Micro PLUS (hearing aide) – A Marketing Review
Hearing loss is a common problem as people grow older.
It can also strike younger people through a variety of reasons: attending too many rock concerts, working in loud environments, sticking fingers and other items into the ear, etc.
In addition to hearing loss, some people desire sharper hearing. This can be advantageous to hunters, people who sit in the back of auditoriums and theaters, and those people who want to eavesdrop on everybody in the neighborhood. Apart from getting tested and fitted for an expensive hearing aide, is there a way for these people to boost their ability to hear others?
You know, something more recent than the old fashioned way of telling the world that you have a hearing problem.
Micro PLUS website — www.BuyMicroPLUS.com
Say hello to the Micro PLUS, a tiny sound amplifier that fits right into your ear. Designed to look as discreet as a hands-free, Bluetooth-style cell phone headset, the Micro PLUS works like a poor man’s hearing aide. It amplifies the sound and rebroadcasts it straight into your ear.
The Micro PLUS may look familiar to you. An older version of this product was on the market years ago. Get ready, folks, cause it’s back!
I remember the old version of the Micro PLUS TV commercial being hilarious and very much over-the-top with its scenarios. Let’s take a look at the modern commercial and see how the company sells the product.
As of right now, the only way I’m aware of watching the TV commercial is by visiting the product’s website. It’s streaming there just like almost every other as-seen-on-TV product.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — The joys of spending as little as possible and complaining about lousy seats.
The Micro PLUS TV commercial begins with a couple as they attend some kind of show. I assume it’s a high quality stage show as most audience members are dressed fancy. That part doesn’t matter. What we do know is that the gentleman cannot hear well and he’s disturbing the people around him.
If this is a constant problem for him, then he needs to get evaluated for a hearing aide. He probably has problems understanding people in loud environments, too. But for the time being, is there a quick and easy fix to help his hearing problem? Let’s listen closely and hear what the TV commercial has to say about the problem.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘Honey, why do you have to keep watching such CRAPPY shows? These are AWFUL! I’m trying to sleep!’
Here we have a classic problem of a spouse trying to sleep as her husband stays up late to watch professional wrestling. Or cartoons. Or even some infomercials. Any of the above. The bottom line here is that he has to turn up the sound to hear what’s happening, and his wife is trying to sleep.
Depending which as-seen-on-TV product commercial you watch, the solution to this problem could be as simple as long-range wireless headphones. Or it could be a hearing aide.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — Behold! It’s the Micro PLUS!
You’ll be hearing like never before with the Micro PLUS!
Micro PLUS TV commercial — Listen to every bird in the forest with your superhuman boost in hearing!
The other hikers will be jealous once they spot your Micro PLUS hearing aide. Be prepared to answer questions such as if it’s waterproof and if the microphone is directional, allowing you to pinpoint an animal’s location. They’ll have to ask you because the TV commercial and website don’t make any mention of it.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — It’s as small as your other thing.
As it’s mentioned in the TV commercial, the Micro PLUS hearing aide is as small as many cell phone accessories in the market today. Though when it comes to hearing aides, the inner ear hearing aides are even smaller than the Micro PLUS.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘I’m so paranoid, I have to spy on my boyfriend while we’re at parties.’
Here we have a classic example of somebody using the Micro PLUS. It’s being used to spy on people. That’s right. Eavesdropping. Spying. Pretending to talk to somebody while, in reality, attempting to listen to personal conversations taking place across a room.
So tell me, when you’re in a semi-noisy environment, just how well can you hear and understand other voices across a room? Are ALL sounds in the room amplified, or can you focus it on a specific area?
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘I can finally hear AND understand the perverted cat-calls from the guys in the other building. Thanks, Micro PLUS!’
It looks sleek and stylish. Some of your friends may think that you have some kind of hands-free cell phone earpiece. Nope. That’s just the super stylish Micro PLUS, the latest in hearing aides and impromptu spying devices.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘These people actually think we’re wearing cell phone headsets! LOL!’
Now with the Micro PLUS hearing aide, you can save money by continuing to sit in the REAR of the theater! There’s no need to sit up front! Sit in the back row and smile as you laugh at the people who spent more money for a better view.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — Sit back and take your eyes off your kids as they run off and play.
I’m surprised that this scenario with the mom and her kids playing at a playground is STILL part of the commercial. With all of today’s problems involving abductors, fights, bullies, accidents, and other freak events happening to kids, this commercial still gives the impression that with this product, it’s okay to take your eyes off your kids in public spaces..
So tell me, as the mom concentrates on her cell phone or whatever is more important than watching her kids, will her mind still stay focused on the sounds of her kids at play? Or is she more likely to tune them out and instead stay focused on the latest gossip from her friends, or her addiction to Angry Birds?
How easily will the sounds of her kids be drowned out with the other background noise? Is this really a good example to help sell the Micro PLUS?
Micro PLUS TV commercial — You’ll be hearing those fish talking smack about you from across the lake.
I remember the previous version of this commercial from a few years ago showing a “hunter” using the Micro PLUS to help listen for his prey. Times have changed and now the “outdoorsy” person has changed from a hunter to a fisherman. Unless this guy just enjoys the amplified sounds of nature, such as nearby deer breaking wind in the woods, I’m not quite sure how the Micro PLUS is going to help him with his fishing.
On a side note, it’s interesting how the commercial says that the Micro PLUS helps you “hear sounds up to 90 feet away,” while the company’s website claims that it “Amplifies sounds up to 100 feet away . . .” Well, which one is it? 90 feet or 100 feet? Is it that hard to be consistent when selling a product?
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘Now I can finally HEAR that mommy bird regurgitate those worms for the baby birdies!’
It’s been noted that the Micro PLUS TV commercial is inconsistent with its website. Now we know that apparently people didn’t spell check their work either. At least “decibel” is spelled correctly on the website.
While it’s been stated that the Micro PLUS amplifies overall sound waves, a big question is if you can aim the device to better hear what you’re seeing. Some of the examples in the TV commercial imply that people are using the Micro PLUS to hear behind them or to the side. Other examples imply that the people want to hear better straight in front of them.
That’s the case for this example in the TV commercial. The woman is using binoculars. We want to assume that she’s trying to listen the bird she spies, and not the frat guys yelling and doing keg stands at the house around the corner.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — Now you can safely sit off to the side and still hear the game on TV.
It’s a little bit odd how this person chooses to watch the game and listen to it with the Micro PLUS in his opposite ear. Instead of keeping the ear piece on the side closer to the television to better concentrate on that and not other sounds from around the house, our champion here does the opposite. We assume that he’s also only wearing ONE of the Micro PLUS units, implying that he’s not exactly getting stereo sound of the game in both ears.
Perhaps this guy would have been better off with some wireless headphones instead of the Micro PLUS.
Micro PLUS TV commercial — ‘I totally just cut one and those two broads are blaming each other! LOL!’
Once again we’re seeing how the Micro PLUS is being used to eavesdrop on ALL nearby private conversations. I wonder how sharp of hearing you need to listen to a conversation as you’re walking AWAY from the targets. Does it work as well in a noisy or windy area?
Micro PLUS TV commercial — The ultra fancy version with rechargeable batteries.
Near the end of the TV commercial we’re shown a fancier model of the Micro PLUS. This is actually a recharging station, allowing you to plug in the Micro PLUS and recharge the battery. Considering that there’s a $10 difference in price, this actually seems like a wise upgrade if you’re considering purchasing the Micro PLUS device.
Since the Micro PLUS requires a battery, how long can a person expect to use the device before it’s time to change the battery?
Micro PLUS TV commercial — It can be yours for a modest price.
At the end of the TV commercial we’re hit with the sales pitch. For a GRAND TOTAL of only $26.90 ($19.95 + $6.95 S&H), you can own the basic version of the Micro PLUS. The upgraded version is only $10 more, coming to a grand total of $36.90.
This is actually one of the cheaper as-seen-on-TV products in the market today. This company isn’t forcing customers to accept a “free” item (and pay extra S&H), and the S&H charge is close to being reasonable. Add in the fact that the upgraded version of the Micro PLUS does not charge any extra in S&H, and there you go.
WARNING – Be careful if you enter your credit card company and press the “Order Now” button. Many of these as-seen-on-TV company websites do NOT give you a final confirmation screen before accepting your CC number.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My first impression of the Micro PLUS is that it’s a non-directional microphone that you stick in your ear. The TV commercial and website do not specify any details about the product, such as if it can be focused in certain directions. It also wasn’t mentioned if there’s a safety feature to prevent sudden loud sounds from blasting away your ears.
It’s interesting that this product originally hit the marketplace years ago. I honestly thought it was discarded to the realm of cheesy forgotten products until I just recently saw a TV commercial for it. Sure enough, the Micro PLUS has returned. A few of the scenes in the TV commercial have been updated, but the basic premise is still the same. The arguments from yesterday still work today.
As a whole, the TV commercial does an okay job showing off the Micro PLUS. The scenarios are just as debatable as they were years ago, and it’s a wonder if the device works nearly as well as they claim. I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that about half the scenes show people eavesdropping on private conversations, giving you the temptation of spying on others.
Giving in to the spying claims, I’m also sure that it’s not a coincidence that the Micro PLUS was designed to look like a hands-free cell phone headset. It’s not like it’s taboo these days to wear a hearing aide. Inner ear hearing aides are virtually invisible, and many outer ear hearing aides are incredibly small. But then again, hearing aides weren’t designed to or marketed as ways to amplify the private conversations of people from across the room.
————————————
All of the Micro PLUS commercial images were screenshots of the TV commercial available on the product’s website. For more product information, please visit the company’s website, www.BuyMicroPLUS.com.
RellimZone.com is not affiliated with Micro PLUS.