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[Dhx]

I've worked as a producer for a home shopping show and with one of the most prolific infomercial studios in Tampa.

Not a single grain of truth here. The marketing plan for most of these things is to come up with one outrageous, filmable gimmick that causes you to go, "fuck it, it's only 19.99." An example would be the screen door boat that floats with FlexSeal.

 

[Revolutionary]

Some people really do believe everything on the internet, huh?

 

[itwasTuesday]

As long as no one mocks my Ronco way of living.

 

[StoOgE]

Hmmm

HD Glasses.

Other than a dumb name, these are ancient and work really well for people who get halos from lights while driving at night. The orange filter blocks out certain spectrums of color that cause lights to be blinding.

My mom has used them since the 80s. She actually can't see to drive at night without them.

She also doesn't like watching movies in dark theaters because quick transitions from dark to light can hurt her eyes.

 

[BronsonLee]

BronsonLee.

Meet me outside

 

[MooseKnuckles]

The final line of that first comment is a benign but perfect distillation of the self-righteous superiority that makes tumblr seem like such an insufferable place.

 

[Lonewulfeus]

Hmmm

So, this applies to every infomercial?

Because:

I don't think Waist Trainer was made with a disabled person in mind.

Or even my favourite:

HD Glasses.

The hd glasses are for people too cheap to buy the AR coating for their lenses

 

[ODDI]

I'll have more empathy the next time I view one. That being said, this guy is an idiot:

AMAZING

 

[SuperStiltzkin]

Tumblr being tumblr. It's not marketing toward disabled people. It's coming up with contrived made up problems that their product solves.

 

[Strangelove77]

That Magic Bullet commercial takes place after an orgy, doesn't it?

 

[Kinyou]

I appreciate the smugness in that tumblr post while providing zero sources or evidence.

 

[Snagret]

This is such a ridiculous assumption to make. If this was true, wouldn't it be a lot more progressive for these companies to actually market to their real intended audience instead of "able-washing" all of their commercials? None of these infomercials ever have even a small cameo from a handicap person demonstrating how useful these products might be for them.

 

[Cels]

This is such a ridiculous assumption to make. If this was true, wouldn't it be a lot more progressive for these companies to actually market to their real intended audience instead of "able-washing" all of their commercials? None of these infomercials ever have even a small cameo from a handicap person demonstrating how useful these products might be for them.

yes, this is just another case of tumblr being tumblr

 

[Carnby]

I've worked as a producer for a home shopping show and with one of the most prolific infomercial studios in Tampa.

Not a single grain of truth here. The marketing plan for most of these things is to come up with one outrageous, filmable gimmick that causes you to go, "fuck it, it's only 19.99." An example would be the screen door boat that floats with FlexSeal.

Agreed. The post in the OP just isn't accurate.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

I appreciate the smugness in that tumblr post while providing zero sources or evidence.

Wikipedia: I can't believe how many people take what I have to have to say at face value without looking at the sources.

Tumblr: Hold my beer.

 

[biggersmaller]

That Magic Bullet commercial takes place after an orgy, doesn't it?

This makes so much more sense now. That hungover dude just didn't get any and drank himself to sleep.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

It was written on the internet so it must be true.

 

[CertifiedFP]

Looks like Tumblr facts. When something gets reblogged 60,000 times and you weep for humanity.

Detective GAF should have this sussed on page 1.

I got news for you pal...

 

[akira28]

don't even clean them up just move to the floor and eat them from there.

 

[mreddie]

Makes sense...I think

 

[WedgeX]

I feel like people who use wheelchairs would be insulted that people assume they can't put on a coat.

Seriously. I don't buy this for a second. More like infomercial propaganda. If these things are intended for people who are disabled then they would be more closely aligned with Medicaid reimbursement goods.

 

[Laekon]

Getting a snuggy or whatever they are on a disabled person in a wheelchair would be harder then a jacket.

 

[Piggus]

Even IF that person's claims were true, it doesn't make the commercials any less funny. I'm laughing at the stupid-ass commercial, not the people who might find it useful.

 

[Kayhan]

No one could have foreseen that outcome.

 

[Kenstar]

Oh

Tumblr

 

[TyrantII]

I've worked as a producer for a home shopping show and with one of the most prolific infomercial studios in Tampa.

Not a single grain of truth here. The marketing plan for most of these things is to come up with one outrageous, filmable gimmick that causes you to go, "fuck it, it's only 19.99." An example would be the screen door boat that floats with FlexSeal.

Flexiseal the the rubber in a can right?

I actually bought a can for a project. Carved a block of wood into a cellphone mount, dropped some neodymium magnets into recessed notches, sealed it near the surface with apoxy, and sanded. Then about 20 coats of that stuff.

Made an awesome, minimalistic magnetic mount for my car.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Come on OP, what's next? A topic about a David "Avocado" Wolfe Facebook post?

Oh you're dealing with it too? Why the fuck is this going around today?

 

[PSqueak]

Are these facts or is this tumblr being tumblr

The claims of them being invented by disabled people are dubious, but are in the realm of "shit i could believe", also, regardless of the idea being helping disabled people as the main focus, it's hard to argue that disabled people would indeed benefit the most from some of these inventions.

So yeah, maybe it's tumblr being tumblr, but personally, it did made me realize that there is a whole lot of people with special needs that can indeed benefit from all of these things.

 

[TheSeks]

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/498/505/76f.gif

The hell is going on there? Audition for a BDSM torture chamber?

 

[DerangedHermit]

/r/wheredidthesodago

Yep, always worth a visit when you need a few laughs!

 

[Nydius]

I've worked as a producer for a home shopping show and with one of the most prolific infomercial studios in Tampa.

Not a single grain of truth here. The marketing plan for most of these things is to come up with one outrageous, filmable gimmick that causes you to go, "fuck it, it's only 19.99." An example would be the screen door boat that floats with FlexSeal.

I'm not sure which is worse: the outlandish example or when local news outlets decide to test them in idiotic 'sweeps week' spots.

One of our local outlets did a "DOES IT REALLY WORK?" week and they "tested" FlexSeal. Did they do any of the dozen or so examples in the commercial like using it as a sealant for gutters? Of course not. The host comes out holding a Rubbermaid bin with a screen in the bottom of it and a single spraycan of FlexSeal and says, "They show FlexSeal keeping a boat floating, but does it really work?!".

She proceeded to make a complete ass of herself for the entire segment, spraying half the can on the screen and then sticking it in a river where - to no one's surprise - it sank.

 

[Rembrandt]

Are these facts or is this tumblr being tumblr

OP got duped. That tumblr was just lying/joking.

The final line of that first comment is a benign but perfect distillation of the self-righteous superiority that makes tumblr seem like such an insufferable place.

I mean that post comes off as a lie/joke to a lot of people in this thread. that self-righteousness is part of it.

 

[Dhx]

Flexiseal the the rubber in a can right?

Yeah. It's actually fairly useful for certain applications. It just takes a hell of a lot more coats than you would imagine from the marketing.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

fake news

 

[Fury451]

Oh

Tumblr

These aren't real, right?

Also, if they are, it's people trolling, right?

Tumblr at times just seems like a game of "who can troll the hardest" that got out of hand.

 

[Count Dookkake]

They need to design a product for OP.

 

[Darryl M R]

OP are you interested in joining my multi-level marketing company?

 

[Lulubop]

IS this some deep lore, like Squall dying in FF8?

 

[freenudemacusers]

hey guys i read on facebook today shannon doherty has been cured of cancer and her cancer has spread throughout her body. what's up with that?

 

[Stoze]

 

[DarkKyo]

I'll have more empathy the next time I view one. That being said, this guy is an idiot:

Hahahah, I was hoping someone would post this.

 

[mr_nexus]

I'll have more empathy the next time I view one. That being said, this guy is an idiot:

Every time I see this comic all I can think is how the cartoon version of him looks like Bill Paxton.

 

[freenudemacusers]

has anyone seen that video where people pour molten copper on a big mac and barely anything happens? can't believe people eat that stuff.

 

[Kayhan]

I'll have more empathy the next time I view one. That being said, this guy is an idiot:

I almost hesitate to say this but.....I don't really get that comic. Is it supposed to be sad he knocked over the bowl....?

 

[Boem]

Even if this was true (and it really isn't - I'm sure some products are useful (and marketed towards) the elderly and disabled, but I've worked with disabled people for many years and they really don't need to get their equipment through hidden messages in infomercials. There are actually normal commercials/magazines/websites advertising that stuff for them. It's not like disabled is a dirty word or anything. There's no use for companies to play coy about that - there's a market, people interested in buying products designed for helping out in difficult situations, and they just approach them like they would any other costumer for any other product. This is a super weird conspiracy theory.

Also, most of the ones I remained friends with find those infomercials just as hilarious as me.

Weird thing to start a crusade about. A (poorly thought out) shower thought turned into ethical stance.

 

[OG Shaka Zulu]

I almost hesitate to say this but.....I don't really get that comic. Is it supposed to be sad he knocked over the bowl....?

It's a prequel to the gif.

 

[Mr-Joker]

I almost hesitate to say this but.....I don't really get that comic. Is it supposed to be sad he knocked over the bowl....?

Yes, it a joke about how his only excitement in live was eating a big bowl of crisp but was cruelly taken away from him when he knocked it down.

 

[N.Domixis]

I've worked as a producer for a home shopping show and with one of the most prolific infomercial studios in Tampa.

Not a single grain of truth here. The marketing plan for most of these things is to come up with one outrageous, filmable gimmick that causes you to go, "fuck it, it's only 19.99." An example would be the screen door boat that floats with FlexSeal.

You forgot to mention the "for fifteen easy payments of $19.99*!"

*$16.99 dollars for S&H

 

[Delio]

 

[SuperStiltzkin]

Damn that looked like a hard fall. The whole set shook. I better buy their product so I don't risk getting a concussion.