I’m talking about TV pitchmen who advertise a variety of apparently unrelated items. Currently we have Anthony Sullivan who sells “Tap Light,” “Metobolize and Save,” and some sort of funny broom I can’t remember the name of. Anna Marie Alberghetti was another one years ago who used to hawk all sorts of stuff. The format of the ads is similar, in that these folks all introduce themselves as if we should know who they are already (“Hi, I’m Dick Hurtz here to tell you about this great new Weenie Roaster…”).
What’s the psychology behind using one person to advertise several different products? And how do ad companies decide which people to use?
Well other than the fact that these out of work actors need the job, I would say that it gives the buyers someone familiar to relate to instead of a total stranger…
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I don’t know who Anthony Sullivan is, or if that is only in a certain area of the U.S. One commercial that still cracks me up is Chad Everett, of the former ‘Medical Center’ with his pitch:
‘Hi, I’m not a doctor, but I play one on tv…’
I still use the same kind of line but change it to, ‘hi’, I’m still your mom, but I don’t play one on tv.’
Okay, I know, you’ll shake your head like my kids shake theirs, but hey, it still is funny to me!!
I also couldn’t tell you anything about Anthony Sullivan, but Anna Maria Alberghetti is a singer and actress who was moderately popular in the 60’s. One of the most beautiful voices I ever heard. Try the soundtrack to “Carnival”.
Doesn’t Anthony Sullivan do the ad for the “Rocket Chef” also? Maybe it’s the British accent - I’ve noticed this from multiple infomercials as of late. Some sort of subliminal stereotypical impression of trust (Oh, he’s British, so he’s smart and trustworthy)…?
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“All right. Have it your own way. Road to hell paved with unbought stuffed dogs. Not my fault.”
Hey, Rula Lenska was OK, except for the name. She was in Rock Follies.
What annoys me is when they have to push the product immediately, then in their second sentence they say, “Hi, I’m Gary Colemanlantern and I’m here to tell you…” It always seems jerky that way, stops the flow of the message.
Isn’t the psychology involved perfectly evident from the OP? These are people who I wouldn’t recognise, but you obviously did, however vaguely, and subsequently can recall the name of the products they were advertising. I guess the ad guys have won
It’s nice being foreign in the US, I don’t ‘get’ most of the advertising. Except for those damn SUV’s, how will I ever egt past the rhino’s in the supermarket car park without one??
Of course, in the UK, we have our own Z-list celebrities, the lowest position being the very, very old actor who advertises life insurance at 4-45 pm in the advert break during ‘Countdown’. Don’t ask.
