Informercials!

[DEEDEE]

I'm flipping channels and I stop on a station where I see people jumping up and down and this dome shaped thing...then I hear the claims. "Burn more calories in 10 minutes using (there contraption)than a one hour weight lifting class. Then they show people pissing and moaning about how much they hate the weight training class and how they would love to get the 'same benefits' in just 10 minutes. Next thing you know these people are bouncing up and down on this what ever the heck it is talking about what a great workout they are getting. The idea is that you use more muscles to balance on this dome thing than in a one hour weight training class.

The next claim is the one that really irritated me. These people guarantee that "You will lose 20 lbs in one month!!!". Then they show fat bodies...fast foreward a month and then we have lean, muscluar, cut bodies. You know, I thought it was illegal to go on tv and purposely lie about your product. This kind of crap just makes me want to scream.

Sorry to rant, but this kind of stuff makes things so hard once you meet these people and they want help losing weight because the dome thing didn't work, but they expect you (the personal trainer/fitness instructor/dietian) to give them that magic bullet that will have weight dropping off in at least 5 pounds a week.

 

[kristi]

You would think that people who buy into these bogus infomercials would have caught on by now that there is no magic pill. It all comes down to exercising and eating clean. I guess some people do not understand what either of those mean and they may never see results unless they do.

Please let me add that I know that not all infomercials are bogus.

 

[DEEDEE]

<<<Please let me add that I know that not all infomercials are bogus>>>


Oh I agree, there are some legit informercials out there. But some of them make the wildest claims, its just amazing that some people would actually purchase their products.

 

[kathryn]

I'd say about 90% of these "fitness" infomercials are a bunch of hooey. Do people really believe that the spokespeople got the was they did from using some gadget for 10 minutes a day? Or that doing some ab exercise can magically make your entire body slimmer and more attractive? And they always make "working out" sound like such a horrible thing that one should avoid at all costs! And lauding the equipment that you can work on without breaking a sweat! Is that even working out?

How to make an infomercial (as per Discovery channel show): State a problem, offer a solution, give a demonstration, count down the pricce---"not $200, not $100, but three payments of $29.99. But wait! If you can in the next 15 minutes---and we're keeping track of this, of course--we'll take away one payment. That makes only 2 payments of $29.99!"

 

[FitnessGoddess]

Kathryn,

Your response cracks me up! It is soooooo dead on. Remember the informericals with the live audiences?

WE WANT MORE!!!!

 

[kathryn]

>Kathryn,
>
>Your response cracks me up! It is soooooo dead on. Remember
>the informericals with the live audiences?
>
>WE WANT MORE!!!!


They still have those for Ron Popeil products: "Ooooooh! Aaaah! (with lots of smiling and head nodding. When tasting samples of product, look like you're having an orgasmic experience.)

 

[Katerchen]

I hope Cathe will never go into the informercial world. But if she do, I hope she sticks with the facts. I don't buy anything from an Informercial anymore.

The only exceptions was Time Life's Informercial about the FIRM (1997). I liked their 'no pain - no gain attitude". And I am thankful that they got me started. GT informercials are a different animal.

But today's FIRM informericals, or BeachBody, or whatever makes me want to vomit because they just promise you the results without any work. They set the US population up for failure and I wish the FDA would regulate this business.

 

[kathryn]

>But today's FIRM informericals, or BeachBody, or whatever
>makes me want to vomit because they just promise you the
>results without any work. They set the US population up for
>failure and I wish the FDA would regulate this business.
>
But, sadly, that seems to appeal to a lot of people.

"Breath your way slim" touts the woman with the really blurry camera on her.

Lose weight while you sleep!

Take this pill and you can eat the amount of fat in 5 hamburgers without your body absorbing it!

Use this product only 5 minutes a day, three days a week, and trim your abs and thighs with no work!

I wonder how sales would change if all infomercials told the truth?

 

[Beets]

Hi,
Just wanted to pipe in here about the infomercial on the half dome piece of equipment. This product is actually a knock-off of another product called the BOSU. It is essentially one of those physio-balls cut in half and you can use it for core work or cardio. It is actually a legitimate piece of fitness equipment so don't be too turned off by the infomercial. However, I do take issue with the fact that they promote that someone can achieve remarkable results in just 10 minutes a day--we all know that is just not true!