An incomplete post about infomercials

I’ve always liked watching “infomercials”. You know, those ½ hour long TV segments where a very enthusiastic spokesman/woman expounds the merits of the latest blender or rotisserie oven.

It’s not so much that I want the products they are selling or even need them, but the entire atmosphere created within these infomercial worlds is so perfect. All your concerns or doubts are addressed and the product can do no wrong. And just when you are asking “How much is this amazing item?” they give you not only one…but TWO for this great price.

Most of these products offer speed…like the Magic Bullet blender. They show you how you can make dozens of meals in minutes. The funny part is that all the meals are kind of similar. They all involve taking a bunch of raw ingredients and chopping them into smaller pieces and then cooking them. However, cooking at the most simple level is just that. Take some materials…combine them with other materials…then add some energy in the form of heat until chemical reactions occur and you are left with delciousness.

Another funny infomercial was the ones that Ronco would put on. He would usually be selling some sort of oven but he’d also throw in a plug for his spray-on hair, demonstrating the product on his own head. The camera would zoom in on his bald spot and he’d proceed to essentially spray paint his own head.

Infomercials are a paradigm of good rhetoric. They hit you at all levels (ethos, pathos, logos) and pretty much appeal to everyone. They always include in the audience males and females of all races and ages. They portray the product in such a way that ANYONE can use it. I also enjoy how they often times build a cynical character into the infomercial. This grumpy character is an avatar for every wary viewer. He asks all those tough (but scripted) questions that you may have and is ultimately convinced.

Despite how much I like infomercials, I have never bought anything as a result of watching one. I guess I’ve been ingrained with the impression that you just don’t buy something over the phone. It has an inherent risk (despite the fact that most products come with 30 day money-back guarantees) because you can’t actually see the product and test it out. The odd thing is that I feel much more comfortable buying things online, where I get probably less information about the product and no guarantee that I’ll even receive it when it’s shipped.

I think the reason is because infomercials are designed to be so convincing, they cause me to view them with a tinge of doubt as a defensive mechanism.