Response Magazine's DRTV Best Practices Primer Part 4 - The Fundamental Building Blocks of DRTV - Infomercials
1 Apr, 2003 By: Rick Petry ResponseThis month, the ongoing series turns its attention to the first of the industry's three principal formats.
A debate rages within the electronic retailing industry as to whether this genre of advertising and its three principal formats - infomercials, spots and home shopping - have been distilled to pure formula or whether there is room for innovation. A set of generally accepted practices does inform most direct response advertising. In this ongoing series looking at DRTV's best practices, we'll explore these components. In this issue, we will look at infomercials, followed by an exploration in the May issue on the core elements that make up DR spots and home shopping.
For this article, let's assume you've elected to use long-form advertising (a 28-minute, 30-second infomercial) to market your product. While one might be tempted to think of that time as a blank canvas, there are elements within the genre that have become virtually institutionalized.
The World of the Pod, People
A typical infomercial is comprised of two or three "pods," lasting from six to 12 minutes. Each pod is a self-contained unit that imparts enough product and benefit information to allow consumers to make an informed decision. The pod concludes with a call to action (CTA), which is the commercial within the long-form infomercial, whereby the marketer actually asks for the order.There are several factors to consider when trying to determine which pod format is appropriate. One driving force might be the complexity of the product. The simpler the product's core attribute is, the less time you'll need to communicate it to a consumer. A more complex item may require more time to explain its differentiation.
You might also consider how emotionally engaging the product benefit is. For example, a consumer might sit still longer for an acne treatment sales pitch because the problem can be so painful and a cure so desirable. Finally, price can play a role as well. A higher ticket item may require longer to convert a prospect into a sale, whereas something priced below $50 may be more of an impulse purchase.
Because viewers drift in and out of infomercials, each pod must contain core information any channel surfer can pick up in a relatively short time. This includes the basic problem or consumer pain that the product helps to solve, as well as compelling demonstrations of the product that illustrate its benefits and features.
One deviation from the standard format is the storymercial, which attempts to combine entertainment with a sales message. This type of infomercial still imparts basic product information but interweaves it into a linear storyline. The storymercial is an attempt (one that is difficult to balance properly with sales goals) to break away from the conventions of the genre by using drama as a way to draw in an audience.
A Talent Show
An infomercial host serves as the consumer's guide through the product story and needs to be telegenic and charismatic. Among choices that need to be made about a host are: Should the host be a celebrity? A staple of the infomercial pitch? The inventor or a company spokesperson? An unknown actor posing as the latter or an expert with some sort of tangential relevance to the product? Should the "talent" be union or non-union?With celebrities, the right star power can immediately draw viewers who will then stay for the sales pitch. However, finding the right celebrity is crucial. Ideally, the celebrity will have some relevant connection to the problem the product addresses or the product itself - think of George Foreman and his grills.
Such instances where the right celebrity and product have been matched optimally are few and far between. One great example is Christie Brinkley and Chuck Norris with Total Gym. While Brinkley represented an icon of beauty, Norris used the product for years and was still starring in a primetime network drama when the product debuted. Celebrities who are perceived on the down slope of their career may not attract viewers or could even work against the product's image.
Using a well-known infomercial pitch person as a host helps consumers associate these staples of the genre as introducers of new and innovative products. While this person's antics can sometimes be very entertaining, their hyperbole can sometimes descend into kitsch that, depending upon your sensibilities, can either be riveting or put the viewer off.
Having an inventor or a company spokesperson can give the show an air of authenticity difficult to capture in any other way. If the candidate can pull off such a role, there is no substitute for the enthusiasm of someone who has such a stake in the product. Alternatively, the right actor portraying such a person can be effective if that actor has the ability to convince viewers that he or she is the real deal. An expert such as a personal trainer endorsing a piece of fitness equipment can also provide a base of credibility for the sales pitch.
Union actors are often more polished than non-union counterparts. If you use a celebrity, you will usually be dealing with union talent that will dictate the usage of such talent throughout the show. Union talent requires paying separate fee cycles that are dictated by the union, and there are separate cycles for broadcast and cable television networks that recur. Non-union talent may be more expensive up front, but will not require such recurring payment cycles. Therefore, the life expectancy of the campaign may be a real consideration when choosing your talent.
Living Proof
Persuasive demonstrations are critical to any infomercial's success. This is often set up by first showing the problem and then focusing in on how the product provides a solution. Demonstrations frequently emphasize the utility of a product in a variety of applications in an effort to give consumers a vision of the multitude of ways they can apply it.One technique is showing the demonstration in real time as a way of convincing the consumer that the display is unfolding right before their eyes. Cooking products claiming to save substantial time and effort illustrate the point. The other approach is to use time-lapse or editing tricks to prove the efficacy of the product.
Computer graphics that take the consumer inside the product to illustrate the science or technology at work - think of the many vacuum cleaner programs you have seen - can also lend credence to product claims.
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