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

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

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.”

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.

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.”

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.”

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†

Boonton's 'Infomercial Queen' reigns

Written by Michael Izzo

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

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

See more at: http://www.electronicretailermag.com/2014/04/concept-to-completion/#sthash.6YfCIw3W.dpuf

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

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. ■

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 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.

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.”

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