iRenew – A Marketing Review
Just recently I had the pleasure of seeing a new infomercial.
This time around a salesman was making a pitch for a product called iRenew. iRenew is a bracelet that supposedly helps balance your body’s natural energy system, bringing everything in line and giving you more flexibility, strength and energy.
Is this a real, proven part of medical science, or are we looking at pseudoscience at best?
Then again, it’s not like alternative medicine and other artifacts haven’t been sold to the general public before. Alternative medication is actually a huge industry. The trick is sorting out the real from the scams.
Let’s take a look at the iRenew commercial and try to determine what is real and what is myth.
Here’s the full version of the current TV commercial:
iRenew TV commercial
That looked pretty neat, didn’t it?
I’ll give the company credit for not using a paid British pitchman or a Billy Mays wannabe for the narration. This Art Edmonds fellow speaks in a clear, calm voice throughout the commercial.
iRenew website — www.iRenew.com
The company’s sales page gives a little more information about how well the product supposedly works before you submit your credit card information. However, if you’re looking for actual, scientific evidence towards any of the claims, you’ll be disappointed. Nearly every statement on the website has an asterisk saying that the statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.
iRenew is being marketed in the realm of pseudoscience at best.
At no point in the commercial does the company establish any scientific knowledge or credibility. There is a distinct lack of real information as to how the product even works. It appears that the biggest selling point in the advertisement comes from those customer testimonials.
iRenew TV commercial — Does it really give you strength and balance as it claims?
The commercial starts with Art telling us something we already know: we apparently all have times where we feel weak and rundown. Different companies use that similar line to sell us energy drinks. This time around that same problem can be solved with a magical bracelet. My solution is to reorganize your day to allow for more sleep at night while also eating a better diet and getting regular exercise. But let’s forget about that for now :).
The commercial continues with real people telling us about their daily lives. Yeah, they’re busy and stressed out. Welcome to the club.
But wait!
iRenew TV commercial — I HAVE THE POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Art tells us that gaining strength and feeling renewed is as easy as just putting on a small bracelet. That’s right! The easy route is what can work for you!
We see some reactions from people wearing the iRenew bracelet, and sure enough, they’re thrilled. This is a “revolutionary bracelet” that “. . . uses natural frequencies to promote strength and wellness.”
iRenew TV commercial — “Revolutionary” with super-dooper secrets we’ll never be told.
Okay, cool. How does it work? Wait! You’re not going to tell us what makes this different compared to the ionized / magnetic bracelets that saturated the market back in the mid to late 1990s?!? You know, the bracelets that everybody wanted including professional athletes, and we’re still seeing everybody wear them today. Oh, wait a sec . . .
iRenew TV commercial — Pushing down at the same angle, right?
The commercial then shows us a split-screen before and after shot of people wearing the bracelets. This is the magical “pushing” test where the sales rep pushes people around and we see how well they can resist it before and while wearing the iRenew bracelet.
Come on! Do you really expect us to believe that? Give me a break!
You may as well just show happy people telling us about how well it works, just like those hokey products designed to make a person larger/tighter/more sensitive for a certain bedroom activity. It’s essentially the same thing when trying to market a product like iRenew.
Are these people trying to tell us that the representative in the commercial is pressing as hard and at the same exact angle in the before and after shots? If that was the case, the other issue is that the customer is aware of how hard that guy is pressing, and they will naturally resist more next time he tries to push them around.
That “test” is complete garbage!
– Aug. 3, 2010 UPDATE –
I was watching the commercial again on TV, and it’s clearly obvious that the balance “test” is a complete scam.
iRenew TV commercial — Calling this a legitimate test is a complete scam.
Watch the screen on the left and notice how Art is always pulling downwards and AWAY, either to the side or backwards behind the person, making them lose their balance every time. On the right side of the screen, observe how Art later pulls straight down while the people are wearing the iRenew bracelets. By not pulling away, the commercial implies that it’s the iRenew responsible for improving each person’s balance and not Art’s different pulling method.
Wow! They have better balance now! Amazing!
It’s easy to overlook this in the commercial because our main focus is on either the left OR right screen and not both simultaneously. You’re either watching somebody fall over or keep standing on his or her feet, but not the same person doing both. Your peripheral vision is capturing just enough action from the other side of the screen to convince you that the pulling motions are the same, when in fact they are completely different. All this time we’re hearing Art tell us about how iRenew instantly restores our balance. The audio voiceover combined with images of people falling over and standing upright creates a smooth blend and appearance of the bracelet working as advertised.
Of course, this is all assuming that for the images on the left, the people were told that Art was doing a balance “test” and not just some sort of stretching exercise to release stress and tension. It’s likely that if somebody knew that they were going to be given a balance test like that, their body would subconsciously resist more and try even harder to remain on his or her feet. If a person was told it was merely a stretching exercise to release tension, then the subconscious mind is focusing more on releasing stress and less on the person’s balance, making for a better “imbalanced” reaction for the commercial.
– END OF UPDATE –
Next we see Mike Bell tell us about how he uses it as a professional athlete. After that is some random guy wearing iRenew while swinging a golf club. I love how he smiles after his shot, like all of a sudden he became a great golfer after wearing the bracelet. If that were true, I’d expect to see every golfer on the PGA Tour wearing such an item. Perhaps all of the World Cup players are wearing them too and we just can’t see it on TV.
“Every iRenew bracelet is programmed with the natural frequencies that your body positively responds to.”
Can you explain that a little bit further?
No? It’s not explained on the website either? Darn.
Well, okay, I guess. Statements like that fall into the Hocus Pocus category and nowhere near real science or anything that even sounds like it might be logical. This may work when selling to believers of new age medicine, but good luck trying to convince others into buying the product.
iRenew TV commercial — Because Scott Becker, MD, says so!
The commercial tries to establish scientific credibility by having a brief endorsement by Scott Becker, MD. Take note that he is from the Becker Hilton Medical Institute, a medical school that practices “functional medicine” and things like detoxification and other new age crap. This energy bracelet is right up his alley. His endorsement might look real if you look at it quickly, but in reality it’s just as sounding as the concept of this bracelet.
One of the biggest indicators that this product may be complete garbage is when Art tells us that “[a]thletes and celebrities have paid hundreds, even thousands of dollars to get their hands on this technology.” It’s the old we-want-you-to-believe-that-this-is-really-really-expensive-but-we’re-giving-you-a-steal-of-a-deal trick. A few athletes may have spent a large amount of money into a similar product to get the competitive edge, but if you believe that this is the same exact item that they were pursuing, well, that’s just part of the marketing game.
Sure enough, we can get an iRenew bracelet for only $19.99 (plus $7.95 postage and handling for that incredibly large and heavy box or envelope or whatever they use for shipping).
But wait!
Because they want US to “. . . help spread the word about iRenew,” they’re giving us another iRenew bracelet FOR FREE! All we have to do is pay a measly $7.95 extra in postage and handling for that free bracelet. That’s only $35.89 for the iRenew bracelet, a free iRenew bracelet, and shipping & handling for the pair of them.
I guess they couldn’t have just given us the free bracelet and shoved it into the same box without charging any extra money. We must really be getting a top quality product here! I hope they don’t run out of the bracelets too quickly!
As we’re told, “[i]f it doesn’t work exactly like you’ve seen in this commercial, put it back in the box and send it back for a full refund.” (Minus the $15.90 postage and handing, of course.)
That’s it.
We have to remember that we’re dealing with alternative medicine here, if you even want to call it that. Certain groups of people love products like this and swear that they work as advertised, even better. Other people will wear it and not feel a thing. I have a feeling that when it comes down to ionized bracelets and similar products, your belief in the product is going to have the biggest impact in the end.
Unfortunately, the commercial for iRenew does not convince me in the least that it actually works. Using customer testimonials may work for some people and products, but I’m not that way. The problem with testimonials is that we do not know the people, nor do we know their true reaction to using the product. What we see has been edited for the perfect television response. That’s one of the least convincing ways to attempt to sell a product. Well, that and the old fashioned celebrity endorsement.
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All of the iRenew commercial images were screenshots of a TV commercial currently available on Youtube. For more product information, please visit the company’s website at www.iRenew.com.
iRenew is a registered trademark.
RellimZone.com is not affiliated with iRenew.
It’s easy to do a review when you’re reviewing the TV COMMERCIAL and NOT the product itself.
Tip – If you’re going to comment again, make sure to turn off the Caps Lock key before typing.
It has something to do with the frequency of the birth of suckers. Or as P.T. Barnum put it in another of his famous sayings, “No one ever lost any money betting on the stupidity of the American people.” Sad and cynical but true.
Being in the “Live Free or Die” state, I found the best way to maintain my balance when out in public is to wear a 1911A1 on my right hip and a large Bowie knife on my left.
An added benefit is that it tends to keep folks from coming up and pulling on my arms.
No special paperwork is involved, just be a non-felon American citizen of legal age.
Omg too funny,you had me cracking up the entire time,lol. I must say however,your so on the money (being truthful and correct). I am in the medical field,both physical medicine and alternative (natural and spiritual”native”) medicine. What one believes does indeed change their “perspective”. With that said,if one is totally convinced something will work,at times it can change the “cause and effects”,most times however,its just what they are observing (or choose to see and blocks out the truth),not the true signs and symptoms and causes. I prefer to call that,psycological drama medicine,lol. This bracelet and many other “items” fall into that catagory. On the medical side of it, unless they are receiving a major endorsement of “cash at hand and hide my true identity” or” actor doctor”,your not going to get a possitive feedback or real endoresment with their license at stake for false medical claims on this bracelet. Yes certain metals and the like have certain effects on humans,but not worn on a wrist held by plastic,lol. Just because you can’t see certain things doesn’t mean it doesn’t work either,were effected by all sorts of metals and gases daily,some more then others (EXAMPLE:carbon monoxide,radon,electromagnetic fields, magnetic fields ,high electrical impulses,etc). And those around certain mines and caves and large industerial plants and so on,but these are usually with just cause and effects. Basically put,use your logical thought process,aka,your brain,lol. Stop,think,research if you have no knowledge in the source and learn to take better care of your body before you make these suckers rich because your looking for a quick fix! By the way,there’s no quick fixes to stupidity,just a empty wallet!lol.
Do people really buy this crap?
My wife brought one home from work (a friend loaned it to her). She did a strength test on me without and then with the bracelet. It works for me. If something works for me, then it’s good — I don’t care what other people say. I don’t care about the science — if it works for me, then it works. I definitely had more strength with this bracelet on. A mystery, I guess. By the way, placebos work too — it’s all in the mind…!
Upfront I’ll admit I’ve never tried the iRenew (having a general aversion to iProducts). But I have tried the PowerBalance, which is advertised in the exact same way, and all I can say is the demonstrations are legit. Does it actually “work”? I have no idea. But I first came across the PowerBalance working with a big group of folks. I think every single person in the group tried the bracelet on, and everyone “administered” the test. And we were skeptical, too. We tried the test without the bracelet, with it on, and then without the bracelet again, and every time, the bracelet worked. That said, my wife and I didn’t buy one when we had the chance. I’d love to see someone test this thing against a “placebo” bracelet that doesn’t have the harmonic frequency generation capability (or whatever it’s supposed to do). But I have to say, the I’m still curious if there’s really something to these things. And for that matter, I really want everyone who just assumes this thing is junk to *actually try it* instead of just ripping the infomercial apart. At a minimum, I promise it’s a killer party trick.
I can’t quite express my bafflement and disgust for this kind of scam. But being an entrepreneur I won’t let this learning opportunity go to waste.
Our team of scientific PhDs and medical MDs has spent years developing a new medical device for cancer. We’ve run clinical trials and proven it is a significant improvement. Our business team of MBAs signed up several major teaching hospitals as customers. All this has been with your tax dollars through grants – or paid by the founders.
But in this really constrained economy even a team of top people can’t raise money to commercialize the technology because our technology will need 5 years for FDA approval and tens of millions of dollars.
How stupid we were! If we sell a ‘magical cancer cure bracelet’ on TV at $19.95 plus $7.95 for shipping and handling we could fund our real science that will extend the lives of 350,000 patients a year once we have FDA approval.
Thanks iRenew! You’ve brought new balance to my life.
total RIP OFF UNDERHADED CHARGES A 20 DOLARR ORDER TUNED INTO &71.00
Chuckle…just watch the split screens of “balance”…notice how he pushes down…on the left screen there is a significant distancec between the subject’s hand and their body…on the right..he pushes straight down, if not a little in towards the subject’s body…what an outright sham…if anything, I’m surprised they went to the lengths of doing it two different ways rather than have the subject just pose for both…a fool and his money…errr..make that…if you’re thinking of buying one of these things…just send the money to a good charity or non-profit…like the WWF..make the money count for SOMETHING.
I’ve suffered from health problems of various types, have tried alternative methods (some work, some don’t) I have come across this & it is utter garbage ! The fact that they also over- charge, & lie about the 2nd one being free (when will we be able to put a stop to “free, just pay…” if I have to pay anything, it’s NOT FREE & it’s a lie)makes me want to run the other way, fast ! Save your money. [censored] Art Edmonds, he’s a [censored] as is the Dr. Becker, or who ever for endorsing it. Take his license away.
Amazing just simply amazing. So if I wear the Irenew bracelet and take extendz. I can have a new leash on life. Wow my arthritis and impotency and small manhood will go away. I can cut the grass and get a piece of …! Believe what you want but somethings just can’t be changed. IT’S ALL SCAMS TO MAKE THEM RICH AND SUCKER WHO THEY CAN!
A long time ago people used to sell snake oil. This is just the evolved version.
This is snake oil.Waste your money.They had one with magnets,then just a piece of cable.Get a hold of me and I`ll make you one for half the price,but the shipping and handling will be $75.00.
It’s for sale on Amazon. I really want to buy it about 500 times, and each time order snake oil with it.
That way, every time someone goes to the iRenew product page on Amazon, at the bottom of the page it’ll say “customers who bought this also bought: Snake Oil”.
I saw this commercial and after a couple of times I noticed that the guy seemed to be pulling on the bracelet wearers a different way in the before and after shots. That’s what brought me to the internet and to this site. I’m glad to see it wasn’t just me. Informative article. Thank you!