Infomercials = Filtering

I can already feel the definition!” – Shake Weight 2013

Infamous infomercials have always been the greatest example of filtering in marketing. Shake Weight, which heavily promotes through above-the-line promotional advertising that cleverly plays on the fact that the motion necessary to use the product can be easily misinterpreted due to suggestive shaking.

As seen on TV!

They even use attractive women, which is evidently a very effective strategy with today’s short attention span, and contrasting individuals who need exercise to those who are already strong in the demonstrate of the product.

I think the sales pitch is quite persuasive because the product doesn’t target a certain consumer group, but rather an issue that affects most people: their physical image, laziness, and going to the gym to work out even though the product itself will in the end not provide the results that make it a valuable purchase.

Shake Weight states that the exercises are more efficient in reducing fat and increasing muscle mass than common exercises for the upper body. However the muscle groups of the experimented individuals did not exert the 60% voluntary isometric contraction necessary to increase muscle mass nor does the product provide the full range of motion to properly develop the results marketed (Yahoo, 2013).

Shake Weight’s stated efficiency compared to common exercises

I thought the product was promoted well due to the commercial going viral and consumer-oriented focus. The strategy focused on transactional orientation by pitching that the product is worth the money using various marketing ploys rather than developing brand loyalty and relations. I’ve also realized that this business model is ironically becoming a great example of the opposite of what academia teaches in terms of marketing concepts and ethics.

 

References:

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-shake-weights-really-173600546.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/shake-weights-dont-work-2013-10

ARCADE FIRE X GOOGLE CHROME

The recent Arcade Fire and Google marketing campaign uses a strategy that they called “open source experimentation,” which uses the demand for Arcade Fire’s new track and album, “Reflektor” by engaging the user through interactivity using their mobile device throughout the video. Google employees are known to be a big fan of AF and as their new album has been recently released, the timing of their marketing partnership was perfectly planned out.

What I love about marketing is that the sky is the limit in terms of potential. Aside from Google being a big name corporation, they do a good job in maintaining the brand image and the perspective of unique and tech-savviness in their marketing; from the small things like changing the Google graphic on the homepage to above-the-line promotions. The same can be said for AF as their differentiation comes from their art and indie-induced consumer perspective. According to the Globe and Mail, much of the idea of this campaign was established by the band itself, which is why the genuine vibe and the uniqueness is still very evident. I think some of the most effective ways of promotional marketing has been through partnerships; it brings in a bigger loyal customer base, draws in a bigger reach in attention, expands the associations of the product, and in this case is able to combine the perks of technology with music.

Although market research would show that the common citizen in North America is likely to listen to ‘popular music’ or what is classified as the Top-40s, the fact that Google associated themselves with a personal preference rather than one that adheres to the public shows their genuine personality even as a large scale business.