Deals abound for DRTV

If you’ve seen infomercials for the NordicTrack in prime time on A&E, ABC Family, or E; Snuggie blanket spots during an evening slot; or learned about the PedEgg during top viewing hours on CNN, you are witnessing a significant shift in television advertis­ing thanks to the economic downturn. Direct response television ads now appear more and more regularly in prime-time spots.

In today’s environment, many indus­tries are hard-pressed to find sectors that are thriving. But in marketing, with major brands scaling back their traditional advertising dollars, DRTV just might be that sector.

“We’re in a time when, more than ever, ad dollars need to be account­able,” says Rob Medved, president and CEO of Cannella Response Televi­sion, which does media buying for products such as the GT Xpress 101, a countertop electric cooker. “We’re in this era of accountability, and that’s direct response.”

Michelle Cardinal, president and founder of R2C Group and CEO of its media division, Cmedia, which heads up the NordicTrack spots, points out that in every downturn there is a silver lining. “What we’re seeing is this major shift in the way people think about television advertising,” she says. “I hate to say it, but it’s kind of exciting.”

Both long-form infomercials and short-form DRTV spots, experts say, have their own unique opportunities. Short-form spots obviously benefit the most from tighter TV ad budgets for big brands. Before the recession, if a DRTV advertiser wanted to run its ad during prime time, it would have to decide far in advance, and pay the same premium rate. But now, the time is not only available, but at a remnant, direct response rate.

Read the rest here.