Is DRTV still worth it?

With the increase in the number of internet users and a host of other technological gadgets like iPods, mobile phones and DVRs, theoretically speaking, television viewing is gradually declining over the years. This in effect, means a decline in DRTV viewership. But is this really true? Perhaps not.

What is true is that internet (and other media) users still watch television and are influenced by it. The challenge for DRTV is not survival, but evolution. With DRTV being put to more and more diverse uses, it is today a far cry from the original characteristic call-to-action campaign whose sole purpose was to generate product orders. Today, DRTV is used not only to drive sales, but also for brand-awareness. This combined effort is what will keep DRTV going strong in spite of the advent of other entertainment media.

This amalgamation of the two criteria has necessitated a new approach to a DRTV campaign. Creativity is now much more important than it used to be in the past. At the same time, the utilitarian aspect has to be emphasized upon. The upshot is a slick, ROI-oriented campaign with trackable and quantifiable results, and which increases the brand value.

DRTV has easily managed to strike the right balance between sales drive and brand building. Indeed, rather than being at a disadvantage, technology has only spurred DRTV to get more savvy and innovative.