As well, the saw s ability to cut through materials as diverse as marble and plywood is a hard claim to make without immediate verification. Kopras s challenge in the late 1990s was figuring out how to get Spiral Saws in the hands of people who don t frequent hardware stores, such as hobbyists. At about the same time, cable shopping network QVC was showcasing products unique to each state. By adding a direct response component, he might be able to offset the cost of an infomercial campaign in one fell swoop. As well, an infomercial handily could show both men and women using the saw, diversifying from its current customer base of construction enthusiasts.
Guys get the attitude that, If a woman can use it, geez, anyone can use it.
But having a guy using it, women won t use it, Kopras says. Kopras made sure viewers understood what RotoZip was all about, stacking the audience with Spiral Saw customers who were eager to show off their precision-cutting skills for the cameras. The infomercial strategy was not without its speed bumps. The addition of the direct-response distribution channel had Home Depot executives seeing red. In response, he hung tight, believing that the infomercials created a greater general demand for Spiral Saws that only could benefit retailers in the short and long run.