DRTV is Versatile

We all know the old infomercial formula: the black-and-white shot of an actor comically struggling with a simple task, the over-the-top pitchman in front of an applauding audience, the repeated markdowns of a Limited Time Only Very Special Offer… everyone who has spent a sleepless night on the couch has seen it a million times.

This formula is repeated again and again because it’s effective. It generates sales and moves product, or we wouldn’t keep seeing it.

However, DRTV is larger than simply this infomercial formula, and more versatile.

At its core, the defining feature of DRTV is simply the CTA. The advertisement concludes with a specific action for the viewer to take right now, whether that action is browsing a website or calling a number or visiting a storefront. The “DR” in DRTV is Direct Response, a specific outcome at the end of the advertisement. In that sense, every television commercial, whatever the content, that ends with a call to visit a website, is DRTV.

When DRTV is part of an advertising campaign, the goal is simply to drive the consumer toward a specific immediate action. The content can be playful, informative, funny, educational, aspirational, or some combination of all those things. It doesn’t need to follow a formula, and can be as creative as the rest of your marketing strategy. A DR spot can be as innovative and prestigious as any brand spot, if it delivers results.

Don’t write off DRTV advertising simply because it’s associated with a formula or type of product that isn’t your brand. DRTV is both effective and versatile. Contact us to explore the potential