DRTV stands for Direct Response TV. Which means, essentially, a broadcast commercial that invites the viewer to do something specific: most commonly to call or text a number or visit a website. To qualify as a DRTV commercial, the content needs to conform to specific broadcast criteria.
DRTV campaigns can be an incredibly successful strategy, particularly in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, beauty, homewares, charity, finance, legal, home improvement, fitness and DIY sectors.
DRTV commercials can get the best possible deals on airtime - often airing for up to half the price of other advertisers showing in the same breaks.
Getting the best airtime deals
What makes the crucial difference in airtime rates is specialist media negotiation. An experienced airtime buyer will relentlessly hustle media owners and stations, always demanding the best value possible and honing and refining media plans to maximise ROI.
Airtime value is key. At Wagon Films, for example, it’s not uncommon for us to broadcast at rates less than 20% (sometimes significantly less) the cost of traditional TV airtime.
Prompting the right response
Response-driven advertising needs content that conforms to DRTV requirements – this is key to getting access to exceptional high-value advertising airtime most other agencies just can’t get their hands on.
At Wagon Films, we develop commercial copy to tread a fine line between direct retail and brand promotion. This way we ensure we get the ROI needed to make campaigns profitable through direct sales.
When sales are paying for your advertising, you get brand-building and consumer awareness for free.
60” spots are often the most cost effective. At Wagon Films, we tweak and test creative lengths up to 30 minutes to establish best consumer engagement.
Where do DRTV adverts appear?
Airtime is purchased nationally on Freeview and pay-to-view (Sky, Virgin etc... channels. Audiences are targeted through small independent and specialist channels as well as larger network channels from ITV, Channel 4 and UKTV.
Because of the specialist nature of the airtime, we generally target audiences aged 30+ with a skew toward male or female as required by the product or service.
This demographic has disposable income and is still very receptive to TV advertising – perfect for pharmaceutical, healthcare, beauty, homewares, charity, finance, legal, home improvement, fitness and DIY sectors.
This airtime has a proven record in engaging mass audiences, with some our clients achieving ROI in double figures.
Analysis, review and expansion
Every spot, channel, daypart, day, week and month is monitored and measured against pre-established campaign goals including web traffic, average order value and EPOS data.
This give us the opportunity to measure ROI accurately and tweak the campaign to constantly improve returns month-on- month.
We start campaigns small, keeping risk to a minimum, refining audiences and schedules and perfecting copy before expanding the media plan into larger channels. Making sure every penny of your media budget works as hard as possible.
Airtime plans can start form as little as £4500 a month and grow as ROI is proven, with clients often spending over £50,000 / month.
How much does it cost?
Cost is always a huge factor with any marketing activity so we often work closely with clients to establish achievable goals within workable budgets. We also offer advice on sales conversion and online support marketing for every TV campaign.
We have delivered hugely successful campaigns with production budgets as low as £3,500 and airtime starting at £4,400 a month. This includes scripting and clearance through to delivery of the final spot.
Our average first-time advertiser budget is around £20,000 which covers production and 2 months of test airtime.
Sky AdSmart
In addition to Response TV Advertising, Wagon Films also works closely with Sky TV, providing production and agency services for their innovative, highly targeted advertising platform AdSmart.
AdSmart allows you to target audiences as tightly as ‘most likely to buy OTC topical pain relief gels’ or ‘households recently booking Caribbean holidays’ with over 1200 metrics including social, geographic, economic, retail, lifestyle and property attributes.
We also create corporate, promotional, marketing, training, demonstration, testimonial and consumer education video content for use online, in presentations and at conferences.
What next?
To take advantage of broadcast TV advertising that has proven time and time again to deliver profitable ROI, with website traffic generation often a fraction of the price of PPC and impacts up to 10% the cost of paid Facebook adverts, the next step is easy...
Get in touch: Phone, email, skype, social media PM, text, pigeon or telegram – we will respond to pretty much anything.
Just tell us what you want to market and an idea of your target audience and we’ll get back to you with a first-draft plan, often with a view to getting you on air within a couple of months or less.