Direct response has become so prevalent lately that even TV shows and restaurants are using it as fake marketing bait. As a fan of HBO’s “True Blood†on Facebook, from time to time teaser items will appear on my News Feed. Recently it tempted fans to check out an infomercial from The American Vampire League, a fictitious vampire rights group in the show. It’s interesting that an infomercial was considered the appropriate marketing vehicle to further entice fans. Perhaps vampires were simply following in Obama’s footsteps!Â
Aside from social media marketing, “True Blood†has made a big splash in traditional media too. In L.A. alone it was hard to miss the second season debut as stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer graced everything from the entire side of a Sunset Strip office building, to busses and even bus stop benches. But in the end, it looks like the intense mixed marketing effort paid off. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the second season premiere of “True Blood†was the most-watched program on HBO since “The Sopranos†finale. An article in Sunday’s New York Times went so far as to say that “True Blood†has brought HBO out of its slump!
Consequently, Burger King has released a new ad campaign that utilizes a home shopping format to distinguish the value of the Whooper JR.
For direct response professionals, while these campaigns are drenched in irony, they still salute to the fact that DR is a mainstay marketing force to be reckoned with.
While many Americans across the country spent Friday night dressed up as Sarah Palin for Halloween, it was Tina Fey who once again stole the show. Fey reprised her role as Palin for “Saturday Night Live” in a joint appearance with John McCain focused entirely on home shopping channel QVC.
“On the heels of the Obamamercial that dominated the airwaves this past week, comes this skit that opened ‘Saturday Night Live’ featuring John and Cindy McCain who, unable to afford Obama’s paid programming blitz, go on QVC to ply wares along with McCain running mate Sarah Palin in the guise of dead ringer Tina Fey. Do we need any further proof of the ubiquity of electronic retailing as a thread in the fabric of American life?” - Rick Petry
As part of this year’s ERA Awards Gala, our home shopping obsessed sock monkey reappeared in “Satisfaction (I Can’t Get No).”
The short, created by Rick Petry and Richard Perris, is described thusly on YouTube: “Hilarity ensues when a sock monkey husband turned cuckold tries various infomercial products to win back his sweetie.” Have a look and if you like it, please rate it!
It’s true: Power 90 is not just for humans! To ensure we infuse some comedic muscle into this year’s “Retailers Rock”-themed Awards Gala—to be held on the evening of Tuesday, September 23—Under the Gun Productions has once again been busy creating another sock monkey short. Created by USC Film School Alum Rick Petry and Richard Perris, this year’s entry will be a follow up to last year’s short, “Home Shopping Havoc” that was part of “A Night At the Opera.” In case you missed it, below is the YouTube video for “Havoc!” See you at the show!
Last week I visited Honeyshed, a fresh reinvention of home shopping that elevates products and brands to the level of fetish with an irreverent mix of urban sass and scantily clad, er, lass. We’ll be covering Honeyshed in a feature article in Electronic Retailer to coincide with a major marketing launch in November. In the meantime, check out their sizzle (or is it fo shizzle?) reel and if you’re interested in advertising on Honeyshed, contact Beth LeManach at Lemanach@honeyshed.com or Blaine Pate at Pate@honeyshed.com.
Direct response has become so prevalent lately that even TV shows and restaurants are using it as fake marketing bait. As a fan of HBO’s “True Blood†on Facebook, from time to time teaser items will appear on my News Feed. Recently it tempted fans to check out an infomercial from The American Vampire League, a fictitious vampire rights group in the show. It’s interesting that an infomercial was considered the appropriate marketing vehicle to further entice fans. Perhaps vampires were simply following in Obama’s footsteps! 
 But in the end, it looks like the intense mixed marketing effort paid off. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the second season premiere of “True Blood†was the most-watched program on HBO since “The Sopranos†finale. An article in Sunday’s New York Times went so far as to say that “True Blood†has brought HBO out of its slump!
Last week I visited 
