{{Short description|Abdominal exerciser}} thumb|Abdomenizer
The '''Abdominizer''' (often spelled Abdomenizer) was an abdominal exerciser invented in 1984 by Canadian chiropractor Dennis Colonello<ref>{{Cite patent | inventor-last = Colonello | inventor-first = Dennis | inventorlink = | inventor2-last = | inventor2-first = | inventorlink2 = | publication-date = | issue-date = 21 June 1988 | title = Apparatus for use in exercising the abdominal muscles | country-code = US | postscript = <!--None--> | description = | patent-number = 4752067 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=GF&s_site=grandforks&p_multi=GF&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED00A169DEE221B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Green garbage bags, zippers and ginger ale, Canada's contributions many|date=1 July 2001|work=Grand Forks Herald|accessdate=2009-06-23}}</ref> and marketed through infomercials<ref name=guardian2005>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2005/nov/12/shopping3 What's what: Design expert Oliver Bennett selects objects that he finds inspirational - and those that are simply a waste of space], ''The Guardian'', 2005</ref> by the Fitness Quest corporation of Canton, Ohio, selling around six million. It was designed to protect the lower back during sit-ups.
==Product== thumb|Abdomenizer Closeup The Abdomenizer is an almost flat, saddle-like piece of thermoformed plastic, about {{cvt|2|by|3|ft|cm|order=flip|sigfig=1}}, with handles and a depression for the tailbone. Colonello said in an interview in 2014 that the aim was to help people such as farmers consulting his practice in Ontario to do some exercise to develop core strength. He made one prototype and tested the product in his clinical practice before being approached to market the product.<ref name=interview/>
Many people used them as snow sleds,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22657473.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105140950/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22657473.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 November 2012|title=Tough Sledding|last=O'Brien|first=Kathleen|date=13 January 1993|work=The Record (New Jersey)|accessdate=2009-06-23}}</ref> and a warning label was affixed advising against this use.<ref name=interview/>
==Reception== Six million were sold in 57 countries, mainly through direct response television advertising.<ref name=interview/> The Abdominizer is no longer sold after Fitness Quest acquired the rights and then stopped production when sales dropped.<ref name=interview/>
Expert opinion on the usefulness of the Abdominizer was mixed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/01/16/the-abdomenizer/|title=The Abdomenizer|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=January 16, 1990|access-date=November 6, 2015}}</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that "they won't make the exercise any easier and they won't magically "firm both upper and lower abdominals," as the box claims."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-10-06-ss-102-story.html|title=Putting it to the test - how good is the exercise equipment hawked on late-night TV? Are the devices truly effective, safe and easy to use?|last=Iknoian|first=Therese|date=6 October 1991 |work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2009-06-23}}</ref> ''The Telegraph'' suggest that using an Abdominizer might lead to overly fast movements, causing injury.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/3349646/50-ways-to-get-fit-for-summer.html|title=50 ways to get fit for summer: 11 - Let a machine take the strain - but which one?|date=10 June 2007|work=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2009-06-23| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090623063123/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/3349646/50-ways-to-get-fit-for-summer.html| archivedate= 23 June 2009 | url-status= dead}}</ref> A physical therapist interviewed by ''Men's Health'' suggested that the device would not protect the back, but would reduce effort and so lower the effectiveness of exercise.<ref name=interview>{{cite news|url=http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/abdominizer-inventor-interview|title=Even the Abdominizer's Inventor Thought Those Infomercials Were Awful|last=Wisdom|first=Guy|work=Men's Health|date=October 17, 2014|accessdate=November 6, 2015}}</ref> ''Wired'' described it as "A symbol for TV shopping channels everywhere, a cheaply made, overpriced widget that is destined to be unpacked, tried exactly once, and consigned to the basement".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/07/four-fitness-ga/|title=Four Fitness Gadgets You Probably Already Own|last=Sorrel|first=Charlies|date=16 July 2008|magazine=Wired|accessdate=2009-06-23| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090615045515/http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/07/four-fitness-ga/| archivedate= 15 June 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
==Advertising== Retail sales of the product were not initially successful.<ref name=guerrilla>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/guerrillamarketi00levi_0|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/guerrillamarketi00levi_0/page/85 85]|title=The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook|year=1994|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|first1=Jay Conrad|last1=Levinson|first2=Seth|last2=Godin|isbn=9780395700136 |accessdate=November 6, 2015}}</ref> The Abdominizer was then advertised in television infomercials, first broadcast in October 1988.<ref name="discount">{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n1_v31/ai_11768357/ |title=From 'as seen on TV' to as seen at the store - exercise equipment marketing |date=6 January 1992 |work=Discount Store News |accessdate=2009-06-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428151429/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n1_v31/ai_11768357/ |archivedate=28 April 2009 }}</ref> They were developed by direct marketer Collette Liantonio<ref>{{cite news|url=http://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/collette-liantonio/|title=Collette Liantonio: The Infomercial Queen|last=La Gorce|first=Tammy|work=New Jersey Monthly|date=August 8, 2013|accessdate=November 6, 2015}}</ref> and featured actress Charlene Tilton<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1996/04/21/1996-04-21_meanwhile_folks__back_at_the.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110815075414/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/1996/04/21/1996-04-21_meanwhile_folks__back_at_the.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 August 2011 |title=Meanwhile folks, back at the ranch ...as the Ewing family reunites, we look at what's been happening to the stars of 'Dallas' |last=O'Sullivan |first=Kevin |date=12 April 1996 |work=New York Daily News |accessdate=2009-06-23 }}</ref> and the New Zealand voice actor John Sweetman.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thespinoff.co.nz/25-09-2015/my-life-in-tv-but-wait-theres-more-in-the-booth-with-voice-artist-john-sweetman/|title=But Wait, There's More – In the Booth with Voice Artist John Sweetman|last=Rowe|first=Don|work=The Spinoff|date=September 25, 2015|accessdate=November 6, 2015|archive-date=September 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925172908/http://thespinoff.co.nz/25-09-2015/my-life-in-tv-but-wait-theres-more-in-the-booth-with-voice-artist-john-sweetman/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The adverts promised that you would "rock, rock, rock your way to a firmer stomach".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AK&s_site=ohio&p_multi=AK&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB62D346D53EA46&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Fitness Quest after fiscal fitness: Canton company may double 1990 sales figures|date=14 September 1991|work=Akron Beacon Journal|accessdate=2009-06-23}}</ref> By 1992, 1.5 million had been sold at $19.95 directly from TV advertising, and 2 million more had been sold in stores,<ref name=discount/> This was described by Jay Conrad Levinson and Seth Godin as "a classic example of the way that informercials can drive the retail market".<ref name=guerrilla/> Tilton cameoed in the Married... with Children episode "Tis Time to Smell the Roses" as herself, selling the Abdomenizer door-to-door.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/you-can-take-the-girls-out-of-dallas-26344414.html|title=You can take the girls out of 'Dallas'...|last=Lynch|first=Donal|work=Irish Independent|date=January 13, 2008|accessdate=November 6, 2015}}</ref> Colonello described the infomercial as "silly" in 2014.<ref name=interview/>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{cite web|url=http://www.joebobbriggs.com/index.php?/121589-america.html|title=Cheap Plastic|work=Joe Bob's America|authorlink=Joe Bob Briggs|last=Briggs|first=Joe Bob|date=30 June 2018 }} - satirical review * {{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos/something-you-might-not-know-about-canada-the-abdominizer|title=Something You Might Not Know About Canada: The Abdomenizer|last=Stratus|first=Trish|work=George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight|publisher=CBC|date=January 24, 2012|accessdate=November 6, 2015}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110708135208/http://www.charlenelam.com/blog/?p=514 traveler: blue skies, snowy hills, and my abdomenizer]. Using an Abdominizer as a sled, 17 March 2009. * {{cite news|url=http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28950|title=Infomercial Makes Leap To Big Screen: Bruce Willis To Star In Paramount Pictures' The Abdomenizer|date=12 August 1998|work=The Onion|accessdate=2009-06-23|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628091841/http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28950|archivedate=2009-06-28|url-status=dead}} - satirical news story
Category:Exercise equipment Category:Infomercials Category:Products introduced in 1984 Category:Canadian inventions Category:1980s fads and trends