Response articles from November 2004

Response archives from November 2004

Creativity, insight and knowledge will always deliver better results.(Editor's Note)
November 1, 2004... Creativity is the lifeblood of most industries. Without creative minds, where on earth would the wheel have come from--let alone something as fascinating as TiVo? But while creativity serves to move the world ahead, rarely do two creative minds...

FTC wants the public to help slam spam.(SPAM UPDATE)(Federal Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Federal Trade Commission released a report Sept. 16 assessing how a rewards system might entice the general public to track down spammers and help the government enforce its Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography...

CortiSlim faces hefty allegations from FTC, FDA.(LEGAL ACTION)(Federal Trade Commission)(Food and Drug Administration)
November 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- If it sounds too good to be true... the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is always there to let consumers know that it is, and according to the Commission, the famous stress therapy and weight-loss products CortiSlim and...

Mia Hamm sells instructional soccer videos via DRTV.(Field Reports)(direct response television marketing services)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DALLAS -- Olympic gold medalist Mia Hamm paired up with Consolidated Sports Media Group Inc. (CSGU) to create a series of instructional soccer videos to be distributed via DRTV. Soccer stars and World Cup champions Mia Hamm, Tiffeny...

Internet search ads find major profits in 2004.(Field Reports)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Thanks to keyword ads linked to search results, Internet advertising revenue jumped a whopping 40 percent in the first half of 2004. Revenues in the United States during the first six months reached $4.6 billion. Last year,...

FTC buckles down on 'Ab Force' belt.(Field Reports)(TELEBrands Corp.)(Federal Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- TELEBrands Corp., the maker of the "Ab Force" belt, was ordered in mid-September to stop making false advertising claims about the product. The "Ab Force" is an electronic belt that is said to stimulate the abdominal muscles...

Greg Renker wins Lifetime Achievement Award.(Field Reports)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- The Electronic Retailing Association's (ERA) Awards Gala Sept. 27 was a night of glitz and glamour befitting the dazzling career of Greg Renker, who was honored with the "Lifetime Achievement Award." The event, which honors the...

Bernhart Associates Executive Search.(NOTABLE NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The direct marketing industry starts its fourth quarter with the least lay-offs and hiring freezes it has seen in nearly 4 years, according to the latest employment survey conducted by Bernhart Associates Executive Search. Also, 60 percent of...

Donald Trump.(NOTABLE NEWS)(QVC to promote his best-selling books)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... In late September, business mogul Donald Trump made his direct response debut on QVC to promote his best-selling books. After witnessing the phenomenal sales, 26,000 books in about 30 minutes, Trump became a believer in the direct response...

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).(NOTABLE NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Los Angeles chapter of The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) celebrated its 25th anniversary by recognizing 25 of the city's top women executives. Toni Erickson Knight, WorldLink founder and CEO, was recognized for...

Interglobal Intl. Ltd.(NOTABLE NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Interglobal Intl. Ltd., the largest distributor of third party shows within the electronic retailing industry celebrates its fourth successful year of business. Revenues are up 34 percent and worldwide shipments increased to more than 3.1...

For the record.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2004... On page 77 of Response's September issue, the contact information for Rob Woodrooffe of Interwood Direct in Toronto was incorrect. Woodrooffe is CEO of Interwood and can be reached at 416-250-1665. Response regrets the oversight. --Ed.

Jordan Whitney's program rankings.(Research)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... Top 10 Infomercials Rank Last Month Program Host Product 1 1 Carleton Sheets Bella Shaw Real estate course 2 4 ...

The IMS top 20 DRTV national cable rankings.(Research)(Infomercial Monitoring Service Inc.)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... Long-Form Programs Rank Weeks on Chart Show Marketing Company Count 1 610 Carleton Sheets Professional Education Institute 455 2 ...

How does your infomercial score?(From the Lab)(Take2Direct developed a scoring system to help direct response marketers)
November 1, 2004... Whether your 30-minute infomercial costs $500,000 or your two-minute commercial costs $20,000, there are six key elements that are essential to making the phone ring. If just one of the elements is weak it could be the barrier that prevents...

TMP search engine Internet popularity report.(Research)(Transactional Marketing Partners )(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... RANK TITLE NUMBER OF SEARCHES DISTRIBUTOR 1 Girls Gone Wild 2,149,583 Mantra Entertainment 2 Bowflex 392,387 Nautilus Group Inc. 3 Proactiv Solution 358,825 ...

Short-form DRTV media index resuscitated: new format, measured by TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, track dollars spent down to the last penny.(2nd Quarter Short-Form Media Billings)(direct response television marketing services)
November 1, 2004... During the past few months the staff at Response has worked diligently to improve its research projects, concentrating on how to fine-tune the product and offer a more comprehensive format to its subscribers. Regarding short-form DRTV research,...

Cable's direct response pioneers: 14-network cable giant Discovery Communications Inc. (DCI) has long sought creative ways to include DR advertising into its mix. How have John Carrozza and Maria Kennedy created a group of cable networks where DR has earned the recognition it deserves as a valuable advertising medium?(Cover Story)
November 1, 2004... "Discovery respects the direct response marketer," Michael Robertson, president and CEO of Ocean Media, a media buying company in Huntington Beach, Calif., says when asked about the team at Discovery Communications Inc. (DCI), the parent...

Welcome to Support Services 101: take a seat in the front of class for a refresher course on the back end of direct response.(Annual Support Services Guide)
November 1, 2004... Each year, Response publishes its annual support services guide. It is sort of our version of VH1's "Behind the Music" or even the History Channel's "Modern Marvels." The story often serves as a behind-the-scenes peek at the forgotten side of...

Debiting technology sprouts through FTC barriers.(CRABGRASS TECHNOLOGY)(Federal Trade Commission)
November 1, 2004... Laying the groundwork for business regulation is an ardent task for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), one that requires continuous development and maintenance. Because when it comes to business, technology and innovation are like those...

Spanning the pacific: marketers reach overseas to explore new ground and expand sales.(Response Magazine's 3rd Annual Pan-Pacific Guide)
November 1, 2004... Yoram Jovani compares foreign direct response markets to fishing in a vacation area where you've never been before. Instead of just dropping your line in any old place, you'd probably schlep down to the local bait shop or other waterfront...

ROI by the numbers: measuring return on investment (ROI) can be tricky, but it's an important step in any direct campaign.(Measuring Success)
November 1, 2004... No one has ever really questioned direct marketers' ability to measure return on investment (ROI), defined simply as the amount of profit (or return) based on the amount of resources (investment) used to produce it. What has changed in recent...

Taking products to retail can boost your sales numbers and image.(Retail Outlet)
November 1, 2004... As time passes, it seems there is much more discussion about DRTV as a model and means for taking products to retail outlets. The primary question to be considered should be: "Is the grass really greener on the retail side?" While the...

20 years of the best and worst.(Media Zone)(Television broadcasting industry)
November 1, 2004... Twenty years ago this month, I was involved in launching one of the first infomercials in this modern era of long-form marketing: Ed Beckley's "Millionaire Maker," a no-down-payment real estate home study course. Fifteen months later, "MM," one...

There's no escaping an FTC 'avalanche'.(Legal Review)(Federal Trade Commission)
November 1, 2004... Here are some numbers that should be enough to get the attention of just about anyone whose last name isn't Gates: $20 million; $20 million; $24.4 million; $35 million; $36 million. Those numbers are taken from the "avalanche" clauses in...