Innovative Direct Response to Launch DRTV Campaign for Homefield Financial

Innovative Direct Response, LLC has won the contract to launch Homefield Financial's, www.homefield.com, national DRTV campaign.

As one of Inc's 500 Fastest Growing Companies in America, Homefield Financial offers consumers a wide variety of loan options while making the home buying experience process fast and convenient. To that end, an extensive DRTV marketing campaign targeting homeowners of all ages and credit levels is being developed to include a 60-second and 30-second short-form commercial campaign driving customers to an 800 number and/or website to find out more about special loan programs. A strategic blend of DRTV and branding elements will be incorporated in the spots to aid in the long-term branding. The national media strategy will be developed by Koeppel Direct.

The New High-Tech Face of DRTV Advertising

Advertising your toy store on blogs, mobile phones and podcastsm ay seem surreal to you now, but high-tech forms of communication are merging into the mainstream.

Rapid advances in technology have changed everything from health care to communication. As the latest technology becomes more accessible to a broader market, the DRTV advertising field is changing too. Ten years ago, you could plan your direc response advertising campaign around a few television commercials and print advertisments. Until now, most companies would never have considered spending a sizable portion of their advertising budget on the Internet, but in 2006 online ad expenditures are expected to reach $17 billion.

Advertisers who want to reach their audience and remain competitive in this high-tech world have to change with the times. They must keep abreast of emerging new technologies, what direct response media types are most popular, and how consumers use what is available to them. If you want to stay current and advertise your products and services in ways that reach your target audience on their turf, consider the following forms of emerging media.

Radio Advertisers Want More Of 'Less,' Short Ad Formats Gain

RADIO AD SALES FIRM INTEREP says demand for short-form direct response television radio spots is booming--although overall numbers remain low, as measured by billing figures. According to Interep, the number of 10- to-15-second spots it sold and placed jumped 400% in 2006 compared to 2005, while 30-second spots grew a remarkable 1000%, for a total rise of 680%. Still, these short-form spots represented only about 10% of total ad billing, but 30-second spots take the lion's share of that--about 7%.

Kirk Combs, general manager of Interep's D&R Radio, said: "Clearly, we are going to see more and more business availed in 2007 requesting shorter-form commercials. The Interep numbers, as well as supporting industry data, speak for themselves."

Although Interep's report made no mention of industry giant Clear Channel Radio, the national radio owner's concerted push to reduce ad clutter, with its "Less Is More" initiative, doubtless played a role in the move to shorter spots.

All Clear Channel stations participated in the "Less Is More" campaign beginning in December 2004. Clear Channel controls 11% of the country's radio stations. The campaign wrapped up in January 2007 with an internal memo from Clear Channel Radio boss John Hogan declaring victory.

Clear Channel maintained the push in the face of widespread skepticism.

Media Daily News