October 11, 2010

Review: Smart Tags

Description: A lost pet recovery system
Main Pitch: "Guaranteed to find your pet within six hours or your money back"
Main Offer: $19.95 for two (with purchase of Lifetime Protection Plan)
Bonus: Pet First Aid Kit
Starring: Dr. B. Voynick, veterinarian
Marketer: IDTag.com
Website: www.SmartTags.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

I've known about this product concept for some time, and I always loved the idea. With the right creative, I think this one could be a hit.

While this creative isn't terrible from a production standpoint, it's confusing and (to use a favorite expression yet again) confusion is a sales killer. The commercial I saw is a 60, which exacerbates the problem. This product, which is really a service, needs a 120 at minimum to explain. It may even need a longer format like a 5-minute or perhaps a long form to get the features and benefits across. On top of that, the offer is also very confusing, leaving unanswered an important question, "How much will the string that's attached cost me?"

Another problem is the lack of testimonials. More than with other product categories, I think emotion is a major driver of sales in the pet category. There is almost zero emotion in this spot despite all the potential that's there. Lost pets are almost as emotionally devastating as lost children for many people ... and that's all the free consulting I'm willing to give today!