intention of retiring.

 

"I love what I do, because we make a little magic here."

 

Thirty minutes at a time.

 

E-mail to: megf@njbiz.com
On Twitter: @megfry3

 

The perfect pitch
After more than three decades in the business, Collette Liantonio knows how to make infomercials that get results. Here are some of her secrets:

1 Competitive pricing and premium offers
"And that's not all!" really does work.

2 Great products, that's where it all starts
Collapsible hose? Yes. Collapsible drinking cup? No.

3 Compelling, creative exposition, including testimonials
Yes, the testimonials are from actual users (really), and yes, they really work.

Getting the sale
"You must call now don't wait limited-time offer."

OK, all that's not necessarily true.

In fact, more people buy As-Seen-On-TV products from retail stores than from television. For every product bought directly from an infomercial, at least 10 of those products will be purchased in-store.

In other words, "As-Seen-On-TV" products are actually bought after they're seen again in stores.

Measuring the metrics
According to Liantonio, direct response marketers typically buy play time on national cable markets during "relaxed" time frames throughout the day, 8 to 11 a.m., 12 to 3 p.m., overnight, when there's no dominant competition.

After a two-week period, success can be calculated by cost-per-order. If marketers pay $10,000 dollars for TV time and receive 10,000 orders, that's a $1 dollar cost-per-order.

Based on the numbers, companies can then decide whether to change price points or offers, or increase or decrease the number of times the infomercial runs.

 

To read full article please click here

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Production House: The Top 10 Factors to Selling Fitness: Part II

Production House: The Top 10 Factors to Selling Fitness: Part II

Apr, 2014 By: Collette Stohler, Concepts TV Productions

As she looked in the mirror, she tried to layer winter clothing over her body to cover the fat that had accumulated around her waistline. While she was embarrassed by the way she looked, she was more embarrassed by the way she felt. That former sexiness that exuded from her had vanished. In place of confidence was shame. She shuddered and slipped away as her husband tried to put his hands around her waist.

 

When it comes to selling fitness in the DR world, there are many important factors to consider prior to putting your product on the air. In the second of this two-part series (Response, January), here are five more of the top 10 factors to consider when selling fitness via DRTV:

 

  1. Visceral Reaction: Fitness products are never just about a body. Our psyches have amalgamated our bodies and our minds. Therefore, when showing a negative, show how the person feels. Is that wife ashamed of her muffin top and she pushes her husband away? Does that middle-aged man keep his shirt on at the beach because he is embarrassed of his beer belly? Focus on the visceral reaction that a user feels in the negative, as well as in the positive. If that same wife now welcomes a smooth touch from her husband with the help of your product, you have a lifelong customer.
  2. Viral Video: DR marketing splits its sales between the airwaves and the Internet, the latter being today’s breadwinner for marketers. But the Internet has never been the initial way to grab sales, until now. If you want to capture the eyeballs of the next generation, you have to be culturally and socially relevant. ‚“TwerkOut Werk Out” is a fitness DVD series that grabbed eyeballs through YouTube and quickly spread through the Web’s crazy maze during Miley Cyrus’ ‚“twerk” phase. This DRTV product appealed to a much younger generation, therefore ‚“TwerkOut” needed to get in the faces of that demographic.
  3. Science: There is a reason why certain coaches produce better athletes than other coaches. Often it is because they rely on a scientific method. What is the science behind your product? Why will this product work when nothing else has? You need to show the viewer the science behind the spot. And you should have the scientific documentation to back up the theory behind the program. If you can enlist the endorsements of trainers, physical therapists, exercise physiologists and doctors, so much the better. A dramatic demonstration with equipment that measures performance adds credibility to any regimen. But, be careful. Greg Sater, a partner at Venable LLP, says that he is not the most popular person on set because as the attorney, he is ‚“there to make sure his client’s claims don’t push the envelope too much.” Sater says marketers must find out earlier rather than later whether they’ve got adequate substantiation for the claims they want to make, or if they might have to rephrase them or come up with different claims.
  4. Animation: While you are explaining your product, it is imperative that you give the at-home viewer solid visuals that will anchor the message. For fitness products, animation is key. The average viewer at home is not an expert in human anatomy. But if you highlight muscles that are working on a real human or in complete animation, it clicks in their brain. This shows the at-home user what they have to do to get from point A, the couch, to point B, the results.
  5. Ease of Use: The consumer wants to know whether or not they have the ability to use the product and will enjoy it. Demonstrating ease of use through product demo, animation and testimonials is key. Sure you expect to sweat and work hard but a smile and a happy user tells a very important tale. But while you’re telling your tale, remember to turn off your microphone in between takes. Brett Hoebel, international fitness celebrity and former trainer on NBC’s ‚“The Biggest Loser,” remembers the time he was shooting a fitness DVD program and happened to say a choice word or two about the director. Little did he know his microphone was still on! Luckily, a nice sound guy informed him, and Brett quickly learned how to mute his microphone!

 

While there’s more to consider (Does the product work over time? Is it safe? Do you provide proper instructions on use? Do you have an iron-clad money-back guarantee?), it’s an art form to inspire a couch potato to pick up the phone and take the first step. These 10 tips are a great start at completing your work of art. ‚ñ†

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DR Hall of Fame Roundtable: The Pioneering Spirit!

DR Hall of Fame Roundtable: The Pioneering Spirit!

Apr, 2014 By: Thomas Haire

Members of the second class of the DR Hall of Fame chat about their histories, their passions and what makes direct response great.

 

Response Magazine and its Advisory Board will welcome the inductees for the second class of the Direct Response Hall of Fame at a special ceremony during Response Expo in San Diego at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 1.

 

Not only will the group be honored during the induction ceremony but many of the inductees will also sit in on a special panel discussion with that will take place from 1:45-2:45 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

 

The 10 inductees are:

 

  • Chickie Bucco is president of Katz Direct, a Katz Television Group Company.
  • Tim Hawthorne is the founder, chairman and CEO of Hawthorne Direct, a full-service brand response advertising agency.
  • AJ Khubani founded TELEBrands Corp. in 1983. Today, TELEBrands is thriving as a nearly $1 billion marketing giant.
  • Collette Liantonio launched Concepts TV Productions in 1983. Concepts TV has won more than 150 awards for hits like Go Duster, Better Pasta Pot and Finishing Touch.
  • Tony Little has been a television and fitness icon for more than 25 years, known as ‚“America’s Personal Trainer.”
  • Pitchman and marketer Billy Mays’ dozens of hit TV products grossed more than $1 billion in sales. He passed away at age 50 in 2009.
  • Suzanne Somers spent 21 years on network television and has also been involved in in direct response television and home shopping for more than 20 years after introducing the Thighmaster in 1990.
  • Gary and Mary West founded West Corp. in 1986. The company went public in 1996 and, in 2006, was sold for more than $4 billion with Gary and Mary retaining approximately 20-percent ownership. Today, Gary and Mary are pioneering philanthropists.
  • Katie Williams has spent 30 years in direct response, founded both Williams Worldwide Inc. (1987) and Williams Worldwide Television (1992), and is the president of Southern California-based Ideal Living Direct and the founder and CEO of Williams Digital Direct.

 

This group joins last year’s class of inductees: Jim Caldwell, Frank Cannella, Bill Guthy, Kevin Joseph Lyons, Joe Pedott, Ron Popeil, Greg Renker, Sy Sperling and Sydney Yallen.

 

Recently, Response was able to catch up with all of the living inductees to discuss their careers, the direct response business and more.

 

What does it mean to you to be inducted into the DR Hall of Fame?
Chickie Bucco: It’s an honor to be recognized by my peers.

 

Tim Hawthorne: It’s a unique honor to be recognized by my peers and stand among the best in the business of DR. I’m humbled and appreciative.

 

AJ Khubani: When I think of the term ‚“Hall of Fame” in other categories like baseball or rock-and-roll, I think of legendary figures that have achieved greatness. This is a great honor. However, I feel that my greatest business achievements are yet to come.

 

Collette Liantonio: It is an absolute honor to be inducted into the DR Hall of Fame along with such talented veterans of DRTV. Together we have helped realize the dreams of thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs. It’s thrilling to think that the products and shows we have created will be known for generations to come. I really feel we are a part of the American Dream.

 

Tony Little: I’m incredibly honored to be recognized by this renowned organization. I love the DRTV industry and to be included with the all-time greats means more to me than I can possibly express.

 

Suzanne Somers: I first experienced direct response in the late 1980s with the Thighmaster. Its success blew me away. But what impressed me the most was having the ability to communicate directly with my constituency, which was a gift from my years on ‚“Three’s Company.” And I wasn’t in character as Chrissy Snow, I was Suzanne. Since that time, I have spent more than 20 years in electronic shopping and in collaboration with great DR companies like American Telecast and, recently, with Hampton Direct. I have continued to enjoy this wonderful business.

 

Gary West: Mary and I are honored and very appreciative to be inducted into the DR Hall of Fame because the DR business made everything else we have accomplished possible.

 

Katie Williams: I’m honored to receive this tribute, along with other legends of our industry. Most of all, I’m grateful to the many people who have contributed to my success: mentors, clients, partners, team members and many dear friends from all facets of our industry. I’m fortunate to have been touched by so many amazing people.

 

Why do you believe the Response Advisory Board supported your case for induction into this exclusive group?
Bucco: To me it’s an acknowledgment of the success of Katz Direct as a company.

 

Katz realized the need for specialists in this field and established Katz Direct 25 years ago. Katz committed the infrastructure and resources needed to deal with what we could clearly see was a growing category. And the company continued to support me as the business evolved and the needs changed.

 

Hawthorne: In October 1984, I produced one of the first infomercials to air in the modern era of long-form. In June 1986, I founded the first long-form advertising agency. I was one of 10 co-founders of the National Infomercial Marketing Association (NIMA, now known as the Electronic Retailing Association, or ERA). I authored a best-selling book on infomercial marketing, have written hundreds of articles published in industry trades, and I’ve been a DRTV and direct response thought leader for 30 years. I was the third recipient of ERA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Hawthorne Direct has managed more than 900 different client campaigns and produced more than 400 television commercials, both long- and short-form, and won more than 400 industry awards.

 

Khubani: I was selected for longevity and TELEBrands’ leadership role in creating, building and maintaining the ‚“As Seen on TV” category at retail.

 

Liantonio: My first commercial aired in 1979, so I was one of the pioneers of the DR industry. I pride myself on my ability to turn ordinary products into household names, AmberVision sunglasses, the Bedazzler, the George Foreman Grill, Pajama Jeans, classic commercials for classic products. While I am firm believer in the importance of a great script as the blueprint for a great commercial, it is the visual that captures attention, and I have a reputation for creating memorable visuals. If you’re flipping through the channels or fast-forwarding your DVR and you see women tap-dancing on the hood of a car (Auri Gold) or 1,000 lbs. of Sumo wrestlers filling your screen (Furniture Fix), you are compelled to stop. When you are compelled to purchase the product, then I have succeeded. That is the art of DR.

 

Little: I hope it was because I’ve always tried to be an ambassador for the DRTV industry by promoting its value to the masses. I’ve also believed it was my responsibility to uphold the integrity of our business by always being honest with our customers and giving them the value they deserved.

 

Somers: Probably because it’s clear that I take direct response very seriously, and I have no intention of going away.

 

West: We hope it is because we always tried to set a good example for the industry and always put the best interests of our clients first.

 

Williams: I’m one of the pioneers, starting way back in 1983 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deregulated advertising, resulting in the birth of infomercials and home shopping. I’ve taken a leadership role ever since, working with the legendary DRTV greats (Greg Renker, Ron Popeil, Peter Spiegel, Kevin Harrington, Fern Lee, and hosts of others), as well as introducing brands such as Philips, Microsoft, Toshiba, Mars, DirecTV and Hoover to DRTV. My company, Williams Worldwide, was one of the first to market products internationally, and I helped introduce entrepreneurs around the world to DRTV.

 

How were you able to maintain success in through all the ups and downs this marketing method has seen over the years?
Bucco: Clearly, it’s a tribute to the management and staff at Katz Direct. My senior management team has been in place for more than 20 years, and I can say with confidence that Ben Buchwald, Steve Diamond and Mike Lum are thought of as leaders with in the DR community. They are respected colleagues to our station clients and trusted liaisons to our agency and advertiser customers as well.

 

Hawthorne: I’ve been an industry leader and visionary, with focus, ethics, perseverance, an amazingly dedicated and service-minded staff, and smart clients with great products and services.

 

Khubani: I get excited by the business. Enthusiasm has the amazing ability to drive one to overcome obstacles and the resilience to bounce back when he stumbles and falls.

 

Liantonio: The market will be capricious at times, but, ultimately, the consumer will always want and need product. DR is a proven method whereby you can immediately discern whether your campaign has success. Sometimes it is instant gratification, and other times it is instant disappointment. Nothing in the world, especially DR, is ever constant. The only thing that is consistent is change, and that is never boring. Talent is important, but persistence is my secret weapon. I always show up and I always bring my A-game. I am passionate about selling products.

 

Little: I think it’s because I’ve always been a forward, out-of-the-box thinker. I’ve been working live TV shows since the beginning and been involved with infomercials for many years. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to really listen to what my customers are saying and respond to them in a meaningful way. I’ve also worked very hard to diversify my offering of products, ranging from fitness to positive lifestyle.

 

Somers: Fortunately, with my television career and websites, I have been able to endure the down times of the business. After ‚“Three’s Company,” I starred in ‚“Step by Step” for seven years, as well as ‚“Candid Camera,” ‚“She’s the Sheriff,” ‚“Suzanne,” ‚“The Suzanne Show,” ”Suzanne Somers Breaking Through,” more than a dozen TV and feature movies, plus 20 years of starring in Las Vegas. The more television and personal appearance exposure, the more powerful our brand, it’s the perfect synergy.

 

West: We always asked our clients one question: ‚“How can we help you be more successful?” We listened, we learned and we provided them what they wanted and needed. We never really thought about making money because we knew that would be a natural byproduct of doing the right things for our clients.

 

Williams: Maybe because I’m a glutton for punishment! Actually my success is due to my willingness to fail, to learn, and to keep moving forward. I’ve always said that DR is a business for the brave. With DR you know the results of your advertising within minutes/hours of launching a campaign, and you can’t hide from those results. Most advertisers operate in blissful ignorance of the efficacy of their campaigns, assuming that their beautiful creative will translate to sales months later, and blaming other factors if it doesn’t. With DR you can’t gloss over the results. DR keeps me humble because I still face failures every day, whether it’s a media buy that flops, a creative concept that doesn’t resonate, an offer that doesn’t convert or a myriad of other challenges. But I apply the lessons, keep going, and, fortunately, the successes dwarf the failures.

 

What does it say about the DR marketing industry when major brand players that used to avoid DR are now utilizing it extensively, not only to create sales but also to build brand?
Bucco: It’s all about return on investment (ROI) and as technology changed, the perceptions of DR changed. The advertisers themselves pushed the agencies to explore DR, and the results were evident.

 

Hawthorne: The DR industry has matured, and brand advertisers are finally getting it. Good advertising should be both memorable and measurable. We can build brands while generating immediate response and make all our advertising investments accountable.

 

Khubani: It reminds me of the California gold rush. If we would have kept quiet, we could have kept all the gold to ourselves!

 

Liantonio: Image advertisements are creative and beautiful, but direct response is unlike anything else in that you realize a direct sale based on your commercial. The bigger brands have recognized that our formula works. During the recession, the first budget cut was image advertising. DRTV delivers an ROI, and the world has taken notice.

 

Little: It’s certainly an important move for branding companies because there are more opportunities for their products or services, something those of us who have worked in DR for many years have always recognized! The one-product hits are fantastic, but the value of branding your company and products is a much better long-term growth area. I didn’t start out as one, but DRTV allowed me to become a brand!

 

Somers: Major brands that had done really well for many years believed that their way was the best way. Most major retailers were populated by management that did not understand how DR could add incremental dollars to their bottom lines. Once they got it, they all jumped in big time and it paid off. Now, it’s a very important channel for big retail to get to their younger demographic, who no longer go to stores and do all their shopping with fingers on computer keys.

 

West: It screams, ‚“Direct marketing works and, if done properly, it is cost effective!” Smart companies, big and small, are allocating resources for it in their advertising and promotional budgets.

 

Williams: Major brands like the tremendous impact of DR marketing, as well as the accountability. DR is an incredibly powerful form of marketing when utilized with expertise. DR fundamentals also underlie online success.

 

In your professional career or personal life, what have been the two biggest defining moments?
Bucco: In my personal life of course, it’s my marriage and the birth of my son. I believe I have a life well lived and have and will continue to have my work be a part of the fabric of that life. Professionally, being tapped to run Katz Direct was an important moment in my career.

 

Hawthorne: The night I launched my first infomercial in November 1984, I watched it on a huge satellite dish and then called the call center in Omaha, Neb., to discover we netted hundreds of orders and a 10-to-1 media efficiency ratio (MER). A year later, the product had $60 million in sales. An industry was born.

 

Another was the first meeting of the NIMA founders in 1990 at Venable in Washington, D.C., hosted by Jeff Knowles. There were 10 fierce competitors sitting at one table creating solidarity to protect and foster this new industry.

 

Personally, my wife, Laya, and I traveled around the world, visiting countries including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Namibia, South Korea and China, to produce a 55-minute pro bono documentary for World Teach, a program that sends college graduates overseas to teach English and live with the local residents for one year. The completed documentary premiered at the famed Brattle Theater near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass., won many awards and is used widely in education. It was a wonderful opportunity to give back.

 

Khubani: Meeting my remarkable wife, Poonam, and having our three children. Yes, I realize those are technically four moments!

 

Liantonio: In my personal life, there were three defining moments: the births of my three children. In my business career, it was the moment I recognized our global impact on international culture. Imagine my surprise to see our American commercial airing in China for the first time? That filled me with such a sense of pride. Our infomercials now air throughout the world and sometimes they are so well-known that they are even spoofed. The day Johnny Carson spoofed the show for The Blade, I knew we’d achieved a new level of success. Since then, Chelsea Handler, Perez Hilton and truTV (to name a few) have all taken a stab at spoofing our spots, and I laughed right along with the world.

 

Little: The first would be my introduction to the infomercial industry at the second NIMA Awards by Earl Greenburg. The second would have to be becoming one of the first two celebrities to ever work on HSN’s live shopping on TV.

 

Somers: Professionally, being fired from ‚“Three’s Company” for demanding to be paid commensurately with the men. After spending a year feeling sorry for myself, I realized that I had enormous visibility. I used that visibility to reinvent myself and create new businesses. Personally, successfully combining families with Alan Hamel has provided a solid foundation for life and a wonderful and creative group of children and grandchildren. ‚“3-Way Poncho,” which was created by our daughter Leslie Hamel, rolled out nationally with Hampton this fall. It’s a hit!

 

West: Automating West Corp.’s order-entry system with color terminals that materially improved the phone agent’s ability to ‚“upgrade” sales, which greatly improved clients ROIs.

 

Also, developing our own proprietary voice response system, which allowed West Corp. to vastly expand our product offerings to clients. This system led to West Corp. becoming the biggest audio/video conferencing company in the world (InterCall), as well as the industry leader in 911 emergency services (Intrado), both wholly owned subsidiaries of West Corp.

 

Williams: As long as I remember, I’ve detested unfairness and discrimination of any type. Although business was mostly men’s turf in my hometown, my parents did not recognize barriers to what girls and women could achieve, and taught me that I could be whatever I wanted. I started my ‚“career” at age 14, delivering papers in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and breaking barriers by being the first papergirl in town. My customers would call for everyone in their house to ‚“Come see our paper girl!”

 

Following that same trajectory, I founded my first company when I was 30, working from my kitchen table. In that first year in business, my largest client called me into its office to renegotiate our contract. I entered its boardroom where I met with the CFO and several other execs, all men, all in suits, and all with many more years of business experience, who proceeded to pound on the need to lower our commission or lose their business. Internally, I felt like a little girl, alone and outnumbered. But externally, I stood my ground and explained how my company benefited them and therefore deserved the commissions they paid us. After an hour or so of repeating my explanation in different ways, they conceded and my commission remained unchanged. I almost couldn’t believe it! In that moment, I realized the power of my expertise and of my dedication to superlative service.

 

In just a few years, the Los Angeles Business Journal honored my company as the largest woman-owned business in Los Angeles. Here’s a shout-out to my mom and dad, and to Peter Spiegel, my partner in both business and life, for their inspiration and love!

 

What’s the most significant accomplishment in your Hall of Fame career?
Bucco: Building Katz Direct into a successful, highly functioning company that remains relevant today. When I took charge of the group, its future was uncertain and its success far from assured. I’m proud to have played an integral role in its development and I am proud of the imprint our team has had on the industry.

 

Hawthorne: Creating a company that has thrived for 28 years and provided a supportive work environment, friendship, respect, creative and professional challenges and personal growth for hundreds of fine team members.

 

Khubani: Surviving bankruptcy, it’s the toughest thing I’ve lived through, yet the best thing that ever happened because of the enormous strength and insight it gave me.

 

Liantonio: The year we received awards for the best short-form commercial (Contour Pillow) and the best long-form infomercial (Smart Mop) were significantly satisfying from an artist’s perspective, because our hard work and creativity were acknowledged by industry peers I greatly admire. My inner saleswoman, however, enjoyed the moment I realized my products were selling on the retail shelves of every drugstore and department store. Walking down the aisles, seeing ‚“As Seen on TV” lining the shelves, made me feel like, ‚“Yes! I have arrived.” My commercial campaign catapulted enough sales to make it, first, a household name and, second, a viable, tangible product on a shelf. It was very rewarding, especially since retail was initially our competition. But we broke down the barriers in order to give our clients success on multiple levels. Ultimately, my greatest accomplishment is triumphing on behalf of the client.

 

Little: It’s the opportunity to work with some amazing DR companies, as well as having more than seven successful infomercial shows. And, of course, there is the true blessing of being an early pioneer in the world of live shopping channels.

 

Somers: I could list the hundreds of products we have created or licensed, but the fact that I have actually survived in this roller coaster business is easily my most significant accomplishment.

 

West: We went to work every day, thinking about what we could do to help our clients be more successful. We were always truthful, admitted our mistakes, made things right with the customer and did whatever possible to see the same problem did not occur again. We were obsessed with doing things right, and to this very day, that is still the culture at West Corp.

 

Williams: My most significant accomplishment is that I am great at building ‚“dream teams.” I have a talent for finding and cultivating exceptional talent. It’s very gratifying to me to see how many industry leaders were on my team, from those who have gone on to start their own businesses, Michelle Cardinal, Nancy Lazkani, Gerald Bagg, Renee Young, Lisa Bodlak, Robin Behar, Alissa Stakgold, to those who are running leading agencies, Ruben Hernandez, to my international friends, Tee Kuboki, Denise Graham, Janie Peace, to my current dream team at Ideal Living. I actually don’t know how I’ve been so fortunate to touch so many lives.

 

What’s most important to me is that I try to live my life with a feeling of service, service to my team members, to my clients, to my partners. And part of that service is also to help those less fortunate. Because of my success over the years, I’ve been able to help build hospitals in India that provide completely free medical care to villagers who otherwise would have no care at all. I’ve personally visited these hospitals and seen the dramatic impact they have in their regions, 500 people a day line up to receive state-of-the-art medical care at no charge. We also support a free school for girls. In an area where girls seldom have the opportunity to receive even rudimentary education, the school teaches hundreds of girls from first grade through college and has received the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence. It’s incredibly gratifying to be able to make a difference in this way.

 

What other memorable accomplishments stand out in your career?
Bucco: I imagine one day I will be better at looking back and reminiscing about the memorable accomplishments of my career. Now, though, my attention is on today’s client calls and tomorrow’s avails, as I have yet to slow down. I am proud of that too.

 

Hawthorne: Authoring my book and hundreds of published articles; speaking all over the world at dozens of conferences; advocating the benefits of DRTV wherever I travel. Mentoring dozens of great employees, some of whom went off to create strong competing companies. Being honored by ERA with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Bringing DRTV to scores of brand advertisers.

 

Likely the most rewarding accomplishment, though, has been joining forces with my daughter, Jessica Hawthorne-Castro. In 2007, Jessica, who holds an MBA and is a former accomplished television literary agent with William Morris Endeavor Agency, joined Hawthorne Direct to help further manage and grow the company. Jessica joined as an account executive, and worked her way up the corporate ladder. Today, she represents the next generation of Hawthorne Direct and serves as our Chief Operating Officer.

 

Khubani: How about some memorable moments instead: opening my first mail order from my first ad placed in the National Enquirer in 1983; walking into Herman’s Sporting Goods and watching a consumer buy a pair of AmberVision sunglasses in 1989; and getting a cost-per-order (CPO) of 60 cents the first weekend our spot tested for the Whisper 2000 in 1990.

 

Liantonio: I love trying new things and breaking old rules. We were one of the first production companies to use female voiceovers successfully. (The mistaken ‚“belief” was while most women purchase DR products, they only buy from male ‚“voices.”)

 

I never accept ‚“can’t.” I am a ‚“can do” person, so I problem solve in order to get it done. But not just get it done, get it done right. Once I had to direct an infomercial in Korea without knowing or understanding the language! That was certainly challenging, but I hired a translator and made it work. Another time, I had to rely on my Spanish-speaking skills to direct an infomercial in Mexico City! When I shot the Amish Fireplace, we discovered the Amish are forbidden to look at the camera, so we got creative with camera angles, and it is by far one of my most memorable production experiences, because it represents our think-outside-the-box mentality. We create solutions at Concepts TV, and I’m very proud of that.

 

Little: I’ll never forget my first infomercial hit with Mike Levey and ‚“Amazing Discoveries.” Mike was incredibly talented. And, of course, there are my Gazelle shows with Fitness Quest.

 

Somers: When it comes to marketing, I believe getting there first, creating a large footprint, and supporting it with massive amounts of promotion is the only way to be heard. Last fall, I did more than 200 interviews to support the marketing of my 24th book, ‚“I’m Too Young for This.” It became an instant New York Times bestseller, as have 13 of my other titles. I consider massive promotion in launching a DR product vital to its success. It is as important as the product itself. It can be the lifeblood of DR. Before we push ‚“go,” we plan, plan, plan! It’s our way of ‚“going to war.”

 

West: Early on, we realized that to be successful on a large scale, we had to surround ourselves with the most qualified talent possible. Therefore, we hired the best talent money could buy, paid them very well, provided key people with an ownership position in the company and insisted they lived and breathed the ‚“West Way of Doing Things” at all times. ‚ñ†

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Searching for the Fountain of Youth in Response Magazine

Searching for the Fountain of Youth

Apr, 2014 By: Bridget McCrea

All generations of consumers are looking for new ways to look and feel better. DRTV marketers in the beauty and personal care category continue to help them achieve these, and other, goals.

 

A stalwart in direct response marketing, the beauty and personal care category didn’t disappoint in 2013 and is already showing signs of more growth this year. Populated by products like Wen, Tommie Copper, Meaningful Beauty and no! no!, and pitched by celebrities like Montel Williams, Alyssa Milano and Cindy Crawford, the category includes a broad selection of items with a simple goal in mind: to make people look better and feel better about themselves.

 

Those efforts are paying off. According to The NPD Group Inc.’s BeautyTrends¬Æ Direct report, the nation’s prestige beauty sector (defined as products sold mainly in U.S. department stores), grew by 5 percent in 2013, while the skincare and makeup categories each experienced healthy gains of 7 percent. The direct-to-consumer channel grew 19 percent in 2013 and helped to drive growth for the beauty industry for the year. ‚“Beauty was among a handful of industries showing growth in 2013,” said Karen Grant, NPD’s vice president and senior global industry analyst, in the report.

 

‚“Consumers continue to struggle with lower income levels, but the global economic environment continues to stabilize,” Grant continued. ‚“The social trends all around us indicate an improving outlook and a willingness to invest when the associated risk is low; this is a real opportunity for our industry.”

 

According to NPD, today’s consumers are interested in value, but they are also willing to invest in premium-priced offerings. For example, while fragrance sales were flat in 2013, sales of fragrances priced at $100 and higher increased by 30 percent (in total dollars). Face makeup priced at $60 and up increased 28 percent, and skincare for the face gained 15 percent in dollar-on-dollar sales.

 

Appliances that address specific personal health and care issues are also hot right now. In its most recent Personal Care Appliances: A Global Strategic Business Report, Global Industry Analysts Inc. (GIA) credits a growing awareness of personal health and a focus on personal grooming with driving the personal care appliances market.

 

Projected to reach 600 million units sold annually by 2018, the market includes hair dryers and curling irons, massagers, trimmers, electric toothbrushes, shaving systems, and myriad other products that help users attain their personal health goals. In terms of unit sales, GIA says hair care appliances represent the largest segment in the global personal care appliances market, and oral care appliances will experience the fastest growth during the next four years.

 

An important driver of today’s beauty and personal care segment are the nation’s 78 million aging Baby Boomers, a good portion of whom are looking for the fountain of youth and interested in products that may help them find it. Add the nation’s obesity challenges to the mix and it’s not hard to see why personal care products like the Ankle Genie have been successful on the airwaves and the web.

 

‚“Between the aging of America and our obesity problem, the need for products that make people feel good is only going to grow,” says Collette Liantonio, president at Concepts TV Productions in Boonton, N.J. She not only produced the Ankle Genie show but she also used the product herself after having leg surgery in early 2014. ‚“Things like swollen ankles and calves are very uncomfortable problems for us Baby Boomers,” she says, ‚“that DRTV marketers have an opportunity to help solve.”

 

It’s a Vanity Play
Call them vain, if you will, but the reality is that Americans care what they look like, how gracefully they age, and what others think about them. This deep-rooted need to look and feel good for as many years as possible is what drives the beauty and personal care machine to higher sales and profits every year. In particularly high demand right now, says Scott Badger, founder and CEO at KPI Direct in Portland, Maine, are products that smooth out wrinkles, diminish fine lines, minimize acne, oxygenate skin, or help ease physical aches and pains. ‚“People are looking for alternatives,” says Badger, ‚“and seeking out topicals, skin care, cosmetics, anti-aging products, and other solutions to their problems.”

 

Having worked with several major beauty and skincare marketers during the past few years, Badger says the best successes come when those sellers ‚“layer” multichannel strategies into their DR campaigns. ‚“This helps them create relevant brands over time,” says Badger, ‚“and it’s particularly important in the personal care/consumables sector where, without multiple channels, you’re dead in the water.”

 

Marketers that break through the multichannel barrier tend to do well in the beauty and personal care category, which is not only in high demand but also ‚“pretty healthy margin-wise,” says Badger. Marketers that understand their consumers and that provide emotional hugs in their quest to alleviate specific conditions, he notes, are usually best positioned to reap those benefits. Making the category even more attractive, he says, is the fact that it’s recession-proof for marketers that consistently produce relevant, useful products.

 

‚“You’ve got to have a great product and you have to advocate for it,” says Badger. By leveraging social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for example, both marketers and happy customers can spread the word about positive experiences from that new skin cream, acne solution, or piece of compression apparel. Consumers of this product category also need high levels of support, says Badger. They need to be able to return, exchange or get refunds easily and promptly, he notes, and get the help they need for whatever product they purchased.

 

‚“You have to create consumer advocacy and use multiple channels to get end users talking about their positive experiences; you want them to tell all of their friends,” says Badger. ‚“When you can get that kind of buy-in on the front end, during the initial engagement, it converts into better brand awareness and maximum repeat purchase over time.”

 

Tackling the Multichannel Space
When developing their beauty and personal care campaigns, marketers are going beyond the basics and seeking out the most effective ways to connect directly with the consumers who benefit from their products. An increasing number of companies are using short-form versus long-form DRTV, says Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, Concepts TV’s vice president of sales and marketing, who also sees more marketers using free-trial offers versus hard price points.

 

And while producers aren’t necessarily selling products solely via YouTube yet, Pinand-Dumpert says her firm is using the platform to publish live demonstrations (without the need for time-lapsing) and to show full-length testimonials. ‚“Anything that doesn’t fit into the short-form time allotment,” says Pinand-Dumpert, ‚“we can now incorporate online.”

 

This multichannel approach also helps marketers work through the difficult task of standing out in the cluttered market. Skincare product shows can be particularly difficult to position for success, says Pinand-Dumpert, because they require extensive before-and-after shots to be believable. ‚“We’re working within limited time frames with short-form,” she points out, ‚“and it can be challenging to get the emotional buy-in that you need to get people to place an order.”

 

The hair care category also has become more difficult to penetrate, according to Pinand-Dumpert, due to the growing number of companies that are getting into the space. Those with lower price points seem to be thriving, she says, while those priced at premium rates tend to languish. ‚“It’s definitely getting harder to make hair shows work,” she notes, ‚“because there are just so many more firms trying out hair products than there were in the past. Breaking through the clutter is difficult.”

 

The Supporting Cast
Hair products may be a difficult category this year, but marketers of a product that supports the hair care trend have carved out a successful niche. On the market since 2012 and sold by Holster Brand, the Hot Iron Holster, a silicone styling iron holder, is sold via QVC and online. According to Erin Balogh, the company’s president, what started out as a personal solution to managing hot, fragile styling tools is on track to become a multi-product line this year.

 

Balogh says Holster Brand sold more than 50,000 holsters last year at an average price point of $18.50 (QVC’s current price for the product). In addition to the U.S., the company is selling its innovative product in Japan, South Korea, Australia, the U.K., and Canada. ‚“The expansion we’ve seen over the last year has been very exciting,” says Balogh.

 

To boost sales and spread the word about its product virally, the firm uses social platforms like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. ‚“Facebook has been huge for us,” she notes.

 

This year, Holster Brand started selling a Hobby Holster for craft enthusiasts and, in March, it introduced a three-pocket ‚“little holster” designed for use around the house. Balogh says home shopping sales have remained steady during the past year and says the educational aspect of TV makes it easier to demonstrate the unique product and show its usefulness.

 

‚“Once someone sees the product in use, it’s easy to see how simple and fun it is,” says Balogh, who adds that DRTV has also helped her nascent firm build early brand awareness for its innovative offerings. ‚“The product itself is pretty simple, but people don’t always understand how it works because there’s nothing else quite like it. By selling via QVC, we’ve been able to chip away at that challenge.”

 

In looking at the beauty and personal care category as a whole, Balogh says there’s high demand for products that suit a real need. Pinand-Dumpert concurs, and says the perpetual desire to look and feel youthful and energetic isn’t going away anytime soon. And that desire isn’t limited to the Baby Boomer generation, both Generation X and Millennial consumers are following in their parents’ footsteps and seeking out new, promising solutions to their problems.

‚“On the whole, people are always going to want to find a way to look younger, style their hair a different way, and be more confident in their appearances,” says Pinand-Dumpert. ‚“Because that need and desire will always be there, the beauty and personal care category will continue to grow and expand in ways that help buyers achieve those desires.” ‚ñ†

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Boonton’s ‘Infomercial Queen’ reigns in The Daily Record

Boonton's 'Infomercial Queen' reigns

Written by Michael Izzo

DENVILLE, This wasn’t Collette Liantonio’s first infomercial shoot. Far from it.

Producer and assistant director Dana Conklin (left) of Montville gets ready to film a scene with Collette Liantonio, president and creative director of Concepts TV Productions in Boonton. Liantonio has filmed more than 3,000 infomercials.

Liantonio, 63, has been called the ‚“Infomercial Queen.” With her 14 employee Boonton-based company, Concepts TV Productions, she’s filmed more than 3,000 infomercials over a 30-year period.

‚“If you’re staying up late, you’ve seen my stuff. I do more two-minute infomercials than anyone in the industry,” Liantonio said, whose ads typically run in half-hour or two-minute format.

‚“Half-hour infomercials are more like telling a story. Short-form commercials are like poems. Every action means something.”

Above all else, Liantonio’s infomercials stick to a single rule: Product is king

Infomercials may not seem like art, but Liantonio treats them as such.

She graduated from New York University with a master’s degree in directing, and was an English teacher for three years, before transitioning to her current work.

‚“I wanted to run a theater. This is close enough. We operate like a theater company,” Liantonio said. ‚“Everyone has to be a generalist, and writing skills are crucial. We do everything in house in Boonton, from script writing to editing, in our little Victorian beehive.”

She’s taken her education and skills, and transitioned them into a thriving career that has allowed her to travel the country and the world.

‚“Europe’s infomercials are usually 15 minutes, so that’s a different shoot,” Liantonio said, adding New Jersey is great place to film most of her ads. ‚“New Jersey is really good for shooting. The sets are built in. California charges $5,000 just do use a room. But this winter was so bad we had to go to California and Florida to shoot.”

Her commercials have made people millionaires; her most famous ad may be for the George Foreman Grill.

Inventor Akiva Schmidman and Top Dog Direct, the company behind ‚“As Seen on TV” products, hope she’ll strike gold once more.

Schmidman, 35, of Pikesville, Maryland, was on scene Wednesday to watch a 10-hour shoot at a home on Cedar Lake in Denville for his product, the BeActive brace.

‚“I’ve been working on this for so long and it’s very exciting, getting the attention I want it to,” said Shmidman. ‚“It’s amazing to get to this point.”

A physical therapist, Shmidman has been working on the BeActive brace worn around the ankle to alleviate lower back pain - for nine years. He first created the product to treat his patients.

‚“It takes quite a lot of time, taking a concept and turning it into something that doesn’t already exist,” Schmidman said. ‚“At my job I treat people one on one. With this, I can treat people globally.”

Schmidman has invested about $50,000 in the brace, mostly spent on patenting, because he believes he has a good product with mass appeal.

‚“When you experience lower back pain, your muscles tighten up in your legs. The brace relieves muscles in your leg which relieves your sciatic nerve. Usually braces go on your back and it’s bulky and sweaty and in the way. This hits a trigger point and releases tension without going on your back.”

He wasn’t the only one who believed his product was a winner. In March, Schmidman took the brace to a speed pitch for Top Dog Direct. He had a minute to present, but didn’t have to do much talking. Two of the three members had a history of back pain, tried on the brace and immediately noticed a change.

Schmidman won the speed pitch and partnered with Top Dog Direct. He said he will assume no further financial risk, as Top Dog will handle the marketing and getting the product into major retail stores, as Schmidman collects the royalties.The product is already sold in New York and Baltimore physical therapist and chiropractor practices.

‚“We wanted a mass marketable product that will solve an important problem and the BeActive brace checks those boxes,” said Steve Silbiger, chief marking officer for Top Dog Direct. ‚“When Akiva came to pitch it, we knew right away we had something. It worked, it could be demonstrated, it has good value. Who wouldn’t pay $20 to make their back better? There wasn’t even a need to change the name. It was off to the races”

Silbiger said Tog Dog is a small firm which handles about six products per year, so he sticks to a very specific criteria to ensure a good success rate.

‚“We’re one or two for three where our competitors are one for ten,” Silbiger said. ‚“We have very high hopes for this and expect it to be on the shelf for many years. The only variable is the consumer response and I think we have a high probability for success.”

But before the BeActive brace hits major retailers, Liantonio has to work her magic.

At the Denville home, Liantonio filmed the brace in action to demonstrate how well it helped while working around the home.

In the laundry room, where a actor was told to bend down to put laundry in the washer and experience back pain, Liantonio showed her flair for detail.

Liantonio removed a black article of clothing from the laundry basket, saying it was too distracting. It was substituted with a royal blue shirt, which she said was too bright. She settled on a baby blue shirt, before turning her attention to the placement of the basket.

‚“The basket needs to be in front. You wouldn’t reach around for your laundry,” Liantonio said, while also instructing the actor when and how to show the back pain. ‚“You’re doing an everyday task and then you bend down; you’re hit with the sharp pain.”

It took several takes before Liantonio was satisfied enough to move to the next room of the shoot.

Later, Liantonio and her crew headed to the Rockaway Mall for ‚“man on the street” interviews.

‚“I like to use the Rockaway Mall or Main Street in Denville,” Liantonio said. ‚“We have people try on the product and say what they think.”

The infomercial for BeActive brace is expected to be on TV within a month.

To read full article please visit http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20140428/NJBIZ/304280006/Boonton-s-Infomercial-Queen-reigns

 

 

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As seen in the Daily Record, Pinand-Dumpert Speaks at 2014 International Home & Housewares Show

Pinand-Dumpert speaks at Home and Housewares Show

BOONTON: Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, vice president of sales and marketing for Boonton-based Concepts TV, gave a presentation at the 2014 International Home and Housewares Show where over 60,000 industry professionals gathered.

Entitled, ‚“DRTV’s Dirty Dozen: Top TV Tips for Successful Products,” Pinand-Dumpert gave away the secret tips and tricks of running a successful direct response campaign in Chicago's state-of-the-art McCormick Place Exposition Center.

‚“There’s a natural marriage between DRTV and the housewares industry, since ultimate sales are covered at point of purchase in retail,” said Pinand-Dumpert. ‚“Concepts TV is one of the leaders in Housewares and Housewares is the biggest category in DR, so it was such an honor speaking at this year’s show. I was very excited to be a part of it.”

The International Home and Housewares Show took place in March. The annual event features 2,100 exhibitors from 34 countries.

To see full article, please visit http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014304160022

 

 

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Smarter, Better, Faster in Response Magazine!

Smarter, Better, Faster

By: Bridget McCrea

 

DRTV producers are sharpening their skills, getting even more creative, and employing technology to help them tackle short- and long-form challenges in today’s cluttered media environment.

 

When Nick Woodman designed the first GoPro camera in 2002 to get quality action photos of his surfing, he probably didn’t envision a time when the world’s DRTV producers would be using his unique invention to film their short- and long-form shows. In fact, as Woodman was selling bead and shell belts from his VW van to fund his venture 12 years ago, his visions of future grandeur were likely limited to really great wave and tube shots.

 

Fast forward to 2014: GoPro has become a big hit in direct response circles, where folks like Bill McAlister are using the fixed-lens cameras, which have become the digital toy of choice for extreme athletes to auto racers, to capture key shots for their short-form shows. The gadget’s popularity hasn’t gone unnoticed: in February, GoPro became the latest company to file for an initial public offering (IPO), yet another milestone that its inventor could hardly have predicted as he fashioned the device’s straps by hand in his VW van.

 

McAlister, president at Top Dog Direct in Trevose, Pa., says the GoPro’s $399 price tag (for the Hero3+ model; prices vary according to model) is a far cry from the $10,000-$12,000 that his firm used to put out for its Olympus cameras.

 

‚“What the GoPro can do is just amazing,” says McAlister, who in 2013 used a GoPro to shoot the bulk of the Night View NV short-form spot footage. The show features drivers who, at first squint, to see the road in front of them at night (shot with the GoPro onboard the vehicle), and whose worlds are then made clearer by a pair of Night View glasses.

 

In addition to saving his company and clients money, McAlister says the tiny camera weighs just eight ounces and introduces more flexibility into the production process. ‚“It also provides better quality and clarity,” he notes.

 

Changing out cameras is also easier with the lighter, more flexible device, says McAlister. When filming the Mighty Purple Putty show, for example, he says 20 percent of the footage was captured via GoPro, with camera switches taking 20 minutes or less (compared to the hours it used to take to change out the equipment).

 

Creating Short-Form that Works

 

With technology advancing at the speed of light, the ubiquitous GoPro is just one tool that short-form producers are using to offset the ongoing challenge of making short-form DRTV work in a world cluttered with consumer distractions. Add soaring short-form media rates and more limited avails to the equation and you get a challenging puzzle that the best producers attempt to solve through solid production values, compelling calls to action, and products that helps customers solve their most pressing problems.

 

Consider the nation’s 78 million-strong aging Baby Boomer population. A member of that generation herself, Collette Liantonio knows all too well the challenges that these individuals face on a daily basis. So, when asked to produce a show for TELEBrands’ Ankle Genie last year, Liantonio, president of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, immediately related to the product and its usefulness.

 

Meant to provide relief for throbbing, swollen or injured ankles, the zip-up compression sleeve sells for $12.99 (plus S&H) via a short-form spot that speaks directly to Baby Boomers and older Americans. ‚“I had surgery this year, used the product, and really came to understand it,” says Liantonio. ‚“Between the aging population and the nation’s obesity issues, swollen ankles and calves are a real problem. Everyone needs this item.”

 

AJ Khubani, CEO at TELEBrands in Fairfield, N.J., calls the Ankle Genie a surprise hit that initially tested to very strong response in November 2013. ‚“We had to respond quickly and roll it out in the first quarter of 2014,” says Khubani. ‚“That was a surprise that we weren’t expecting.”

 

Like many short-form marketers right now, Khubani is grappling with rising media rates. He says TELEBrands and others are under pressure to be even more creative with their shows and make those commercials responsive enough to cover additional media costs.

 

‚“Media costs go up every year and it’s up to us to figure out how to come up with better products and better creative to get the same number of people to respond,” says Khubani.

 

Also challenging producers is the need to develop quality creative on short-form budgets, an effort that today’s consumers have come to expect from everything that they watch on TV, online, and even in the movie theatre. ‚“There’s constant pressure to make everything better and more interesting,” says Khubani.

 

We Want Our ROI Now

 

Still emerging from the ruins of the last national recession, marketers are also squarely focused on their corporate bottom lines and intent on getting the highest and fastest return on investment (ROI) possible from their advertising expenditures. This puts additional pressure on agencies like New York-based THOR Associates, where CEO Fern Lee says remarketing, retargeting (customer bases, for example), and efficient leveraging of data all help marketers attain those ROI goals.

 

‚“To make the most of our databases, we’re looking at different verticals (i.e., radio and print), incorporating data, and then retargeting and remarketing the consumer,” says Lee, a Response Advisory Board member who expects more short-form users to adopt this analytical mindset in the future. ‚“There will always be a low-end, down-and-dirty short-form show out there, but as companies work to grow their brands, these commercials will become even more expensive and sophisticated.”

 

Long-Form Comes a Long Way, Baby

 

To say everyone is using infomercials these days could be somewhat of an overstatement, but look around and you may see that the assertion isn’t as far off base on your might think. Just a couple of months into 2014, marketers like Tyrone Jackson of The Wealthy Investor, #DitchTheCan, and the Good/Bad Art Collective were three of the many organizations that already threw their hats into the long-form arena to promote their products and services.

 

Jackson’s show centered on The Wealthy Investor’s Guide to Stock Market Success CD Audio Series and Manual; #DitchTheCan’s infomercial highlighted how the company pays people to drink and promote its KAOS Gold Energy product; and the Collective’s ‚“experimental” Forever infomercial was designed to reach unsuspecting TV viewers who were unfamiliar with its purveyor’s creations of public art.

 

You’ll notice that the infomercial lineup above includes no traditional DRTV products, yet one more sign that long-form has come a long way. More ubiquitous than ever, 28:30 commercials have broken into mainstream and become a platform of choice for brands, organizations and anyone else looking to leverage the lower media rates, high accountability factor, and luxuriously long format that only infomercials provide.

 

‚“We’re beginning to see more companies running with long-form shows,” says Doug Garnett, founder and CEO at Portland, Ore.-based Atomic Direct, and member of the Response Advisory Board. He compares the environment to a few years ago during the recession, when infomercials fell out of favor due to their higher production costs (compared to short-form).

 

‚“During the recession, people didn’t want to risk putting that much money into a format that is fundamentally more expensive,” says Garnett, whose recent shows include Lowe’s Iris Smart Home Management System and the T-fal OptiGrill. ‚“But this year we’ve seen an uptick; the action is starting to pick back up.”

 

That rising tide even includes some marketers that have traditionally stuck to short-form to sell their products, like TELEBrands. In 2013, for example, the company rolled out long-form shows for the Hurricane Spin Mop and Dr. Bader’s Pest Cures, both of which are being run with ‚“fairly large amounts of media,” according to Khubani, and with good success so far. ‚“Jordan Whitney just reported that our Hurricane Spin Mop ranked fourth in the country,” says Khubani. ‚“That shows that we are solidly in the long-form business.”

 

Crossing the bridge into long-form hasn’t been easy for TELEBrands, which is accustomed to working within short production timeframes and getting its products to market as quickly as possible. ‚“The timeline in long-form is so much lengthier, like months compared to one or two weeks,” says Khubani. ‚“We’re putting a lot of consideration into exactly what we want to get into long-form, which can cost a lot more money and take up to a year to complete and roll out.”

 

 

The Field of Dreams

 

The plethora of new direct-to-consumer platforms has created both opportunities and challenges for long-form marketers looking to leverage online video, social media, mobile and the like. And while hitting consumers from various angles and hoping something sticks may work in certain situations, Garnett says the companies have to get beyond the ‚“build it and they will come” philosophy to achieve real results in the long-form arena.

 

‚“It’s easy to shoot footage and put it online, but it’s hard to get people to watch that footage and actually engage with it,” says Garnett. ‚“The field of dreams approach just isn’t working, as evidenced by the many videos posted on YouTube that have 20 or 30 views.”

 

 

Bucking the Trend

 

In the end, bucking the industry-standard one-in-20 DRTV success rate continues to require a well-honed approach that includes a mix of media investment, good production values, retail rollouts and an online presence (social, website, landing pages). Even with a higher number of non-traditional DRTV users and brand advertisers dipping their toes into the infomercial waters, the need for these solid principles won’t go away anytime soon.

 

Ultimately, Lee says successful DRTV on the both the short- and long-form sides requires the integrated approach that good producers have been preaching for years. ‚“You need to be able to touch the consumer over and over again from different angles,” says Lee. ‚“You can no longer just hope that they watch the show on TV and pick up the phone to place an order.” ‚ñ†

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The “Secret” is Out on Patch.com!

The ‚“Secret” is Out: VP at Concepts TV Gives Successful Presentation at Housewares Show

BOONTON, N.J. (March 31, 2014) At the 2014 International Home and Housewares Show where over 60,000 industry professionals gathered, Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Concepts TV, had the privilege of giving a presentation to her peers. Entitled, ‚“DRTV’s Dirty Dozen: Top TV Tips for Successful Products,” Pinand-Dumpert gave away the secret tips and tricks of running a successful direct response campaign in Chicago's state-of-the-art McCormick Place Exposition Center.

 

‚“There’s a natural marriage between DRTV and the housewares industry, since ultimate sales are covered at point of purchase in retail,” said Pinand-Dumpert. ‚“Concepts TV is one of the leaders in Housewares and Housewares is the biggest category in DR, so it was such an honor speaking at this year’s show. I was very excited to be a part of it.”

 

Pinand-Dumpert’s presentation left a lasting impression on the audience. Many inventors commented that they wished they had known her secrets beforehand; she would’ve saved them a lot of money. One, in particular, commented, ‚“I knew a movie producer and used him to produce my spot. I chose not to work with experts and it cost me a fortune.” He was among the many who requested a transcript of her presentation.

 

The International Home and Housewares Show took place from Saturday, March 15th through Tuesday, March 18th. This annual event features 2,100 exhibitors from 34 countries. For buyers, retailers, wholesalers, and agents around the world, this is their opportunity to join the largest marketplace of homegoods professionals to forge new partnerships while strengthening existing ones.

 

Kristy Pinand-Dumpert has over 13 years of experience in DRTV and was recently honored as DRMA’s Member of the Year. For a copy of her presentation, please contact Concepts TV.

 

Concepts TV Productions, based in Boonton, N.J., is one of the world’s most experienced producers of DRTV commercials and infomercials. Its direct marketing expertise has helped our clients achieve billions of dollars in sales. Many infomercials have become direct response television legends as a result of outstanding sales success.

 

# # #

 

CONTACT: Concepts TV Productions

Kristy Pinand-Dumpert

(973) 331-1500

 

http://morris.patch.com/groups/business-updates/p/the-secret-is-out--vp-at-concepts-tv-gives-successful-presentation-at-housewares-show_fae0435b

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Kristy Pinand-Dumpert Dishes on the DRMA Member of the Year Honor

Fields Reports

1 Mar, 2014 By: Thomas Haire, Doug McPherson

Response Q&A

Pinand-Dumpert Dishes on DRMA Member of the Year Honor

By Thomas Haire (thaire@questex.com)

In the January issue of Response, we reported that Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, vice president of sales and marketing for Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, was voted 2013 Direct Response Marketing Alliance (DRMA) Member of the Year. Pinand-Dumpert’s victory in an industry-wide vote became official during a brief ceremony in front of more than 350 industry insiders at the DRMA Winter Bash in New York on December 10.

‚“The Response team has known Kristy almost since the day she jumped into the direct response business. Her personality, commitment and growth mirror the ideals of the DRMA,” John Yarrington, publisher of Response and co-founder of the DRMA, said at the time. ‚“Kristy earned the lion’s share of the more than 900 votes cast by our members. She’s incredibly deserving of this honor against admittedly strong competition. While Kristy earned this award, the rest of our nominees earned their recognition as well.”

Recently, Response caught up with Pinand-Dumpert to get her thoughts the honor after she had some time to let it settle in.

Q: What does it mean to you and your company to be named the DRMA Member of the Year?

A: It truly was a privilege to be in the company of such tremendously talented nominees, I greatly respect and admire each and every one of them. I’m incredibly proud to say that I work amongst friends and in an industry where we genuinely support one another. When the announcement was made that I had won DRMA Member of the Year, the overwhelming support from my community, and my extended family at Concepts TV, humbled me to the point of tears. I love direct response and what we do and am so excited to be a part of this rapidly growing industry. So for my peers to acknowledge that I play a small part in that is an honor for both my company and myself.

Q: Why do you think your efforts and contributions to the DR business helped earn you this accolade?

A: My boss always comments on my ‚“Put me in, Coach” approach to working hard and playing hard for the betterment of our company, industry, clients and peers. By nature, I apply passion and diligence to every task I take on. Whether I’m participating on industry committees, actively advocating educational sessions or attending networking events to forge new partnerships and maintain existing ones, I’m very dedicated to the evolution of direct response without ever jeopardizing its integrity.

Q: How has the DRMA helped your business? What do you believe working with the DRMA does to create a better business atmosphere for you and the industry?

A: The DRMA provides an ideal platform for us to meet new clients, create new partnerships and grow as an industry. It’s instrumental in the vitality of our business, as well as the industry as a whole. The DRMA provides a plentiful pool of clients and vendors for us to work with by orchestrating networking events, educational sessions and trade shows. Our company also stays abreast of cutting edge technologies that help improve business development, thanks to the incredible effort Response Magazine puts forth on a monthly basis.

Q: What was the most significant accomplishment in the past year for your company?

A: This past year, Concepts TV celebrated a remarkable milestone, our 30th anniversary. Being able to say I’m part of that incredible achievement is amazing. Plus, I’m proud to say we had more than a dozen chart-topping spots and infomercials, continuing to help our clients turn their products into household names. We also opened our Los Angeles office, expanding our presence on both coasts. I even had the opportunity to host a 30-minute infomercial for one of Concepts TV’s oldest clients! Their faith in my ability was endearing. Needless to say, it was a very exciting year, and I can’t wait to see what the next 30 bring.

Q: How did the successful products you worked with during the past year fit within the overall concept behind your company? Were any of those products so successful that they changed the way you do business? If so, how?

A: As a company, we are constantly evolving, learning from every production, every success and even every failure. This past year, we saw firsthand the strong response in the Spanish-speaking market and the impact of social media. Knowing these new avenues exist offers exciting opportunities for sales. Moving forward, we keep these nuggets in mind. When Pedi Spin succeeded in the Anglo market, for example, we immediately jumped on a Spanish-language version, knowing beauty is a passion in the Hispanic market. We even engaged a bilingual talent, so the process from English to Spanish was a seamless one for our client. When it’s a testimonial-driven show, the viral world is crucial to our clients. We are always limited to time for TV, but not on the Web! We now capture longer, more compelling soundbites, giving our clients more assets to work with. Although we may learn and grow from every production, one thing always remains the same: the product is the star. Our creative centers on that mantra and we never lose sight of that. Whether it’s a short-form commercial or a long-form infomercial, it’s a consistent concept we apply to each production and pride ourselves on that.

Q: What is your outlook for the next 12 months?

A: I’m very excited about what the next year brings for Concepts TV and our industry. As a company, we will continue to strive to put our creative caps on with new and exciting amazing demonstrations for our products, resulting in more hits for our clients. Plus, we are very excited to grow our company bi-coastally. We’re also committed to keeping up-to-date on the latest technologies and social media trends, so we can stay dedicated to making the production process easier and more seamless for our clients. We will also actively take part in growing our industry by learning from seasoned professionals and our new media mavericks.

Q: What vertical markets do you believe are best equipped to survive current economic issues, and even thrive, in 2014? Why?

A: During my 13 years in direct response, the trends always seem consistent. When the economy dips, the do-it-yourself (DIY) categories usually thrive. The housewares, beauty and fitness categories will continue to find success with direct response marketing. Is eating out too expensive? Easily reheat leftovers with Stonewave. Can’t find the time or money to hit the gym? Exercise in the comfort of your own home with Hip Hop Abs. Is going to the salon a hardship? Now get Salon Styles at home with Air Curler! Regardless of economic status, pet customers remain loyal to their pets and therefore loyal to pet products. With successes like Cat’s Meow, I predict this will also be a ‚“purrfectly” successful category in the upcoming year.

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Congratulations to Collette Liantonio for being 1 of the 10 Inductees Chosen for the Second Class of the DR Hall of Fame!

 

10 Inductees Chosen for the Second Class of the DR Hall of Fame

SANTA ANA, Calif., Response Magazine and its Advisory Board are proud to announce the inductees for the second class of the Direct Response Hall of Fame, made up of 10 legendary leaders in the direct response marketing business: Chickie Bucco, Tim Hawthorne, AJ Khubani, Collette Liantonio, Tony Little, Billy Mays, Suzanne Somers, Gary West, Mary West and Katie Williams.

‚“Following on last year’s successful debut of the DR Hall of Fame, an idea that was years in the making, we’re thrilled to welcome this second group of inductees,” says Thomas Haire, editor-in-chief of Response. ‚“As always, we must credit the DR Hall of Fame’s genesis to Northern Response’s Richard Stacey, whose desire for Response and the industry as a whole to truly honor those who have helped turn direct response marketing into a $300 billion annual business was crucial to its founding in 2013.”

The group will be honored during an induction ceremony at Response Expo in San Diego on Thursday, May 1. The event, which will be hosted on the Expo Hall floor beginning at 3 p.m., is sponsored by LiveOps, and will follow a special panel discussion with a group of the inductees that will take place from 1:45-2:45 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

‚“What a wonderful group this second class of inductees to the DR Hall of Fame is,” says John Yarrington, publisher of Response. ‚“Each inductee brings his or her own amazing success story to the table. And with more than 30 nominees submitted once again by our Advisory Board and the 2013 inductees, the breadth of service to the DR business displayed by the members of this group again displays just what it will take to join the ranks of the DR Hall of Fame in the coming years.”

Here are brief biographies of the 10 inductees:

Chickie Bucco is president of Katz Direct, a Katz Television Group Company, the oldest, largest and most successful media representative. Bucco oversees direct response short-form, program time sales and paid religion on behalf of more than 500 of Katz Television Group’s client stations. Bucco is known within the Katz organization and industry as a true mentor. In addition to her duties with the Katz Television Group, Bucco has been actively involved with The Alliance for Women in Media, on both the local and national levels, for more than a decade. She has demonstrated her strong commitment to teaching and leadership programs through many contributions, including as a Career Day speaker in New York City public high schools and as Principal for a Day at PS 123 in the Bronx.

Tim Hawthorne is the founder, chairman and CEO of Hawthorne Direct, a full-service brand response advertising agency, specializing in strategic planning, creative development, production, media planning, buying and analytics and campaign management for integrated marketing campaigns. The agency has offices in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Fairfield, Iowa, and has won more than 450 creative awards for numerous brand campaigns during the past 27 years. Hawthorne is a regular columnist for various industry publications, including Response Magazine, and is author of ‚“The Complete Guide to Infomercial Marketing.” He has been a member of the Response Advisory Board since its inception more than a decade ago and was honored with emeritus member status.

AJ Khubani founded TELEBrands Corp. in 1983 with his life-savings of $20,000. Today, TELEBrands is thriving as a nearly $1 billion marketing giant well known for such hit products as the PedEgg, OrGreenic, Pocket Hose, Aero-Knife, Rabbit TV, InstaBulb, Trusty Cane, Who Knew and Great Kitchen Secrets. In 1987, after an initial infomercial, Khubani brought the first ‚“infomercial” product to retail. The now iconic AmberVision sunglasses were sold at New Jersey-based Herman’s Sporting Goods and were a retail success, selling out within days, reaching $150 million worth of sales in the product’s lifetime. In addition to being the first to bring these products to retail, Khubani is also credited with designing the famous red ‚“As Seen on TV” logo. Khubani has become a media regular with a multitude of appearances on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News and more. In 2009, TELEBrands received Vendor of the Year Awards from Target Stores and CVS Pharmacy, alongside such legendary companies as Procter & Gamble and AstraZeneca.

Collette Liantonio launched Concepts TV Productions in 1983. With an M.A. in directing from New York University, Liantonio also attended Harvard University’s Owner/President Program. She is a licensed speech and dramatic arts coach and has experience in all aspects of public speaking and directing. Many of her direct response commercials and infomercials have become advertising legends, including those for AmberVision sunglasses, Topsy Tail, The Abdominizer, Bedazzler, Contour Pillow and the George Foreman Grill. Concepts TV has won more than 150 awards for hits like Go Duster, Better Pasta Pot and Finishing Touch. Concepts TV’s clients over the years also include WD-40, Bissell, QVC, Novartis, Time Warner, Salton and Conair. Liantonio has been recognized as ‚“One of the 25 Most Influential People in DRTV,” she was ranked one of the Top 150 Leading Women Entrepreneurs by New Jersey Monthly, and her company was ranked one of the nation’s 500 leading entrepreneurial companies by DiversityBusiness.com.

Famous throughout the landscape for his boundless enthusiasm, Tony Little has been a television and fitness icon for more than 25 years. Inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006, Little is instantly recognizable everywhere he goes with a legendary reputation for being able to turn adversity into victory. A favorite with both the public and media, the man known as ‚“America’s Personal Trainer” has appeared on national television shows including ‚“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the ‚“Today” show and ‚“Nightline.” Little is a superstar in the world of television home shopping, with his exercise videos earning him 14 Platinum Video Awards and nine Gold Video Awards. More than 45 million people own products bearing his name, and his success crosses international boundaries, with his infomercials having aired in 81 countries. Little was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009 by Ernst & Young. Last year, he was honored by HSN with its highest honor, The Legend Award.

‚“Powered by the air that you breathe. Activated by the water that you and I drink!” With those words promoting the massive hit product OxiClean, Billy Mays moved from successful pitchman into the ranks of direct response television’s legends. Throughout the next decade, and dozens of hit TV products that grossed more than $1 billion in sales, Mays career skyrocketed, cementing his place not only in DRTV but also in pop culture. In the mid-1990s, a chance meeting at a home show with Orange Glo creator Max Appel gave Mays his big break. By 1996, Appel had convinced Mays to give TV a try, pitching Orange Glo wood cleaner and polish on the Home Shopping Network (HSN). The Appel family called on Mays again and again to pitch their product line, which grew to include OxiClean, Kaboom and other cleaning products. In 2009, he and fellow DRTV pitching legend Anthony Sullivan were tabbed as the stars of the Discovery Network’s reality show, ‚“Pitchmen.” The show highlighted product inventors bringing their ideas in front of expert DRTV pitchmen and producers Mays and Sullivan. He passed away at age 50 in June 2009.

Suzanne Somers has been relevant for more than three decades. She spent 21 years on network television, starring on such shows as ‚“Three’s Company” and ‚“She’s the Sheriff.” She’s also been involved in electronic marketing, both in direct response television and home shopping, for more than 20 years, after introducing the Thighmaster in 1990, which sold more than 10 million units. She followed that with several successful DR fitness products. ‚“Suzanne Organics” recently launched in retail for the first time, a line of skincare, haircare and color cosmetics, all organic and certified toxic-free. Her DR products for 2014 include fitness products, DVDs, the Facemaster and an unusual fashion item. Somers has also written 24 books on health and wellness, most are New York Times bestsellers. Her website, suzannesomers.com, and several satellite websites attract a powerful demographic between 30 and 60 years of age. Somers is also partnered in Lifewave Nanotechnology, one of the creators of foreverhealth.com, a national network of integrative physicians. Personally, she has spent 46 years with husband Alan Hamel. They have three children, six grandchildren and have not spent a night apart in more than 35 years.

Gary and Mary West are successful entrepreneurs who founded West Corp. in 1986. The company operates under two segments, Communications Services and Unified Communications, to provide customer contact services, conferencing services, event services, emergency call operations, and notifications and alerts. Intrado supports emergency call operations; Intercall is the world’s largest conference call company; and Televox offers healthcare products and communications support in commercial markets. West Corp. went public in 1996 and, in 2006, was sold for more than $4 billion with Gary and Mary retaining approximately 20-percent ownership. The company employs 35,700 globally with annual sales of $2.6 billion. Today, Gary and Mary are pioneering philanthropists. Their foundation supports several areas, including senior wellness, service canines, and The West Health Institute, a medical research organization with a mission to lower the cost of healthcare. They also started West Partners, a private investment firm with holdings in private and public companies, including senior living communities and real estate development, as well as created West Family Investments, a Chicago-based hedge fund. Avid horse enthusiasts, Gary and Mary have campaigned several top-class thoroughbreds and were the third-leading owners of thoroughbred racehorses in the U.S in 2013.

Katie Williams is the president of Southern California-based Ideal Living Direct and the founder and CEO of Williams Digital Direct. She began her direct response career in 1984, quickly learning the intricacies of DRTV before forming her own company, Williams Worldwide Inc., in 1987. As the founder and CEO, Williams created one of the first and foremost agencies to specialize in DRTV solutions for marketers. The company grew to $130 million in billings, and in 1992, she expanded into global marketing, forming Williams Worldwide Television. Recognized early on as a dynamic, creative ‚“rising star” in the fledgling DRTV industry, her company was ranked the No. 1 by woman-owned business in Los Angeles County in 1993 and among the top five companies by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and was chosen by Working Woman Magazine as one of the top woman-owned companies nationwide.

This group joins last year’s class of nine inductees: Jim Caldwell, Frank Cannella, Bill Guthy, Kevin Joseph Lyons, Joe Pedott, Ron Popeil, Greg Renker, Sy Sperling and Sydney Yallen.

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The Top 10 Factors to Selling Fitness: Part 1

Production House: The Top 10 Factors to Selling Fitness: Part I

1 Jan, 2014 By: Collette Stohler, Concepts TV Productions

She was six-feet tall with long blonde hair and a flawless face. Her thin frame was perfect for the camera. But within minutes of beginning an exercise routine, she was out of breath and completely beet red. She was a pretty face with no stamina. Her body might be able to make it on the runway, but she would never make it in the world of DRTV fitness.

When it comes to selling fitness in direct response, there are many factors to consider prior to putting your product on the air. In the first of this two-part series, here are five of the key factors to consider when selling fitness via DRTV:

  1. Models With Stamina: Dana Conklin, a producer and director with Concepts TV Productions, says, ‚“Anyone can have a pretty face or a nice bod, but that doesn’t mean they can perform all day!” When you’re shooting multiple days of fitness moves, or even just one day, the models need to be able to keep up with the product. Sometimes it takes one shot, but sometimes it takes 30. The talent must showcase the product by demonstrating amazing moves, but they won’t be able to do that if they’re huffing and puffing.
    Collette Liantonio, president of Concepts TV Productions, worked on the Jack LaLanne Stepper Machine. Although LaLanne was in his eighties at the time, the very muscular models that flanked him during the exercises were unable to keep up with the fitness guru.
  2. Before-and-After Photographs: These pictures are the essence of a strong DRTV spot or infomercial. They prove to the audience that this product works on everyday people, that the person watching on the couch can go from flab to fab. Anyone can hire a pretty model, but before-and-after photographs show that this product is worthy of picking up the phone. But developing these testimonials requires lead-time. It is a combination of diet and exercise that produces the body transformation. A good producer and her team will painstakingly follow the subject’s progress throughout the process and make certain he or she religiously follows the prescribed regimen. We always plan on a high rate of attrition.
    Rachel Tonick, president of FitLife Productions in Santa Monica, Calif., says that before-and-afters ‚“not only give the producer a gauge of whether the program is effective, but also show viewers what kind of transformation they can undergo if they commit and push their body.”
  3. Wardrobe: When it comes to wardrobe, you want to have your talent sport sleek, form-fitting fit wear. Stay away from major brand names, loud prints and flouncy items. The talent’s wardrobe needs to tease the audience with a showcase of the body and/or specific body part without distracting from the main event, the product.
  4. Lighting: Want to highlight a shredded six-pack? Then light from behind to cast a shadow across the body. This will make those muscles pop. Want to show a lean, flat stomach on a woman? Then light from the front where you will be able to see her smooth skin clearly on screen.
  5. Target Audience: Prior to putting your DRTV fitness product on the air, you have to figure out your audience. Either you are appealing to an already specified audience, or you are taking a risk to build a new audience. We all know that most DR customers are women. Does your product appeal to both genders? A specific age group? Is your product difficult or easy? What type of results do you promise? You can specify a vertical audience like young fit males (Beachbody’s Insanity) who want to take their workouts to a higher level, or you can try to appeal to a broader audience of middle-aged women who want to drop pounds and firm up (Beachbody’s Slim in 6). If you want to appeal to the masses, it is important that your testimonials, before-and-after photographs and models range in gender, age and ethnicity. It is vitally important that you don’t intimidate the would-be exerciser with routines that are overly challenging. Providing a number of how-to videos with various levels of increasing challenges helps.

Want to learn more about what it takes to make it in DRTV fitness? Stay tuned for Part II, coming soon in the pages of Response. ■

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Shake Your Moneymakers!

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Kristy Pinand-Dumpert Wins DRMA Member of the Year

Concepts TV Productions’ Kristy Pinand-Dumpert Wins DRMA Member of the Year

18 Dec, 2013 By: Thomas Haire

Kristy winning DRMA Member of the Year

NEW YORK Response Magazine and the Direct Response Marketing Alliance (DRMA) salute Kristy Pinand-Dumpert, vice president of sales and marketing for Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, as the 2013 DRMA Member of the Year.

 

‚“Words can’t express how humbled I am to receive the DRMA Member of the Year award,” Pinand-Dumpert says. ‚“When the announcement was made, I was so touched that I had to hold back tears. To be in the company of such talented nominees, and then be voted for by peers I greatly respect and admire, is such an honor. I’m proud to say that I work among friends the DRMA is about forging partnerships and bettering the industry as a whole, and to play a small part in that is so gratifying. I’m so appreciative and thankful for this award.”

 

Pinand-Dumpert’s victory in an industry-wide vote became official during a brief ceremony in front of more than 350 industry insiders at the DRMA Winter Bash in New York on December 10.

 

‚“The Response team has known Kristy almost since the day she jumped into the direct response business. Her personality, commitment and growth mirror the ideals of the DRMA,” says John Yarrington, publisher of Response and co-founder of the DRMA. ‚“Kristy earned the lion’s share of the more than 900 votes cast by our members. She’s incredibly deserving of this honor against admittedly strong competition. While Kristy earned this award, the rest of our nominees earned their recognition as well.”

 

By earning the Third Annual DRMA Member of the Year Award, Pinand-Dumpert succeeds 2012 winner Nancy Lazkani of Icon Media Direct and 2011 winner Curtis Kleinman of Swipe Payment Solutions. The other nominees were:

 

  • Lindsey Brooks, chairwoman/CEO, Hit Laboratories and Boardwalk Brand Inc., Seattle
  • Lindsey Carnett, CEO & president, Marketing Maven Public Relations Inc., Camarillo, Calif.
  • Grant W. Cover, director, major accounts, Tribune Media Services, Queensbury, N.Y.
  • Karla Crawford Kerr, director of business development & corporate relations, Hawthorne Direct, Fairfield, Iowa
  • Craig Handley, CEO and co-founder, Listen Up Espa√±ol, Portland, Maine
  • Ayal Latz, president, a2b Fulfillment Inc., Greensboro, Ga.
  • Jason Levesque, founder & CEO, Argo Marketing Group Inc., Lewiston, Maine
  • Reno R. Renaldo III, executive vice president/co-founder, OpenJar Concepts Inc., Temecula, Calif.
  • Monica C. Smith, founder & CEO, Marketsmith, Parsippany, N.J.

 

‚“This is truly an exclusive group: 10 of the DR industry’s best have earned this nomination for the third annual DRMA Member of the Year competition,” Yarrington adds. ‚“These nominees symbolize the industry’s best values, while also working diligently to expand the scope of the industry and the DRMA throughout the past year.”

 

The DRMA Member of the Year was determined by an E-mail vote from alliance members. Representatives of DRMA member companies had the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice between Nov. 20-Dec. 5.

 

The Winter Bash was presented by the DRMA and Viacom Media Networks, and sponsored by a2b Fulfillment, CoreMedia Systems, Dial800, OpenJar Concepts, REVShare and Swipe Payment Solutions.

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Bridging the Coastal Gap’ at Network LA by Collette Liantonio

Bridging the Coastal Gap’ at Network LA

Collette Liantonio

BY COLLETTE LIANTONIO

I’m really looking forward to ERA’s Network LA on January 9. It’s an important event for those in our industry to attend, especially if they want to take advantage of the networking opportunities. In my case, it’s a way of bridging the ‚“coastal gap” by meeting new vendors and marketers while maintaining current relationships. What’s more, I never miss an opportunity to meet with Concepts’ friends and family‚Äîwhether they are old friends or friends I have yet to meet.

At Concepts, we’re known as prolific producers of short forms, but we also do about a half-dozen long forms per year. And because we do produce long forms and the majority of long forms are out in the West Coast, it makes sense to attend and participate in the event.

In fact, the company has had a West Coast office for several years and was, up until recently, spearheaded by my son, Jon Calderaro. Now he has passed the baton to my daughter, Collette Stohler. So with a full-time producer located in Manhattan Beach, Calif., it’s a natural progression for Concepts to create and maintain a sustainable West Coast presence. And for me, attending Network LA means coming home to my family and friends.

Collette Liantonio is owner, president, and creative director of Concepts TV Productions headquartered in Boonton, N.J.

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Collette Liantonio is one of 2013-2014 Board of Directors!

All Aboard

ERA's 2013-2014 Board of Directors discusses challenges, ideas, and hopes for the year ahead.

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/11/all-aboard/#sthash.M88O7YgG.dpuf

All Aboard

ERA's 2013-2014 Board of Directors discusses challenges, ideas, and hopes for the year ahead.

By: Keith Loria

All Aboard

With a sense of accomplishment, Harry Hill recently left his position as chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) Board, paving the way for new Chairman Elliott Segal to lead in the year ahead. During his term, Hill and the Board continued the ERA CEO Summit, offering top industry revenue-generators the opportunity to share their views on the state of the market and express their concerns as to which industry challenges the association should respond; one important offshoot was the establishment of the Anti-Counterfeit Coalition.

 

‚“I believe that I led a transition of the Board to focus more on strategic matters rather than the operational matters,” Hill says. ‚“Julie [Coons, president and CEO] and staff have made a tremendous transition of the association to restore it to fiscal health. I believe the current Board is in a very good position from the perspective that ERA is financially much more sound than it has been for several years, and the Board is able to focus on big, strategic issues that face the industry.”

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/11/all-aboard/#sthash.M88O7YgG.dpuf

With a sense of accomplishment, Harry Hill recently left his position as chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) Board, paving the way for new Chairman Elliott Segal to lead in the year ahead. During his term, Hill and the Board continued the ERA CEO Summit, offering top industry revenue-generators the opportunity to share their views on the state of the market and express their concerns as to which industry challenges the association should respond; one important offshoot was the establishment of the Anti-Counterfeit Coalition.

 

‚“I believe that I led a transition of the Board to focus more on strategic matters rather than the operational matters,” Hill says. ‚“Julie [Coons, president and CEO] and staff have made a tremendous transition of the association to restore it to fiscal health. I believe the current Board is in a very good position from the perspective that ERA is financially much more sound than it has been for several years, and the Board is able to focus on big, strategic issues that face the industry.”

 

‚“As our industry changes, it will be critically important to look forward and to anticipate how the association must evolve to meet the needs of the membership.”
Christopher Hearing, president, Direct Holdings Global

 

The 2013 2014 ERA Board welcomes nine new members, comprised of an eclectic group of marketers, retailers, and suppliers with a wealth of industry experience. Electronic Retailer reached out to new and returning Board members to discuss their reasons for serving, key issues they hope to address during their tenures, and what they believe will ensure future growth for the association.

 

Electronic Retailer: ERA has made great strides in recent years. As a newly appointed ERA Board member, what goals have you set for yourself to help it continue to grow?

 

Christopher Hearing: Short-term, I want to get up to speed with the workings of the Board and challenges to be met. Longer-term, I want to have a more strategic focus. As our industry changes, ERA must change, too, and it will be critically important to look forward and to anticipate how the association must evolve to meet the needs of the membership.

 

Collette Liantonio: To integrate DRTV practices with interactive Web-based marketing for a higher-performing hybrid. DRTV should be perceived as a vital part of the Internet age.

 

Gerald A. Bagg: I am looking forward to collaborating with all of the Board members to advance the relevance and credibility of ERA inside and outside of its current member base. My primary focus will be to engage in the corporate sphere, communicating the relevance of ERA to corporate players. I would also like to encourage ERA to become a stronger resource for agencies and marketers who are working hard to crack the code on analytics. This is not something that is talked about enough. As part of this effort, I would like to see ERA expand its scope to more wholistic direct marketing with a stronger emphasis put on digital—reaching well beyond television alone.

 

Jeff Campbell: I think the key will be to focus on initiatives that are actionable and relevant to the issues that we are facing currently.

 

Richard Wechsler: My No. 1 goal is to serve the association and membership as openly and fairly as possible. I believe that there is a disconnect between the Board and the membership. My goal is to increase the Board’s and the membership’s understanding of their respective and mutual goals and in so doing, enable ERA to better serve its membership.

http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/11/all-aboard/#sthash.M88O7YgG.dpuf

With a sense of accomplishment, Harry Hill recently left his position as chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) Board, paving the way for new Chairman Elliott Segal to lead in the year ahead. During his term, Hill and the Board continued the ERA CEO Summit, offering top industry revenue-generators the opportunity to share their views on the state of the market and express their concerns as to which industry challenges the association should respond; one important offshoot was the establishment of the Anti-Counterfeit Coalition.

 

‚“I believe that I led a transition of the Board to focus more on strategic matters rather than the operational matters,” Hill says. ‚“Julie [Coons, president and CEO] and staff have made a tremendous transition of the association to restore it to fiscal health. I believe the current Board is in a very good position from the perspective that ERA is financially much more sound than it has been for several years, and the Board is able to focus on big, strategic issues that face the industry.”

 

‚“As our industry changes, it will be critically important to look forward and to anticipate how the association must evolve to meet the needs of the membership.”
Christopher Hearing, president, Direct Holdings Global

 

The 2013 2014 ERA Board welcomes nine new members, comprised of an eclectic group of marketers, retailers, and suppliers with a wealth of industry experience. Electronic Retailer reached out to new and returning Board members to discuss their reasons for serving, key issues they hope to address during their tenures, and what they believe will ensure future growth for the association.

 

Electronic Retailer: ERA has made great strides in recent years. As a newly appointed ERA Board member, what goals have you set for yourself to help it continue to grow?

 

Christopher Hearing: Short-term, I want to get up to speed with the workings of the Board and challenges to be met. Longer-term, I want to have a more strategic focus. As our industry changes, ERA must change, too, and it will be critically important to look forward and to anticipate how the association must evolve to meet the needs of the membership.

 

Collette Liantonio: To integrate DRTV practices with interactive Web-based marketing for a higher-performing hybrid. DRTV should be perceived as a vital part of the Internet age.

 

Gerald A. Bagg: I am looking forward to collaborating with all of the Board members to advance the relevance and credibility of ERA inside and outside of its current member base. My primary focus will be to engage in the corporate sphere, communicating the relevance of ERA to corporate players. I would also like to encourage ERA to become a stronger resource for agencies and marketers who are working hard to crack the code on analytics. This is not something that is talked about enough. As part of this effort, I would like to see ERA expand its scope to more wholistic direct marketing with a stronger emphasis put on digital—reaching well beyond television alone.

 

Jeff Campbell: I think the key will be to focus on initiatives that are actionable and relevant to the issues that we are facing currently.

 

Richard Wechsler: My No. 1 goal is to serve the association and membership as openly and fairly as possible. I believe that there is a disconnect between the Board and the membership. My goal is to increase the Board’s and the membership’s understanding of their respective and mutual goals and in so doing, enable ERA to better serve its membership.

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/11/all-aboard/#sthash.M88O7YgG.dpuf

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Wrestling With a Concept

UP TO 1000 POUNDS!

Furniture Fix is one of those classic ‚“Why didn’t I think of that?” DR items that solves a common problem. Designed to shore up sagging couches, upholstered chairs, and mattresses after the springs wear out, Furniture Fix’s rigid panels snap together and slide under cushions to lend added support. The product does what it claims, but how could Woodland Hills, Calif.-based marketer Hampton Direct communicate that fact when Furniture Fix works undercover?

Sonia Makurdsik, executive vice president of Hampton Direct, posed the question to her agency, Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV Productions, and with creative director Collette Liantonio, brainstormed a demonstration that proves the effectiveness and durability of Furniture Fix. After showing that Furniture Fix panels can support two cinder blocks, the real magic moment arrives: Two sumo wrestlers weighing a total of 1,000 pounds plop down side by side on a couch supported by the panels. The couch holds, they high-five, and the ad continues on to discuss offer extras.

Cast following an online search, the sumo wrestlers were ready for anything. ‚“They are used to the camera,” Liantonio says. ‚“They know their line of work is specific and interesting to others. The only thing we didn’t think about in advance was who was going to help put their sumo diapers [or mawashi] on. Yikes!” Furniture Fix was a successful 2010 launch for Hampton, and ‚“everyone knows it by the commercial with the sumo wrestlers,’” Liantonio says. ‚“Memories last.”

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New Jersey Monthy’s interview with Collette Liantonio!

Collette Liantonio: The Infomercial Queen

 

Collette Liantonio has created infomercials for late-night favorites such as The George Foreman Grill, Pajama Jeans, and The Bedazzler.

 

Posted August 8, 2013 by Tammy La Gorce

Collette Liantonio

Collette Liantonio is one of the most prominent infomercial-makers in the country, boasting such credits as the George Foreman Grill and the Topsy Tail.
Courtesy of Collette Liantonio

 

 

You’ve probably never heard of Collette Liantonio, but you likely know her work. The George Foreman Grill occupying space on millions of kitchen countertops? Her doing. The inescapability of Topsy Tails and Pajama Jeans? Credit (or blame) her. A trim, 63-year-old, this maker of infomercials also has bragging rights for luring Fabio to New Jersey for a blow-dryer spot. The Brooklyn native, mother of three and grandmother of two, has lived in New Jersey for more than 40 years, teaching at Rutherford High School before switching to advertising in the late 1970s. By 1983, she was running her own company, flashing 800 numbers across TV screens nationwide. The Montville resident talked with New Jersey Monthly recently at the Boonton headquarters of her company, Concepts TV Productions.

New Jersey Monthly: Why informercials?

 

 

 

 

Collette Liantonio: I originally wanted to direct theater at the university level...but you know how life is. I went into this business in 1979, working for someone else, and I got spoiled: It’s a quick fix. I make my commercial, I have total creative control, and I know the very next day whether it was a success or a flop. If I were working at a big agency, I’d send my commercial for Pepsi or McDonald’s out into the world and it wouldn’t matter if anybody bought the product. With direct-response, it’s high risk, high reward. I love that.

NJM: So you’ve had flops?

 

CL: Oh, yes. One out of five commercials makes a fortune, and the other four will
be miserable bummers.

NJM: Your work is not exactly highbrow. Do you face much criticism?

 

CL: Our industry is kind of in your face—and very Jersey that way, I might add. Some call it cheesy, which
is a word I don’t use.

NJM: What do you consider your biggest hits?

 

CL: Well, obviously everybody knows what a George Foreman Grill is. The younger generation doesn’t even know he was a heavyweight champion, they just know he has this grill. I’m also really proud of the Amish fireplace [the Heat Surge, a portable fireplace made by Amish craftsmen in Ohio]. That was a hit, and an amazing cultural experience for me, going into Amish country. I did the first abs commercial‚Äîthe Abdominizer. And depending on how old you are, you might remember the Bedazzler. That was a sort of staple gun that lets you put jewels on your clothing. Almost everybody wanted one.

NJM: You’ve worked with a lot of celebrities, including Montel Williams, Joe Namath, Jim Cramer, Jack LaLanne, Wayne Gretzky and Fabio. What’s that like?

 

CL: Having a celebrity doesn’t necessarily make a product successful. They have to be well invested, like with George Foreman, who owns the product. A lot of them are athletes or fading B actors or minor celebrities like Fabio.

NJM: Do they come to New Jersey to film the commercials?

 

CL: Sometimes. Fabio did. That was maybe 10 years ago. We went to Roller Coaster Studios in East Hanover for a Con-Air hair dryer commercial. I brought my daughter and her best friend to the shoot.... I was like, Who’s Fabio?’ and they were like, He’s this hot Italian guy!’ When they got around him, neither one of them could speak.

NJM: How often do you shoot in New Jersey?

 

CL: We do a lot of shooting in Morris County. We research homes, and then we pay people to use them. We want well-appointed rooms, big rooms but average...so people can relate to what a product might look like in their own home. We shot part of Pajama Jeans a few years ago in my house in Montville. And some of the butts you see in that commercial are people who work here, who have good butts.

NJM: What makes your work unique?

 

CL: Sometimes people recognize what they call my ‚“voice” in a commercial. I tell you something, I tell you again in a different way, and then I tell you a third time. I also do what I call ‚“show-and-tell” moments, like when we brought in a pair of sumo wrestlers for Furniture Fix, a product that you put under your saggy couch to lift it.

NJM: What did the sumo wrestlers do?

 

CL: One was 600 pounds, the other was 400 pounds. They sat on the couch. One thousand pounds of sumo couldn’t make the couch sag. It was magic. We shot that in Mountain Lakes.

NJM: You said you originally hoped to direct theater. Any plans to switch careers?

 

No. People keep asking me if I’m going to retire, and I say, ‚“Why would I do that?” I’m in the middle of culture. Or lack of it, if you want to look at it that way.

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NJ.COM BLOG-Concepts TV Ranked One of the Top Entrepreneurial Businesses in the Nation!

Concepts TV Ranked One of the Top Entrepreneurial Businesses in the Nation

BOONTON, N.J. (February 27, 2013) - NJ DRTV agency, Concepts TV Productions, was recently acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs, selected as a 2013 ‚“Top Business” recipient by DiversityBusiness.com.

Based on annual gross revenues and business profiles, over 1.3 million businesses competed for this prestigious honor. Five hundred were chosen and Concepts ranked #403.

The award cinches a spot for Concepts on DiversityBusiness.com’s ‚“Top Business List”, a list viewed by over 20 million annually. The ‚“Top Business List” is a compilation of the strongest and most successful privately-held companies in America. These widely respected and recognized companies differentiate themselves in an indeterminate market place through quality, productivity and profitability.

Award-winning ‚“Top Businesses” will join the ‚“Top Fortune 500s” at the 13th Annual National Business Awards

Ceremony and Conference in Las Vegas at the end of April. The event not only honors the award recipients, it promotes business opportunities.

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Harrington and Liantonio Judge Sharkette’s Pitch Expo

Harrington and Liantonio Judge Sharkette's Pitch Expo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY: ERA

Boonton, N.J. Own It Ventures recently held its annual Conference and Pitch Expo at CUNY in New York City. Kevin Harrington, chairman and founder of As Seen On TV, and Collette Liantonio, founder of Concepts TV, appeared at the one-day event, which helps female entrepreneurs market their companies
and products to ‚“angel” investors,retail buyers, and the media.

Entrepreneurs entered one of three pitching rooms—the Sharkette Tank, the Product Pitch Tank, and the Media Room—with the goal of making connections
and winning funding, distribution, and media coverage. Inside the Product Pitch Tank, a panel of judges including Harrington and Liantonio evaluated product ideas to determine the Entrepreneur Product of the Year award.

As a member of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), Liantonio is a strong advocate for female entrepreneurship. ‚“I am thrilled and honored to be a
part of an event that further encourages and inspires women entrepreneurs,”
she says. ‚“With some of the imaginative pitches I heard today, I, in turn, am
inspired as well.”

To read more about this article, please click here.

BOONTON, N.J. Own It Ventures recently held its annual Conference and Pitch Expo at CUNY in New York City. Kevin Harrington, chairman and founder of As Seen On TV, and Collette Liantonio, founder of Concepts TV, appeared at the one-day event, which helps female entrepreneurs market their companies and products to ‚“angel” investors, retail buyers, and the media.

 

Entrepreneurs entered one of three pitching rooms—the Sharkette Tank, the Product Pitch Tank, and the Media Room—with the goal of making connections and winning funding, distribution, and media coverage. Inside the Product Pitch Tank, a panel of judges including Harrington and Liantonio evaluated product ideas to determine the Entrepreneur Product of the Year award.

 

‚“I am thrilled to be a part of an event that encourages and inspires women entrepreneurs.”

-Collette Liantonio, Concepts TV founder.

 

As a member of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), Liantonio is a strong advocate for female entrepreneurship. ‚“I am thrilled and honored to be a part of an event that further encourages and inspires women entrepreneurs,” she says. ‚“With some of the imaginative pitches I heard today, I, in turn, am inspired as well.”

- See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/06/harrington-and-liantonio-judge-sharkettes-pitch-expo/#sthash.YHs9m8iB.dpuf

Harrington and Liantonio Judge Sharkette’s Pitch Expo - See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/06/harrington-and-liantonio-judge-sharkettes-pitch-expo/#sthash.MzR7E5A1.dpuf
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Concepts TV featured in Response Magazine – Ready, Set, Rollout!

Ready, Set, Rollout!

1 Mar, 2013 By: Bridget McCrea

DRTV producers gain ground with both traditional marketers and brand advertisers in 2012, and are looking to keep up the momentum in 2013.

 

DRTV producers stayed pretty busy in 2012 and then rode that wave of momentum right into the New Year as more companies explored their options in the short-form arena. With more brand advertisers taking an interest in direct response, improved production technologies being introduced almost daily, and a slew of complementary channels (like YouTube) standing at the ready, short-form DRTV has truly cemented a place for itself in the advertising world.

Joining the venerable Proactiv Solution in the top 10 Jordan Whitney’s rankings in late 2012 was a mix of products that included branded items like Lowe’s Kobalt screwdriver and the Oreck Vacuum, and DRTV products like the no! no! hair removal device, the Pocket Hose garden hose, and Caf√© Cup reusable coffee pods.

The coffee pods represented just one of the 10 ‚“slam dunk” short-form hits produced by Concepts TV Productions in Boonton, N.J. ‚“We had a stellar year in 2012,” says Collette Liantonio, president. ‚“It was so good, in fact, that I’m a little apprehensive about what’s going to happen this year.” Celebrating her firm’s 30 years in business in 2013, Liantonio says at least some of short-form DRTV’s popularity can be traced to its ability to drive consumer traffic to the Web.

‚“The younger the target audience, the more apt it is to buy online,” says Liantonio, who no longer leaves any unused footage on the cutting-room floor, thanks to the Web, online video and increased bandwidth. ‚“If we can’t use it on TV, it goes online. No footage is wasted.”

Once online, the snippets replace the non-existent retail clerk and further entrench the product in the consumer’s brain. ‚“With the Web connection we’re able to educate and entertain in a completely different venue,” says Liantonio, ‚“all the while leveraging production dollars to the fullest.”

Going Strong

John Pucci, executive creative director and senior vice president at Hawthorne Direct in Los Angeles, agrees that 2012 was a strong year for short-form DRTV. One of the firm’s most successful spots was a brand-response piece that reintroduced the SanDisk Memory Vault consumer technology product to the masses. According to Pucci, the product had gained minimal traction at retail, and its maker wanted to use the spot to bring it back to life and ‚“build value for a static product with preventative benefits.” The strategy worked, says Pucci, who reports that Wal-Mart’s sales of the SanDisk Memory Vault ‚“increased dramatically” during a three-week TV test period.

To maximize its clients’ short-form campaigns, Pucci says Hawthorne Direct is leveraging techniques like ‚“social listening”, a process that allows the company to truly gauge the customer and decipher how to best connect with him or her. Such strategies help clients overcome some of the challenges that are plaguing marketers in the short-form arena, where traditional, one-step direct sales via DRTV continue to struggle to break even and/or reach profitable levels. ‚“That side of the business is getting marginalized,” says Pucci.

On the flip side, short-form spot producers are continually challenged to give branded clients higher-end production value at comparatively less expensive DR rates. ‚“Inflationary pressures are everywhere,” says Pucci, ‚“yet DRTV clients still expect low budget, great-looking work.”

Branded DRTV clients also have high demands, particularly when it comes to their campaigns’ retail components. Doug Garnett, president at Portland, Ore.-based Atomic Direct, says his firm produced three short-form spots for the Kobalt brand of hand tools (sold by Lowe’s). The 60- and 120-second ads were created to drive retail sales, a strategy that requires a non-traditional production approach.

‚“Failure isn’t allowed because by the time you test, there’s already product stocked at retail,” says Garnett. ‚“Unlike traditional DRTV methods, this is more about getting it right the first time and less about testing,’ or throwing pitches out there to see which one sticks.”

Driving Sales

Michelle Cardinal, CEO at Portland, Ore.-based R2C Group, says more and more of the firm’s clients are highly dependent on short-form DRTV to drive their businesses. ‚“A lot of them are dot-com firms that need to drive a certain number of leads per day,” says Cardinal, ‚“so the short-form shows are very important to them.”

To accommodate those needs, she says R2C has filled its own portfolio with a diverse range of capabilities and formats, a move that’s become increasingly important in today’s uncertain, ever-changing business environment.

‚“As it pertains to short-form, we’ve committed to building an arsenal of many different show formats,” says Cardinal. If a particular show is having clearance problems, for example, then a shorter/replacement show can be quickly plugged in to help the marketer achieve its goals. ‚“We just don’t know what’s going to happen in the marketplace,” says Cardinal. ‚“Things are changing constantly and more rapidly than ever.”

With a 2013 business pipeline that includes a ‚“good cache of products,” R2C is also armed with a new online focus group application that allows clients to more efficiently determine target market wants, needs and complaints. Cardinal is optimistic about the remainder of 2013. She points out that media rates and avails could be a challenging point, what with the high number of deep-pocketed, general rate advertisers that are using short-form DRTV.

Such challenges aside, Cardinal sees good things ahead for marketers that test multiple commercial formats and that aren’t afraid to try new techniques and strategies. ‚“What didn’t work a few years ago may definitely work now,” says Cardinal. ‚“Markets and conditions are changing rapidly; you can’t hold your agency accountable for not being innovative if you’re not innovating yourself.”

In the Long Run

Consumers are hungry for useful products that not only help solve their pain points, but that are packaged in an entertaining manner that holds their attention. Sometimes it takes more than a 30-, 60- or 90-second DRTV spot for those selling points to resonate. Infomercial producers hit on these and other key points in 2012 with products like Humana Medicare, the NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop, Insanity exercise DVDs, Meaningful Beauty skincare system, Wen haircare, and the NutriBullet personal blender, all of which have been ranked highly in recent months on the Jordan Whitney charts.

According to Ken Kerry, co-founder and executive creative director at Script to Screen in Santa Ana, Calif., 2012 was the year that more long-form marketers woke up to the value of integrating back-end products into their shows. Going beyond continuity programs, for example, many found ways to associate their main products with other selling opportunities, all without taking the focus off that main item. Content like response-driven FAQs (frequently asked questions) can be created, for example, for the Web, the third screen, E-mail outbound marketing campaigns, and social networks, all of which expand the original campaign’s presence.

‚“Clients are thinking about the entire campaign, from the front end to the back end, and how to integrate both in the infomercial without pulling away from the main message,” Kerry explains. ‚“It all comes down to the campaign’s bottom line and ROI.”

With an eye on that bottom line, producers are also using technological advancements to work smarter, better and faster out in the field, on set, and in the editing room. Equipped with new broadcast XD cameras that produce high-quality HD images in small packages, for example, Kerry says producers can operate in a more mobile, economical manner. And while the equipment costs themselves haven’t dropped, producers are able to leverage their advanced capabilities to work more quickly and efficiently.

‚“In the past, with a typical production package, we could only knock out eight or nine shooting days with the allotted budget,” Kerry explains. ‚“Now, we can double the number of shooting days due to the accessibility and quality of cameras in the market.”

Leveraging Success

Garnett has always viewed retail as DRTV’s ultimate end point. Not everyone agrees with him, even though, as he says, nine out of 10 dollars in campaign profitability are made at retail. ‚“The question is, how do you play that into your campaign?” Garnett asks, pointing out that many long-form and short-form shows have retained a philosophy of ‚“see it on TV first” and then slowly work the product into retail. ‚“A lot of traditional DRTV producers haven’t really changed their thinking on this point,” he says.

Expect more of those producers to slowly awaken to retail’s vital role in infomercial success, says Garnett, who adds that long-form presents a large, untapped opportunity for marketers across many different industries. ‚“It’s kind of sad that we aren’t seeing more interesting shows coming out of long-form right now,” says Garnett. ‚“There should be a lot more activity within this powerful marketing medium.”

And unlike their short-form cohorts, long-form DRTV users are operating in a more affable media environment where brand/general rate advertisers have yet to tread in any big numbers. ‚“There are a smaller group of characters using long-form,” says Cardinal. ‚“You have three or four incumbents and that’s about it.” Cardinal says she’d like to see more clients using infomercials, which many companies shy away from due to the high production costs associated with the longer format. ‚“There are definitely some inhibitors when it comes to long-form.”

Ready, Set, Rollout! _ Response Magazine

 

 

 

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Concepts TV Featured in The Star Ledger

Infomercial vet reflects on 30 years of

selling Bedazzler, Pajama Jeans and more

 

collete-liantonio-robert-sciarrino-sl.JPG

Collette Liantonio, CEO of Concepts TV, second form left, likes what she see as she and her crew, produce an infomercial at The Gravity Vault, an indoor rock climbing gym in Chatham.

By Stacy Jones/The Star-Ledger

CHATHAM— Collette Liantonio pulled off her headphones and craned her neck to gaze at the actress who had just scaled a 35-foot rock climbing wall at The Gravity Vault in Chatham.

The stunt woman twisted this way and that, mugging for the camera and practicing lines as she searched for a flattering angle, a challenge when suspended by a harness.

Minutes later she descended and Liantonio’s production crew, Concepts TV of Boonton, broke for lunch. The rock climbing gym had been the set for the team’s shoot as it finished up a 28-minute infomercial for a piece of home exercise equipment.

"We’ve already done eight days of shooting with physical fitness experts who gave testimonials. We did muscle testing in Orange County, California. We shot with people who have been on the program to show their before and after transformations," she said. "And now we’re shooting at a rock climbing facility to liken the muscle activity you get from this product to climbing."

Her client asked her not to reveal the name because the ad, which airs in July, is meant to introduce the product to U.S. consumers.

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(L-R) Alice Rietveld, an actor and stunt woman along with Mark Harari, owner of a fitness club, in LA. star in a infomercial produced by Collette Liantonio, CEO of Concepts TV. Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger

The direct marketing and infomercial veteran has produced and directed ads for the George Foreman Grill, Bedazzler, Ped Egg and hundreds of other products that made their debut on television. Her 30-year career began just as marketers were realizing two things: It takes longer than two minutes to sell someone an expensive product and most television networks had nothing to put on the air at 2 a.m.

In 1984, Kevin Harrington, chairman of TVGoods and As Seen on TV, was looking for someone to produce a 28-minute ad for Arnold Morris’s Ginsu knives. Morris had been demo-ing his products at home shows, doing what most viewers will remember them for: Cutting through soda cans and gliding through tomatoes to produce wafer-thin slices.

"There were no infomercial producers then because it was a new industry, so I researched the people who produced 2-minute spots. Collette’s name kept coming up, so I called her," he said. "We did a bunch of early projects together. They were some of the first ever infomercials."

Harrington prides himself on his ability to detect products and people with potential. He discovered Billy Mays, the late OxiClean and Kaboom pitchman, and has appeared on ABC’s "Shark Tank," which gives entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their inventions to investors. He said he admires Liantonio for her instincts, decisiveness and guts.

"If she doesn’t like it, she’ll say, You know what, I just don’t see it. I don’t think it’ll work’," he said. "I’d call her sometimes to see if she liked an idea and if she loved it, she’d say, Ok, we’ll shoot it in the next 30 days.’ Four weeks later she’d have it done."

Liantonio has never been one to envy the multimillion dollar budgets of corporate advertisers. Budgets for 2-minute ads usually start at $40,000 and the 28-minute infomercials start at $250,000.

Her love for the industry spread to her three children. One of her daughters has managed the company’s finances, something Liantonio did for her father’s moving company when she was in high school and college.

Her brother took over the Flatbush Moving Company, but Liantonio couldn’t shake the entrepreneurship bug.

She was a single mother when she founded her company in Wayne. After moving the business to Montville and Mountain Lakes, she eventually settled into an office on Main Street in Boonton for the convenience and family-life balance it provided.

"There’s wonderful houses that I rent here. So I shoot in real settings that show our products to their best advantage," she said. "So if I’m doing something like a fireplace, I’m not in a studio, I’m in a real home."

In fact, anyone who’s ever seen the 2-minute spot for Pajama Jeans has seen the inside of Liantonio’s Towaco home. Later this year she’ll open a second office in California, where she does a lot of work with clients.

She’s also cast her own children in spots and Dana Conklin, a producer and assistant director, first worked with Concepts TV as a 3-year-old actress.

Sonia Makurdsik, executive vice president of marketing and new business at Hampton Direct, first met Liantonio about 15 years ago when she was looking for someone to produce an ad for Furniture Fix, a board that stops cushions from sagging on otherwise worn-out couches.

"We had to show the strength of the product and I said, Collette, think of putting together two sumo wrestlers,’‚ÄØ" she said.

Two 600-pound sumo wrestlers later, they had what Makurdsik calls a channel stopper.

"As long as she’s been doing this, she’s only gotten better with time and I don’t see her stopping at all. I think she’s going to do this until ... I don’t know ... maybe when she can’t see anymore," she said. "She loves this, it shows and that’s the reason I really adore working with her."

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Still Looking for Great Solutions-March 2013 Response Magazine

By Collette Liantonio

Still Looking for Great Solutions
Consumers who got used to saving during the recession are still
looking for simple value from their housewares products

 
As the economy has steadily improved in
recent months, one thing hasn’t changed,
consumer demand for housewares products
that provide high-quality, simple solutions at
a value price. While this has long been the case, consumers’
desires for the best possible buy ratcheted up during
the Great Recession that began in 2008. And, even
though today they may no longer be facing a job downsizing
or housing foreclosure, they learned that finding that
kind of product is still desirable.
No one is better at defining that kind of value in the
housewares space than DRTV marketers. As a DRTV
production company, we are constantly driven by our
marketer clients, and our own knowledge of what truly
makes consumers buy, to define the true value of each
product. Nothing is more crucial
to getting consumers to pick up the
phone, open their Web browser or
head to their closest big box outlet.
Two of our earliest DRTV hit
products were housewares products
that became industry legends, the
Contour Pillow and the Smart Mop.
Both products were top quality.
They both made life easier around
the house. And both were great values
for the consumer.
Fast forward to today: many consumers
are beginning to find their
checkbooks balancing with a higher
total in the register at the end of
the month. Yet, they’ve also discovered during the rough
times in the recent past that they can get great products
that solve household problems at better prices. There’s
no need to begin spending big dollars for problem-solving
products.

 

 

Mr. Lid is one recent DRTV hit in the
housewares space to capitalize on
consumers’ perceived value.

 
Take a product like the recent hit Mr. Lid, a patented kitchen-storage container
with an attached
lid. The product is
featured in 60-second,
two-minute, and fiveminute
spots starring
today’s top DRTV
pitchman, Marc Gill. ‚“The key to the product was illustrating
the unique benefits of having an attached lid
on our container. But a value-based piece count of 20 for
only $19.95 put the sale over the top. The reaction of
consumers to Mr. Lid has been simply tremendous,” says
Chris Rebholz, CEO of Norman Direct.
Another recent winner in the DRTV housewares
space is Café Cup, a reusable coffee cup that takes the
place of single-serve coffee pods for popular coffee making
machines. ‚“We are thrilled with Caf√© Cup’s TV and
retail programs,” says Bob Khubani, vice president of
marketing at Spark Innovators. ‚“It is by far the top item
in Spark Innovators’ history. This success is mostly attributed
to the highly effective TV spot and media campaign
which are driving sales at retail.”
The key selling feature was the
comparison to the expense of the competition
pods. Again, it is the value
proposition that convinced the consumer
to buy.
In the case of both Mr. Lid and Café
Cup, the product was built for DRTV
demonstration. Each was a simple solution
at a great price. While consumers
now have more budget, they know they
can stay on that budget, and perhaps
give themselves a nice night out, by
finding the types of housewares solutions
offered by DRTV marketers.
While each of these products found
a sweet spot on the housewares chain,
the capabilities offered by a top-notch production house
in the direct response space have been crucial to their
success. Any successful DRTV campaign is built around
amazing product demonstrations that cut through the
clutter of a crowded television landscape and turn everskeptical
consumers into customers. But not only must
your production partner understand what works on camera
— they also must have a network of leaders in the
DR space to connect you to other capable vendors.
With the right producer, one that understands your
product, its competitive set and its visual advantages,
your product stands a much better chance finding a home
with those value-conscious consumers. ■

To read the full article, please visit: http://www.response-digital.com/response/201303#pg55

 

 
Collette Liantonio is president of
Concepts TV Productions, a full-service
production agency based in Boonton, N.J.
She can be reached at (973) 331-1500 or
via E-mail at collette@conceptstv.com.

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The Calm After the Storm

The Calm After the Storm

Concepts TV meets deadlines in spite of Hurricane Sandy’s destruction

The Calm After the Storm

The sky was orange, and the wind howled. Above toppled power lines, neon splashes of color appeared like misplaced fireworks amid torrents of rain. Pop, pop! There goes another transformer.

 

More than 8.5 million people lost power in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Homes went unheated, and gas stations couldn’t pump gas. Schools closed, and hospitals were evacuated. Businesses were literally in the dark. Early estimates predict $20 billion in lost business between the structural damage, power outages, and interruptions to business. After Katrina, Sandy will likely be the most costly storm in U.S. history.

 

Once power was restored, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced, the state would rebuild. But area business owners like Collette Liantonio, CEO of Boonton, N.J.-based Concepts TV, couldn’t wait that long. Deadlines had been set; she didn’t want to disappoint clients in the increasingly just-in-time world of infomercial marketing.

 

With the company modeled after theater production companies, most of Liantonio’s employees were used to working together closely. After establishing that the team was safe, Liantonio offered her home‚Äîpartially powered by a natural gas generator‚Äîas shelter to her extended Concepts family. Spouses, children, and even nannies were welcome to take advantage of the physical and interpersonal warmth so many suddenly lacked.

After Katrina, Sandy will likely be the most costly storm in U.S. history.

With gasoline in short supply, Liantonio asked only a few employees to meet at the office to assess the damage and brainstorm the next steps for the company. The office was structurally sound, but the power was out indefinitely‚Äîmaking the company’s editing suites , phone lines, and servers inoperable. Documents and company emails were inaccessible.

The company contacted clients using backup, hard-copy contact sheets. Then, work was delegated to the rest of the staff via text message. Creatives in makeshift home offices relied on pen and paper, while administrators focused on logistics. Generators were brought in to power up edit suites. Cell-phone hotspots were created for Wi-Fi access. Battery-powered laptops were set up. And the company conference room was transformed temporarily into a roundtable workstation, similar to a newsroom bullpen.

 

In one week’s time, most of the Concepts staff was able to return to the office, with multiple Plan Bs in hand. They contacted clients again, this time with revised production schedules, adjusted office hours, and rescheduled shoots. Editing schedules changed, but deadlines did not. And to the surprise and delight of clients across the country, projects stayed on course.

 

Liantonio credits her staff’s ingenuity, tireless work ethic, and unfaltering teamwork with saving the day. She’s quick to point out that the sense of camaraderie also extends to her clients, who were gracious and understanding. One Wisconsin-based client remarked, ‚“We’re with you for the long haul. If you need anything, let us know.”

 

As Helen Keller said, ‚“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the Concepts TV family‚Äîstaff, clients, and vendors‚Äîfound out how true those words can be.

To read more about this article, please visit: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2013/03/the-calm-after-the-storm/

 

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Concepts TV Ranked One of the Top Entrepreneurial Businesses in the Nation by Diversity Business

Concepts TV Ranked One of the Top Entrepreneurial Businesses in the Nation

For Immediate Release

BOONTON, N.J. (February 27, 2013) - NJ DRTV agency, Concepts TV Productions, was recently acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs, selected as a 2013 ‚“Top Business” recipient by DiversityBusiness.com.

Based on annual gross revenues and business profiles, over 1.3 million businesses competed for this prestigious honor. Five hundred were chosen and Concepts ranked #403. Read more

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Collette Liantonio Featured on NJ.COM

Colette-2.jpg

Collette was featured on NJ.Com by Melissa Gasnick-Cloeter.

To read the full article, please click the link below.

Read the full story.

Read more

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Opinion Based on Fact: Short-Form DRTV is the Red Hot Entrance to a Sizzling Retail Market

This article may be a guest opinion, but the fact remains that short-form DRTV spending continues to gain momentum; responsible for a large portion of direct response retail success in a floundering economy. Read more

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Family Response

 

Keeping it in the family, Collette Liantonio & her daughter, Collette DeBenedetto, are both featured in Response Magazine’s, All In the Family. In this article, Collette is viewed as a role model to her daughter who admires her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and hopes to someday follow in the same footsteps. Read more

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Collette Liantonio reports from her Center Office to the Corner Office in NJ Tech News Magazine!

Collette participates in an intimate industry Q & A regarding the progression of DRTV and how her influence has helped the industry evolve Read more

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Interview and Podcast with Collette Liantonio on Startup Nation

Jeff and Rich Sloan are talking infomercials and new products again and they spoke to Collette about the industry and had callers pitch their ideas. To listen to the podcast and check out Collette's interview, head over to Startup Nation by clicking here.