The board of directors announced today that Interact-TV, Incorporated (ITVI) has signed a consulting agreement with Dr. Michael Pinkus to form a new division for Interact-TV’s entertainment platform. Dr. Pinkus is a direct response marketing expert who is responsible for creating products which he estimates have grossed over $500 million in sales via Non Commercial programming channels, Documercials and Infomercials,

The new division will focus on developing direct response marketing via non-commercial programming, documercials and infomercials for Interact-Tv’s various subsidiaries and artists .

In 1992 Dr. Pinkus was asked to give an expert opinion on-camera for a new mattress company called Select Comfort (the Sleep Number bed).  What was going to be a fifteen minute interview became a two hour segment.  Dr. Pinkus became a spokesperson for the company in video mailers to interested leads. Sales grew to over $100M for the company.

Dr. Pinkus then hooked up with some of the direct response industry leaders including Kevin Harrington (who was one of the first “sharks” on ABC’s Shark Tank). Dr. Pinkus was featured on several of Kevin’s infomercials as an expert in health and nutrition.

In 1998 Dr. Pinkus presented a nutritional formula CalMax to a marketing company in Portland, ME.  Both radio and TV direct marketing shows were produced. Dr.Pinkus estimates 10 million cans of CalMax have been sold since.  Dr. Pinkus’ shows are continuing to air in hundreds of markets, every week, nationwide some 20 years later.

Dr. Pinkus developed a number of other nutritional formulas which he estimates have produced over a half billion dollar in sales over the past 18 years. There have been no formal studies but management feels that Dr. Pinkus’ direct response shows’ longevity may very well be record setting in the industry.

In 2014 Dr. Pinkus took his production and promotional skills over to the entertainment arena via Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).  He approached his client Justin Hayward from the legendary Moody Blues and presented a plan to produce a concert for PBS.  Justin agreed and the show went into production.  Justin Hayward’s Spirits…Live Concert has aired nationwide since March, 2014 to millions of people.  PBS used the show during their pledge drives and brought in thousands of supporters.

Dr. Pinkus’ upcoming Public Television production features himself in the American Public Television show Feel Better With Pressure Point Therapy testing of the show was very positive, with indexes 400% higher than most other similar shows.

Dr. Pinkus will also be taking his skills to National Public Radio (NPR).  Here he is producing direct-response-style shows for their pledge drives, with current plans to feature  world-class musicians and bands, such as Dead Sara, Avett Brothers, Gary Clark, Jr. and of course, The Moody Blues.

At Interact-TV, Dr. Pinkus will work closely with Christopher Broughton, who is developing our film and TV divisions, and our four record labels to produce and place successful direct response marketing campaigns. The new division also has plans to consult and joint venture with other firms.

Robert Bryan, president of Interact-TV stated “Having Dr. Pinkus join our team is a wonderful achievement and puts in place another big chunk of our overall marketing platform for this new millennium.”

“The gatekeepers of both the music and film/TV industries are dead, and the model for the future is direct interaction with fans and the public. Social Media and internet marketing is a big chunk of that interaction but so is direct response marketing.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the integration of social media/internet marketing and direct response marketing in the near future, and when it happens we are going to be one of the first companies there.