I've been asked I don't know how many times about this one, and I've done a number of interviews this week about it for various places - so, what do I reckon to the apprentices efforts selling on TV last week.
Well, any shopping tv presenter who watched it will take great joy and reassurance that the talents they have are individual to only a small, select number of people. Most people hold a view that any idiot can stand in front of a camera and talk the 'twaddle' that they perceive shopping telly to be. Once again, the candidates have proved that this is certainly not the case. I think that the product selections that the teams made were potentially GENIUS - especially the leather jacket.
Many viewers would have recoiled at the thought that anyone would possibly look twice at one of those jackets - but I have to tell you that in my experience, it's definately the one I would have picked first. Of course, now its' sales will rocket as it has appeared on the show - but even before that, it has the golden ingredient for its' sale on screen - USP. The magic three letter of shopping tv - it stands for (as most people know from watching Dragon's Den or The Apprentice) Unique Selling Point. What's the USP for the jacket. Well - how many people had seen one before that programme? I'm guessing not many. I actually love the different ways you could wear the jacket, and how versatile it was (here he goes I hear you saying). It has a distinctive Italian feel, and we all know that Italian leather goods are generally a lot more expensive. It does have a very designer feel to it, and I think really relates to and appeals to a summer chic. The smart designer jeans and this jacket is perfect for the summer for those occasions - and I can see exactly the kind of lady that would be wearing them. OK STOP, I hear you say - you're wanting the item number now I know ha ha .
So, how did the teams do. Well, surprisingly Howard who showed most promise in practice suffered the same as a lot of would-be shopping presenters. The curse of the red light. It's like anything. You sing to yourself in the shower and convince yourself that you're the bees knees. Get you on stage and it sounds like, to coin a Simon Cowell phrase 'like a cat being dragged up the motorway'. A LOT of people feel that they could go on telly and sell with no problems. Four or more cameras, three or more people talking to you at the same time, you smiling at the right camera, holding the product still for its' close up - it has been described many times as one of the most difficult types of telly to do. You're live, anything can happen - and usually does, and you're on your own. Deborah did really well I think, but she had a bit too much of the killer sell instinct that was a little too obvious for me. She basically said 'order this', and the craft of being a shopping telly presenter is to give you a reason to consider a product, as opposed to simply tell you to buy it.
I'm sure I speak for many shopping tv presenters, it's the one day of the year we are reminded that it's more than just a job that anyone could potentially do. Lunacy helps, and a brain you can split five ways. The candidates were very brave though, and deserve credit for doing what many people would be too terrified to attempt - for good reason ha ha.
it's been a source of amusement many times and we were delighted to see them choose it; but stylish ? No way Jose
