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Growth of Short Form DR Driven by Brand Advertisers

October 19, 2009

Posted by: Kelly Kilpatrick in Consumer

While most media types are still reporting decreased spending, there is one experiencing growth. Short form direct response television spending was up 9.2% in 2008, according to The Nielsen Co. When brand advertisers cut back on their national TV spending, it increases the amount of inventory networks can’t sell. This unsold inventory gets turned over to their direct response sales team who offer it at discounted rates.

With notable brands such as Johnson & Johnson entering the space looking for greater efficiencies, the DR realm is gaining acceptance among major brand advertisers. They are helping to grow the category, along with smaller companies that couldn’t typically afford national advertising. These advertisers are turning to branded DRTV for a number of reasons:

o Branded DR airtime costs less than traditional national TV and can deliver comparable results, thus improving ROI
o Greater scheduling control with flexibility in targeting consumers through various dayparts and networks; not just broad rotators
o Schedules are purchased with minimal lead time and for shorter periods of time, providing advertisers greater flexibility
o Networks have loosened creative restrictions by allowing less obvious calls to action, such as “visit our site” or a retail logo.