C I A R E P O R T C o m p e t i t i v e I n t e l l i g e n c e A n a l y s i s Notes on Competitor Presentation – July Bill Green Got Promoted We have seen Bill Green before, on HSN’s clearance network subsidiary, America’s Store. To a degree, America’s Store can function like a minor-league farm team for HSN show hosts. We have previously noted another America’s Store host, Alan Skantz, as he was selected to host HSN coin shows. Now, Bill Green has his big break. He now serves as a full-time HSN host, selling jewelry, housewares, and even women’s apparel. Bill started out as the Director of Quality Assurance in HSN’s jewelry purchasing department. After three years, he was selected as an America’s Store host, where he has appeared for the last five years. Bill isn’t alone. QVC’s Jayne Brown was a QVC Apparel Buyer for several years before trying out at an open audition for new show hosts.
Gem Geography on HSN When devoting a 1-hour show to a specific gemstone, QVC and HSN will often spotlight the country of origin by showing video footage of scenic locations near the mining area, or footage taken deep within the mines. And because we are often geographically illiterate, our competitors will sometimes further build interest by showing us exactly where the heck a particular country is located. In the sample shown below, from a multi-show event called “Gems From Africa” an African map is incorporated into the set. B-roll graphics begin by showing the African continent. Then, the featured country for the show, (in this case, Mozambique) is named, and highlighted on the map. The graphic then zooms in on the targeted country. To see video of the Tourmaline & Rubellite ring TS presentation during the Gems From Africa event, click the link at right.
Coin Reflection We do not know if it was intentional, but the position of this Franklin Half Dollar set created a reflection off of the polished display table during an HSN coin show. It added visual interest to the presentation. To see video samples of competitor coin shows, click HERE. Showing Documentation On Air In addition to the often seen comparison of identical diamond and CZ pieces, HSN will also sometimes show an actual appraisal document of the comparative diamond piece, to back up the dollar value being quoted. This practice may help in building the credibility of such claims. To see video of the CZ bracelet shown above, click the link at right.
Which One is the $15,000 Guitar? In a move similar to a diamond and CZ comparison, HSN compared an acoustic guitar, autographed by classical and flamenco guitarist Esteban, selling for $88.25, alongside Esteban’s personal handmade guitar, worth about $15,000. If we were to offer guitars that resemble a Fender Strat or a Takamine acoustic, this HSN comparison makes us wonder is we could carefully word a similar comparison for our on-air presentations. (Usually Esteban appears on HSN to simply play his music while the host sells his CDs. A few years ago, HSN sales of his CDs managed to place him in the number 1 slot on the Billboard charts…in his specific category.) This was only the second occasion we have seen a guitar presentation on HSN over the last two years. As a Today’s Special, HSN sold out of 8,500 units, earning $750,125.00. To see this guitar TS presentation, click the link at right. Selling Jewelry By the Numbers Prior to gift-giving occasions, such as Mother’s Day or Christmas, we can expect QVC to run yet another edition of their multi-hour show “101 Jewelry Gift Ideas”. For these gift shows, QVC actually numbers each of the 101 pieces, and shows the number on-screen.
Tom Gets a Makeover A frequent HSN electronics vendor spokesperson, Tom Piggott, was apparently given a dramatic makeover last month by someone who knew what they were doing. Before After However, when seen on HSN broadcasts this month, we observed that Tom has reverted back to his old look Dressing for Yard & Garden Shows When dressing for a tropical gardens show, QVC host Dan Wheeler is allowed some creative license. However, some might consider the lei to be a bit much. To see video of this Yard & Garden TSV, click the link at right.
Selling on Sofas, Easy Chairs, and Coffee Tables As an alternative to retail display tables, we see HSN and QVC also incorporating home furniture into their sets…and using it. In the examples below, we see camcorders sold from a sofa, a home theatre system sold from an easy chair, and jewelry sold from a coffee table. To see video of a jewelry TSV presentation on this set, click the link at right.
What’s in It? In a WeightPerfect presentation on HSN, in which meal and snack replacement shakes and bars were presented along with calorie-burning capsule supplements, the camera took a close-up of the label on the capsule bottle. Such an informative step not only answers the question, “What’s in it?”… but also helps exhibit an attitude of full disclosure…, which in turn helps to build credibility, and a sense of trust. To view a presentation of WeightPerfect products on HSN, click the link at right. A Past and Present Promo on QVC In promos for QVC’s twice-annual 24-hour Gold Rush events (Alaska Gold Rush in the Summer, California Gold Rush in the Winter) QVC will often dress their models in period costumes, wearing jewelry pieces from the coming show. The shot will then fade to a second scene in which the same model is wearing the same pieces on the same set…in modern attire. This promo idea might work with our long-time Shop At Home show theme – Generations 1912.
An Atmosphere of Elegance It isn’t unusual to occasionally notice a barely discernable soundtrack playing in the background during an HSN or QVC broadcast. A soundtrack selection for a fitness show might be more energetic, while the music underneath a jewelry show might be a more subdued instrumental. Taking this practice a step further, a recent Signature Club A cosmetics show was sometimes accompanied by an in-studio pianist. Of course, her volume was very subdued in the audio mix, to avoid distraction from host and vendor comments, and her play was mostly limited to the segments preceding a show break or coming back from a break. It added an ambiance of elegance. To view (and hear) video of this Signature Club A cosmetics presentation, click the link at right. Sell the Sizzle During an HSN or QVC cooking show, you may occasionally notice that our competitors sometimes place a mike on the counter top, when using a fry pan or grill. They want you to hear the sizzle. We have heard the old sales maxim – “Sell the sizzle…not the steak.” In this case, that expression can be taken literally. The sizzle of food cooking is a sound that creates strong sensory associations. To play video of this TS presentation, click the link at right.
P.S. – In the five years that Ultrex cookware has been on the air at HSN, the network has sold more than 27 million pieces. Showing the Ugly Alternatives to a PDA QVC and HSN like to show the disorganized and unwieldy alternatives to owning a PDA. In the QVC presentation of a PDA from Handspring, shown below left, host Bob Bowersox displayed his former DayTimer notebook, which was a mess of note pages, calendar pages, a scribbled address book, and an assortment of loose Post-It notes. He then compared this ugly alternative to his PDA, into which he had transferred all the info from his DayTimer, after easily typing it into his PC. In HSN’s presentation of a Palm m500 as a Today’s Special, they compared the compact ease of a PDA to a cluttered desk, over which they had scattered a calendar, a note pad, an address book, a business contacts card holder, and To Do lists, etc. There’s nothing like visual aids. To view QVC’s presentation of the Handspring PDA, To view HSN’s presentation of a Palm TS, click the link at right. click the link at right.
“The Shannon Dance” on HSN Whenever HSN schedules an electronics show, their most frequent “go to” girl is Shannon Smith. Shannon is a former entertainment news reporter and ValueVision host who has built electronics expertise over the last few years at HSN. Yet, she manages to explain everything in simple terms, using an everyday conversational tone. Her off-camera voice is her on-camera voice. She talks as if she is addressing just one person. Yet, she infuses enthusiasm into her one-on-one conversational style. She seems genuinely excited about every new electronics gadget that comes down the pike. Witness her presentation of a DVD and CD Dolby digital home theatre system. In a demonstration of the CD sound (for which they oddly chose an accapella selection) Shannon was so moved by the quality of the sound that surrounded her on all sides that she began to dance…but not well. We believe that her enthusiasm was real because it apparently made her almost oblivious to what everyone else was witnessing. Off-camera the production staff was telling her – “Please stop doing “The Elaine Dance”. (This is a reference to a Seinfeld episode. Ask around. Someone will explain.) To witness the unique “Shannon Dance”, click the link at right. (P.S. – During bedding shows, Shannon will usually jump up and down on the mattress, as if it were a trampoline.)
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