Various factors affect the outcome of a marketing strategy, but not a lot of campaigns have ever come close to the tried and tested As Seen On TV. This strategy reached its peak in the 80s and the 90s, and although it might seem that its popularity has dwindled since, it could still teach us a thing or two about marketing. At a time when access to the Internet is limited, but televisions are in every home, it is no wonder that As Seen On TV ads became so popular.
As Seen on TV advertisements, often associated with infomercials, are a form of direct marketing. One crucial part of the infomercials back then is having people (either experts or celebrities) vouch for the product in order to build trust and convince you that this really does work. In other words, these commercials use Social Proof as one way they get your attention - it's like peer pressure but from an expert. As seen on TV ads teach us many things about psychology and marketing; it was also where ploys such as 'limited-time offer' were born!
The history behind As Seen On TV advertising starts before there even was a television, because advertisers realized how effective using images could be if they were large and in a place where people would see them. As we entered the 20th century, advertisers were still using images to advertise their product, but now they had an even bigger platform - billboards that could be seen from miles away!
The next leap forward was when As Seen On TV ads started appearing on television sets. This is because there are two things that humans find irresistible: pleasurable experiences (in this case, watching advertisements) and being able to avoid pain or discomfort (by not having to get up off of the couch). Marketers used these concepts by playing attention-grabbing music as well as showing how quickly products could make life easier for you through demonstrations such as cooking meals in minutes with just one appliance rather than several different ones.
As Seen On TV ads are among the best examples of social proof. One important part of infomercials back then is having people (either experts or celebrities) vouch for the product. This way, potential buyers can feel more confident that they're buying a quality item and not wasting their money on something harmful or useless. It's also common to see celebrity endorsements as well as testimonials by doctors who endorse certain products such as antibiotics and antiseptics.
The psychology behind As Seen on TV is that people are more likely to buy products when they see others talking about them or using them because research has shown that we all want what other people want. This makes sense given our natural inclination toward social proof - in order to be accepted within society, one needs approval from those around themselves.
Nowadays though, you don't have to actually see the product on TV to believe that it will work as they claimed. Placing the words 'As Seen on TV' can be enough to convince customers!
Proof of the power of As Seen on TV products to make a sale is Clickbank dedicating an entire category for such products. Clickbank is one of the most popular vendor-affiliate marketplaces in the world, selling anything from digital lessons to e-Commerce products.