Billy Blanks Boot Camp

In July of 2007, IComm launched Billy Blanks Boot Camp with one of Japan’s largest DRTV companies. While famous for his Tae Bo brand throughout the U.S., at the time Billy was a virtual unknown in the Japanese market.

Within a few weeks of being on the air, it was clear that Japanese consumers were responding very positively and embracing Billy Blanks as had American audiences. The success of the infomercial campaign, which sold almost 2 million units in 2 years, was bolstered by a 7 day press tour with appearances on radio, television and in magazines, and culminating with a personal appearance at the Tokyo Dome.

Launched in a time of exploding social media in Japan, Billy Blanks went on to become a popular figure throughout the Japanese social media network, where consumers even invented a new word for his workout called “Billyru”, which roughly translated means “do the Billy”. The iconic success that Billy Blanks achieved in Japan is formalized in his being awarded the 2007 Shogakukan DIME Trend Award, an award bestowed upon products that impact the Japanese market and establish trends.

Best Buy Co. Ltd.

For the past 10 years, IComm has worked as the exclusive buying and sourcing division for the largest DRTV company in Vietnam, Best Buy Co. Ltd. Initially working with Best Buy to launch such hit products as Total Gym and Tony Little’s Gazelle, it soon became clear that Vietnamese consumers were very receptive to DRTV advertising and were highly interested in American products. With initial success in the fitness category, IComm over the years has gone on to introduce housewares, beauty and home products to Best Buy for distribution throughout all of Vietnam. IComm works with all the largest American and European DRTV product owners to localize their product and bring it to Vietnam, where a market of eager new consumers awaits the next “hit” product from the States!

TruColor Sunglasses

Seasonal products are traditionally very hard to exploit internationally. By the time a program is launched, success is identified and inventory is ordered, the season can be past and the opportunity lost.

In launching TruColor Sunglasses 2 years ago, IComm worked with the product owner to have inventory available immediately from the U.S. to allow international distributors to test quickly and have assurance that there was stock available immediately to roll-out once the infomercial proved successful.

After initial successful tests in the first year, IComm worked with distributors to be proactive in the second year in planning to roll-out the campaign and ordering goods in advance from the Orient. The support of the product owner for the initial launch was invaluable in getting the product off the ground, and thereafter the risk for the product owner was minimized with distributors ordering goods to ship direct from the Orient. TruColor Sunglasses has been a top selling item in Korea, Japan and in markets across Europe. Line extensions have been developed for retail expansion, all of which will continue to be supported perennially with the DRTV campaign.

Total Gym Fitness

IComm has been selling Total Gyms internationally since its launch in 1996. From Asia to Europe to South America, more than 750,000 Total Gym units have been sold outside of the U.S.

Bodyblade

IComm has worked in partnership with the inventor of the Bodyblade for the past 12 years. Initially distributing the Bodyblade infomercial in 1999 on behalf of American Telecast Products, IComm introduced Bodyblade to DRTV companies throughout the world. Greatest success was found in Japan where IComm worked with 2 of Japan’s largest infomercial companies to collaborate in distributing Bodyblade in order to gain maximum exposure in the market. Within 2 years, over 500,000 units of the Bodyblade were sold through infomercial alone in Japan

IComm’s most recent foray with Bodyblade was to relaunch the Classic Bodyblade on live shopping channels. In 2009 we brought Bodyblade to ShopNBC where the product quickly dominated the fitness category and was the channel’s top selling item in 2010. Bodyblade has also relaunched on live shopping in Canada and the UK, where it has found new success since its original introduction on these channels 10 years ago, and now airs regularly in both markets.