What Does "As Seen On TV" Really Mean?

15 years ago

i dont know if as seen on tv is an actual trademark or not. maybe its just a standard content addition for recognition.

people see it and figure it must be good if its been on tv right?

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AmyBrown

15 years ago

I'm surprised it's not held by Telebrands but I see on their website they only claim to be the "original as seen on tv company". Interesting...

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Tyrus Antas

15 years ago

It means you were on TV. Either by advertising, news or through an interview. If you were not on TV but advertise your product/service as such you're engaging in false advertising.

Lately I've seen people use such crap as "As seen on Google, Yahoo...". Do you know what I've seen on Google too? Goatse, keyboard cat, tubgirl and other such "personalities".

Tyrus

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Jason Moffatt

15 years ago

Technically you could take a image or your product, stick a HDMI plug into your computer and TV and bam... your product has now been Seen On TV.

I'm not saying I would do that, but no one can deny that your product was actually seen on TV.

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Tom B

Banned 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Moffatt

Technically you could take a image or your product, stick a HDMI plug into your computer and TV and bam... your product has now been Seen On TV.

I'm not saying I would do that, but no one can deny that your product was actually seen on TV.

Why go through all that trouble, Jason. I will just put the product on top of the television.

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Jason Moffatt 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap

Why go through all that trouble, Jason. I will just put the product on top of the television.

Jenius my friend!
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kbayer63 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap

Why go through all that trouble, Jason. I will just put the product on top of the television.

Standing ovation!
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yourreviewer 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap

Why go through all that trouble, Jason. I will just put the product on top of the television.

LOLLLLLLLLLL, this is indeed a stroke of genius .
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Joe118 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap

Why go through all that trouble, Jason. I will just put the product on top of the television.

LOL thats funny. Take a pic and post it on your website, to make the point that 'as seen on TV' makes no sense. It's simply false social proof.
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Dan C. Rinnert 15 years ago

It looks like, at one time, it was a trademark. And, it appears as though some trademarks still exist for various "As Seen on TV" logos but not the phrase itself.

The most commonly seen one (the rounded red box) appears to have been abandoned.

Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

But, I'm not a trademark attorney, so don't take this as legal advice. This is just what I found in a search.
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scole954387

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Moffatt

Technically you could take a image or your product, stick a HDMI plug into your computer and TV and bam... your product has now been Seen On TV.

I'm not saying I would do that, but no one can deny that your product was actually seen on TV.

LOL Jason. I guess technically you're correct. I could photoshop it onto CNN's site and say as seen on CNN. :-)

Shannon

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Droopy Dawg

15 years ago

It means they're lying their ***** off

Just a ploy to make you think they're that much more legit. Ever notice that they have the images of all of these TV shows, but no actual footage? I mean Youtube is alive and well.

If they have "as seen on tv" on their site, and no actual footage of the event, then i'd say their FOS.

just my opinion anyway.

DeShon

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artwebster

15 years ago

"As seen on TV" and "As seen on Oprah" are the dying gasps of a product as it is swallowed into the quagmire called "sell at any cost"

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ideasuniversity

15 years ago

Originally Posted by artwebster

"As seen on TV" and "As seen on Oprah" are the dying gasps of a product as it is swallowed into the quagmire called "sell at any cost"

How many times does it appear on Oprah before one can say "as seen on Oprah"?

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Ray Erdmann

15 years ago

'...However, take this same phrase and apply it to just about any other niche where the prospect is not familiar with Internet marketing and what you have is instant credibility...

Unless the product you're promoting has never been on TV, then what you have by using this internet marketing phrase is an instant 'lie' and not credibility.

"..It may be a false credibility as far as the quality of the product is concerned, but in the mind of the prospect, they're immediately thinking "This must be legit" especially if you can show them a video of the actual TV broadcast.

Not sure about you, but to me the words 'As Seen on TV', does NOT indicate that a product is made of top quality craftsmanship, or that it's made from inferior products....it merely means said product was once displayed/sold/talked about in its own info-merecial...and nothing else!

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admin

Administrator 15 years ago

Originally Posted by Ray Erdmann

Unless the product you're promoting has never been on TV, then what you have by using this internet marketing phrase is an instant 'lie' and not credibility.

Not sure about you, but to me the words 'As Seen on TV', does NOT indicate that a product is made of top quality craftsmanship, or that it's made from inferior products....it merely means said product was once displayed/sold/talked about in its own info-merecial...and nothing else!

Ray I really can't figure out what you are arguing with here. :-)

Steven never said he used it, liked it, agreed with it or that sales messages using it had products with great quality craftsmanship.

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Steven Wagenheim

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Ray Erdmann

Unless the product you're promoting has never been on TV, then what you have by using this internet marketing phrase is an instant 'lie' and not credibility.

Not sure about you, but to me the words 'As Seen on TV', does NOT indicate that a product is made of top quality craftsmanship, or that it's made from inferior products....it merely means said product was once displayed/sold/talked about in its own info-merecial...and nothing else!

Ray, you so missed my point that it flew over your head like a UFO from
another galaxy.

My point is, not you, but somebody who is not an Internet marketer,
these phrases suggest credibility. You have to understand, the mindset
of the typical Joe off the street, like say, my friend Bob, is not like the
mindset of marketers like us.

This is the reason why so many scams and schemes do work, because
the average person sees something credible, like "As Seen On TV" and
buys into it.

I personally do not condone the use of such a tactic to be deceiving.

I am simply pointing out that it works...whether you like it, believe it,
or whatever.

Stop thinking like an Internet Marketer and start thinking like your Aunt
Zelda and you'll finally get the psychology of this stuff.

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Martin Luxton 15 years ago

these phrases suggest credibility

Just increased my credibility by changing the strapline under my avatar.

The thing is, it happened a few years back, only 3 million people were watching and I was talking about my rock band, not business.

Does that matter?

It's the actual fact of being on national TV that matters right?

Originally Posted by artwebster

"As seen on TV" and "As seen on Oprah" are the dying gasps of a product as it is swallowed into the quagmire called "sell at any cost"

Art, I'll take 10 quid for my photo. 20 quid if you want it autographed.

Martin
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Quang Van

15 years ago

For me "As Seen on TV" means... that they've been a commercial or info-mercial on TV.

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misterwrecker

15 years ago

Whenever you use to see "As seen on tv" it was meant that it was on an infomercial and now you could buy them in stores. This has increased sales tremedously compared to the 80s when companies only had a few seconds or minutes to promote their products. Now stores such as walgreens have "As seen on TV" sections in front of their stores and it is one of their best selling products. The whole "As seen on TV" logo does seem to be diluted and I am sure it is either being falsely or deceptively used. You can put "As seen on 60 minutes" and the show could of been about how bad the product actually is.

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kbayer63

15 years ago

As well... as seen in Time, USA Today, People, & Good Housekeeping. ( maybe just classified ads, etc., but who would go through the trouble to discount such "claims"?)

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Jesus Perez

15 years ago

Ok, I got this all figured out. Here you go everyone....

I'm willing to bet $1 that it'll be exactly as effective as the original logo. Plus, it's FTC Approved.

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Steven Wagenheim 15 years ago

Here is what it means on 2 levels.

1. On the actual technical level, it means that the product was seen on
some TV show in some form, whether it was on an infomercial, Oprah or
whoever. Claiming this when it isn't true can land you into a boatload of
trouble. But don't quote me on that because I'm not a lawyer.

2. On the more important level as far as marketing goes, this is what it
really means and this is what you need to understand about it.

Yes, I know that everybody here who sees "As Seen On TV" immediately
thinks "scam" and "crap product." We're conditioned to think that way
because we're marketers. Thus, I don't think this tactic is as effective in
the make money online niche.

However, take this same phrase and apply it to just about any other
niche where the prospect is not familiar with Internet marketing and what
you have is instant credibility.

It may be a false credibility as far as the quality of the product is
concerned, but in the mind of the prospect, they're immediately thinking
"This must be legit" especially if you can show them a video of the actual
TV broadcast.

Psychology in marketing is a big part of conversions. That's why, like it
or not, these tactics work...especially in certain niches.

You need to stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like the people
you are marketing to in order to understand why this stuff works.

Otherwise, you're going to end up discounting a lot of methods that could
greatly increase your bottom line.

If I had a product outside of the IM niche and could get in on Oprah, I'd
do it in a heartbeat because I'd be able to retire the next day.
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slvrsrfr

15 years ago

Originally Posted by BlueSquares

Ok, I got this all figured out. Here you go everyone....

I'm willing to bet $1 that it'll be exactly as effective as the original logo. Plus, it's FTC Approved.

i love it! i'll use that on my products. maybe you should trademark it and charge a $1 per use.

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Kenneth Fox

15 years ago

To me it is a form of social proof. "As seen on tv" or "As shown
on Oprah" so it must be worth looking into.

"As seen on tv" is really just a brand as is Oprah and others like it.

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kbayer63

15 years ago

Technically, damn near everything has been "seen on TV" at one time or another -- from wonder-tool gadjets to Mercedes Benz...

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Ram 15 years ago

Heck, Eddie Murphy and Danny Bonaduce were both seen on TV .... with TVs!
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- Kay King 15 years ago
  
  Looks like trademark has been applied for many times - and either denied or was not defensible as they are listed as abandoned. Phrase is too general perhaps - the only phrase like it live are a couple associated with specific company logos.
  
  The "as seen on" has become a phrase in itself. The other day in a paper there was an ad for wicker furniture that listed "as seen on my front porch".
  
  kay
  
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Pete Egeler

15 years ago

Actually, Jason M. If you plug into your TV, it should really be advertised "As Seen On MY TV"

Same with putting the product on top of the TV.

That's like the folks that used to try to claim that the Donald said if he had to start all over again he'd go into MLM. Never said it.

Pete

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astaga

15 years ago

Careful, could be just as well suited:
haha

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Kay King

15 years ago

I love the "as seen on Oprah" - it's most often used to promote a really bad make money idea that was mentioned on Oprah as a "scam". But - it was mentioned....

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Randy Bheites

15 years ago

The phrase has entered the western zeitgeist and is widely accepted to mean that the product or service has been either advertised or featured on television somewhere.

It means nothing, technically. It means some small, comforting measure of "social proof" in real psychological terms. We are a television-oriented society, if something has "been on TV" it has a smidge more psychological tangibility than something that has not. Oooh, it's been on TV, it must actually exist on some tangible plane.

"As Seen On TV" works because we have all collectively agreed to give it a small measure of credibility.

When it is abused enough, the zeitgeist will change to derision rather than acceptance, at which point the label will be widely understood as denoting something inferior, dangerous or fraudulent. Like, ummm, the phrase "Made in China" is now.

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What Does "As Seen On TV" Really Mean?

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