Direct Response TV Basics

Direct Response TV is frequently shortened to DRTV and it refers to all types of television advertising that solicits a direct consumer response. In general, Direct Response TV requires the customer to call the company's 800 number or visit their website. This form of direct response marketing is popular and quite effective.

Kinds of Direct Response TV

There are two kinds of direct response TV. These two types are short form and long form. Short form direct response TV includes all types of television advertisements that are two minutes or shorter. Long form direct response TV advertisements are commercials that are longer than two minutes. These commercials use direct response marketing and today are considered to be "infomercials". However, before this word was invented these types of television commercials were referred to as long and short form depending on their length. Companies interested in marketing their products with direct response TV will generally purchase a long form spot that is 28 minutes 30 seconds in length. Long form spots are recommended for products that need adequate time to explain what the product is and demonstrate its usefulness. In most cases, products that are marketed through long form direct TV marketing are more expensive, too. Advertisers may choose from other time fragments, too, but they must be shorter than 30 minutes in length and longer than two minutes in length. The average length for these types of commercials is 5 minutes.

Direct Response TV Campaigns

Direct Response Television campaigns are generally managed by agencies that specialize in this form of marketing. Agencies that manage DRTV campaigns offer the complete package including strategy, production, and creativity. In some cases, media buying agencies that specialize in direct response television will manage a direct marketing campaign.

Broadcast and cable TV stations will sell leftover airtime in various lengths for the purpose of direct response television. The rate for advertising direct response television is actually more affordable than other types of airtime. The catch though is that in order for a television commercial to be considered an infomercial it must require the customer to contact them by phone or visiting their website. Originally, the goal was to have consumers buy the product via a phone call while the infomercial was running. However, today many of the products advertised through direct response TV actually end up in retail stores. Consumers remember the product from the infomercial and then buy the product.