What is DRTV?

There is a constant battle to get the attention of consumers and even more so to get the to respond to your offer. When it comes to video advertising, on TV or online, there is a constant battle between brand response and direct response tv advertising. Below we shine some light why we believe DRTV is worth adding to your advertising strategy. Basically it guarantees response!

Simply put DRTV or direct response television, is a tv advert that encourages the viewer to respond and take action directly to the company or brand promoting a product of service.

How long are DRTV adverts?

Traditionally DRTV adverts are split into two groups, short form being 2 minutes for less, and long form being anything longer than 2 minutes. The adverts will follow a specific format usually ending with a CTA or ‘call to action’ section where the viewer is asked to respond; either to call a telephone number, respond via text or go online to a specific website to purchase the offer. The most popular formats are 30, 60 90 and 120 second spots as these are the easiest to buy media or airtime for.

Why is DRTV so popular for clients?

One of the main attractions of DRTV is that you can create a direct link between the consumer and the brand or vendor without having to go through a traditional retailer. Consumers can respond by contacting a call centre or buy online and have the product or service delivered without the need of the product to be help or sold by a third party. This can dramatically bring down costs for a brand or vendor. Another is that a client will know after one week if the DRTV advert is working or not. If you are getting a response you are positively connecting with your target audience. Then it's time to optimise the media and possibly the advert itself.

DRTV campaigns are often only part of a multi-channel campaign to sell or promote a product or service by a brand. The reason DRTV is so popular is that it is incredibly easy to track and evaluate ROI. Because of this brands are very quick to judge the effectiveness of DRTV campaigns and their response, but when they work ,they can continue to provide a very cost effective means of selling that guarantees results.

Brand or DRTV?

When you sit down in front of the TV you are most commonly exposed to brand advertising. A glossy representation of what the client or brand wants you to feel towards them as a company. DRTV is different in that it tries to sell something specific , providing the viewer with information about the product or service and how it can benefit their lives. This allows the ability to track and measure engagement. Campaigns are then optimised to air the advert at the most effective times targeting specific audiences that respond and resonate with the product.

Where DRTV wins!

When a brand wants to sell a specific product, it often knows its target market and through accurate media buying, i.e what time of the day and which channels you advertise your DRTV advert on you can target audiences specifically and use your media spend most effectively. Once you have tested your DRTV advert across a few options you can optimise your media so you hit the places that work best. This maximises ROI! But remember that DRTV adverts don’t usually run at peak times when airtime is most expensive because customers won’t stop watching their favourite show to respond. They run at off peak times when airtime is cheaper!