As Seen on TV. Rise of the Infomercial

Description

Whether it's a blanket with sleeves or a super-absorbent towel, the infomercial industry continues to convince millions of us to hand over our hard-earned money for stuff we had no idea we ever needed. This CNBC Original documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the infomercial-maker's bag of tricks and shows how, even in today's troubled economy, the industry just keeps on growing. Viewers enter the high-pressure world of direct response commercials that have made Snuggie, ShamWow, and the Ginsu Knife household names. CNBC correspondent Darren Rovell examines the psychology behind why some sales pitches strikeout while others are hit out of the park. He also sits down with industry heavyweights, including inventor Ron Popeil (Showtime Rotisserie); the late Billy Mays (Oxy-Clean); A. J. Khubani, CEO, Telebrands (Ped-Egg); Scott Boilen, CEO, All Star Marketing Group (Snuggie); and Ed Valenti, co-founder, Dial Media (Ginsu Knives).

Runtime

44 min

Subjects

Database

Films on Demand

Direct Link