What Motivates Consumers to Buy As Seen On TV Products

People make decisions about which products to buy on a daily basis, but what drives them to purchase products on infomercials?

Motives are “those factors that compel a consumer to take a particular action.”^[1] Motives are directed toward satisfying a certain need.

Biogenic and psychogenic needs are central to explaining what drives people to buy food, clothing, or a brand new Slap Chop.

Once the audience trusts the product or the personalities linked to the product, the infomercial will announce a call to action by defining a problem that causes the audience trouble. Possible problems range from weight issues to being super cold all the time or simply having a messy home. The problem motivates the customer to remedy the problem by calling to order the product.^[2]

If we watch television long enough we can now learn how to inhibit baldness, become rich in real estate, cut rocks with ginsu knives, cook in woks, become think with body cream, quit smoking without using will power, wax our cars so that they can resist a flame thrower and learn to dance so that we’ll never be dateless again.^[3]

All people are driven by positive and negative reinforcement.  These form the  of individuals' motivations to act and make decisions.  Marketers can take advantage of these situations by providing solutions to these motivational conflicts.  These situations can range from social and status issues to physical needs.  When marketers are able to identify these conflicts, they have the potential to offer the solution.  In turn, this increases the interest in a marketer's product or service offered, and makes for an effective marketing tool.^[4]

Slim Away is an example of both a physical and social conflict 

Conflict: We all want a flattering figure but diets stink and exercise takes forever!

Solution: Buy the Slim Away

The United States is a materialistic society, and U.S. media images

reflect and promote materialistic values and a culture of consumption.

Many infomercials, especially those that focus on weight loss and body image are very idealized and promote a highly desirable life that in reality can only be attained by a few people.