The Sharper Image: Creating Better Desires

Television:
Says Farrell: “We do a significant amount of television advertising, but only for direct sales (that is, no regular TV commercials). We run both two-minute and 28-minute infomercials—mainly for our best-selling Ionic Breeze Quadra Silent Air Purifier. We run on all kinds of stations, in many markets, throughout the day. We do very well on a direct basis and believe we also benefit from a spill-over ‘advertising effect’ that helps support our stores, Internet and catalog. We started running infomercials in mid-1998 and have successfully built [that program] into a multi-million-dollar business, although we do not disclose the exact amount. Years ago, Sharper Image tested direct-selling TV channels but none really paid off for the company.”