Infomercials are a multi-billion dollar business ($150 billion in 2009) and a worldwide phenomenon. The first infomercials aired strictly between 2 and 6 a.m. overnight. However, with the rise of 24/7 cable t and dedicated shopping channels and infomercials, they have begun to take root in popular culture.
They have made instant stars out of their most visible and charismatic “promoters”, such as Ron Popeil, Billy Mays, Anthony Sullivan, Mrs Cleo, Mike Levey and many others. Even TV and movie stars are reinvigorating their careers by sitting down as promoters.
To understand the psychology that drives the production of the infomercials we see today, the ones that have a strange way of mesmerizing you and pulling you onto the pitch after just a few seconds, we have to think in terms of human psychology, and in particular of the stimulus. -response reaction that regulates dopamine levels in the brain:
Infomercials are designed and written to increase dopamine levels in your brain.
Infomercials take you on an exciting journey aimed squarely at your need to have the smartest solutions to common problems: tell you about a problem you never had (or never really considered a big problem), follow that up by presenting an incredibly clever solution, and a stream of ever more fantastic product benefits, bonuses and giveaways, all leading up to the climactic and exciting reveal of an unbelievably low price. And they do everything they can to get you to “shop in the next few minutes” because it only takes 5-6 minutes for your dopamine levels to drop. It is about the psychology of selling.
Skillful production and Hollywood blockbuster-level hype, all in 30 minutes or less – the people who produce infomercials can make a regular product look simply amazing! In reality, about half of the infomercials on TV deliver what they promise, 30 percent still deliver but are too expensive, and the rest are pretty much useless or junk.
The infomercial is here to stay. The economic numbers are too big to ignore. For example, the ShamWow ad was produced on a budget of just $20k, but garnered millions in sales as a result of the appeal of the infomercial and the charismatic delivery of its now-infamous host, Vince Offer.
The infomercial represents the extreme manifestation of capitalism, instant gratification for $19.95 (plus a small shipping and handling charge).
You have to love it.