Cool Marketing Thoughts

Suppose you’re about to broadcast a commercial to launch a new product that needs some guide-lines or an explanation to the user. There are a few ways to do this, so I’ve learned, depending on your purposes and/or what you want to achieve.

What is DRTV ?

Direct Response Television is a form of mass-advertisement that targets the collecting of consumer data by triggering a response from the viewer.
DRTV can be used in many ways, e.g. to launch a new product, to begin with – or to extend an existing – database or to distribute aimed or targeted information to a large number of consumers.

What makes a good DRTV structure ?

1. Picturing a practical situation in which the product is used.
2. Showing what you have to offer.
3. The call-to-action
4. Possible ways for consumers to contact you.

* Accurate information about the product, control of the message.
* A strong offer without competitors
* Directly to the viewer, the consumer at home.

3 Most commonly used forms of DRTV :

- The DRTV-spot

This clip takes 30 to 60 seconds and is part of a greater promotional campaign. It offers service, a sample or plain info and often lacks creativity. It’s permissive marketing, that’s a pro. But it’s expensive.

- TV-Shopping

These shows take 30 minutes or longer in which multiple clips are shown about the same product. Each clip takes about 5 minutes, and in between there’s a host (or an audience) that evaluates what’s been shown.
The pro here : you have the ability to set up a product demonstration. The big con is the pricetag.

- Infomercials

With an average length of 30 mins it sounds like a shopping show, but infact it’s a film or a story ( a ‘documentary’ ). After this there’s a demonstration and an evaluation. Infomercials are used to market products from a higher price class, or to sell unique and limited items. Of course, this also is rather expensive.

The short form : broadcasted commercials during regular air time.
The long form : complete and dedicated programs.

DRTV is trying to trigger a response from the viewer, in order to sell something AND to complete a database. By phoning in, clients already give their name, location, phone number and address ( to ship the goods). They pay with a certain type of credit card and order a specific product. That is a lot of information to start something with.

But if you focus on the cost of producing and airing, you might say it could be useful to do something more than ‘just’ selling products and composing a database. Here’s where BRTV steps in.

What is BRTV ?

While DRTV was only focusing on a response from the consumers, BRTV is trying to influence their opinion about the brand and the company as well and at the same time. This generated Brand Response will not only cause the consumer to change the idea he/she intentionally had, it’ll make it more natural for the consumer to accept your product as being ‘needed’.

Brand Building Advertisement, of which BRTV is a part, invites the consumer to participate and to pay attention by means of a trigger-story, an anecdote or a spectacular show. The product is being introduced and is clearly distinguished from other products alike. The USP (unique selling proposition) is being repeated over and over, but each time with different words. The entire purpose is to pesuade the consumer with a softer and more gentle touch than plain DRTV does.

With BRTV, selling is definitely a goal. But it’s more hidden and unspoken compared to DRTV. BRTV slowly pushes the consumer in the right direction, while DRTV is selling things more aggressively. The sale is the primary target here, not the brand recognition or the company’s image.

The greater benefit of extending your air-time to BRTV lies in the fact passive viewers become active viewers during the process. This raises their interest in the product, and makes them aware of the product, the brand and the values behind it. Not only will he seek interaction with the company by responding to the call-to-action, because of the positive image in his mind, the consumer will pass on the message. It’s the viral factor of brand response television.