Response articles from September 2004

Response archives from September 2004

20-year celebration is really a coronation of DR as a leading marketing method.(Editor's Note)(direct response television)
September 1, 2004... In 1984, the federal government ignited the growth of the modern infomercial industry by deregulating cable airtime, opening up huge slots for purchase by marketers looking to sell products with a 28-minute, 30-second television program. Twenty...

Satellite taking customers away from cable operators.(Special Report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- The Wall Street Journal reports that a study by Kagan Research LLC shows that, for the first time since cable television's birth in the 1950s, the television service is losing subscriber households--more than 900,000 U.S....

FTC's busy summer continues with new filings, findings, injunctions.(Legal News)(Federal Trade Commission)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has had a busy summer dealing with direct response companies' claims in a series of advertising campaigns--two of which involve longtime FTC target and infomercial host Kevin Trudeau. Most...

Atomic Direct releases new White's Electronics radio spots.(Field Reports)(commercials)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PORTLAND, Ore. -- Atomic Direct is now airing new 30- and 60-second DR radio spots for White's Electronics, the nation's leading manufacturer of consumer metal detectors. The spots, now airing on Clark Howard's national consumer advice radio...

DMA sets sights on big easy for 87th annual show.(Event Spotlight)(Direct Marketing Association)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The DMA 87th Annual Conference & Exhibition Oct. 16-20, 2004 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans NEW YORK -- Members of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and interested guests will celebrate the organization's 87th...

The DMA broadcast council seminar track--five sessions: (as of Aug. 20, subject to change).(Field Reports)(Direct Marketing Association)(Calendar)
September 1, 2004... Monday, Oct. 18 1-2:15 p.m. Tracking the Online Response to Offline Media: Accounting for Web Activity from Your DRTV Advertising Speaker: Paul Soltoff, CEO, SendTec Inc. Learn the most effective methods for tracking online...

DMA welcomes Greco as new president, CEO.(Field Reports)(John A. Greco, Jr. joins as new chief executive officer for Direct Marketing Association)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- John A. Greco, Jr. became president and chief executive officer of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) on Aug. 16. He succeeds H. Robert Wientzen, who led the association for the past eight years. "I'm looking into the...

NATPE, Interactive Television Alliance team for membership.(Field Reports)(National Association of Television Program Executives)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- The Interactive Television Alliance (ITA) and the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), in an effort to bring together TV executives, interactive TV (ITV) companies and those in the DR industry,...

Beales resigns from FTC consumer protection post.(Field Reports)(J. Howard Beales III resigns from Federal Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- In mid-July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that J. Howard Beales III, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, would be leaving his position at the Bureau to return to academic life as associate professor of...

Bush dodges Senate to appoint Majoras as new FTC chairman.(Legal News)(Deborah P. Majoras has been appointed as Chairman for Federal Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- President Bush hurtled Senate barricades and appointed the new Federal Trade Commission Chairman, Deborah P. Majoras, on July 30. She was sworn into office on Aug. 16. "I am deeply honored to be chairman of the FTC. It will be...

FTC slams Promenade LLC with allegations, $2.4 million penalty.(News Brief)(Federal Trade Commission)(Limited Liability Companies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announces the Aug. 13 filing of a complaint and consent decree against nine corporations, collectively known as Promenade, for violations of the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the...

Jordan Whitney's program rankings.(Research)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... Top 10 Infomercials Rank Last Month Program Host Product 1 2 Carleton Sheets Bella Shaw Real estate course 2 NR Joint Pain Relief N/A Prescription pain- ...

The IMS top 20 DRTV national cable rankings.(Research)(Infomercial Monitoring Service Inc.)(direct response television)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... Long-Form Programs Rank Weeks on Chart Show 1 49 CortiSlim 2 601 Carleton Sheets 3 377 Bowflex 4 31 Bun & Thigh Roller 5 27 Cancer Doesn't...

From creative production to telemarketing magic ... it's the words that sell.(From the Lab)
September 1, 2004... It's not just the product, because the TV consumer can't actually touch it. So what is it that actually gets people to pick up the phone and call? Sure, cool demos and incredible testimonials are helpful, and without a doubt, the unbelievable...

TMP search engine Internet popularity report.(Research)(Transactional Marketing Partners)
September 1, 2004... TMP Search Engine Internet Popularity Report RANK TITLE NUMBER OF SEARCHES DISTRIBUTOR 1 Girls Gone Wild 2,462,172 Mantra Entertainment 2 CortiSlim 367,412 Window Rock...

Response celebrates 20 years of modern direct response marketing: since the 1984 deregulation of cable TV advertising, our industry has grown into one of the world's leading marketing methods. And Response has played a crucial role in the explosive growth since 1992.(Tribute)(analysis of television advertising)
September 1, 2004... When industry pioneers Al Eicoff, Lou Wunderman and Arnold Morris began selling products on television using lengthy demonstration advertisements in the 1940s and 1950s, little could they have known they were creating a whole new industry. Even...

Cannella Response Television announces new partnership.(television advertising)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... For many in the industry familiar with Cannella Response Television, Inc., the name Robert Medved has been synonymous with "media deal" for the past ten years. Now Mr. Medved, president and media director at Cannella, has solidified his...

Response magazine's ninth annual state of the industry report: members of the magazine's Editorial Board weigh in on self-regulation, the effects of the Web, and the continuing battle for good media time.(analysis of direct response television industry)
September 1, 2004... Prospects for 2005 are a tough call--even for the seasoned professionals in direct response television (DRTV). Technological innovations, the rising costs of media buying and stringent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications...

No sleeping giants: Radio Shack and Sears are among the many major retailers taking another look at DR marketing--not only for new products but as a marketing method for their own big-box stores and brands.(Retail)
September 1, 2004... Radio Shack is tuning into a new frequency--one that's picking up on the benefits of DRTV. The giant retailer is rejuvenating its brand, which for many years targeted the male demographic. The Fort Worth, Texas-based electronics retailing giant...

Canada bound: savvy American DRTV marketers duplicate their success north of the border.(Third Annual Canadian Market Guide)(Direct Response Television)
September 1, 2004... Rob Woodrooffe has been doing his homework on the parallels between American and Canadian direct response marketing. After making his way through books, such as Michael Adams' Fire & Ice--which tracks the differences in more than 100 different...

Canada: not the 51st state!(Third Annual Canadian Market Guide)(Canadians consumer behavior)
September 1, 2004... Sharing the same land mass and being exposed to similar media through TV, movies, magazines and books, it is quite natural to assume that Canadian consumer values, attitudes and purchasing patterns would be similar to American. This is...

Duplication shops gear up; Marketers take note: you've got a friend in duplication companies.(Support Spotlight)
September 1, 2004... Duplication companies are here to help, not hurt, your bottom line! That's the message several industry leaders have for DR marketers. They say they're outfitting their companies to help direct response marketers get their messages out...

Learning from those who aren't afraid to be leaders.(Retail Outlet)(direct marketing services)
September 1, 2004... Going from DRTV to retail is not a new concept, nor is it a strategy best suited for the little guy with a pay-as-you-go marketing budget. In fact, variations of the model have been used successfully by major retailer Sears, the leading branded...

Are we entering the Jurassic age of DRTV?(Media Zone)(Direct Response Television)
September 1, 2004... Is short-form DRTV marketing going the way of the dinosaur? Do traditional DRTV marketers face the threat of extinction? The first three quarters of 2004 have been scary and portend worse times ahead. Short-form media rates are up; avails...

2 companies announce new east coast offices.(News Brief)(SendTec Inc. and Icon Media Direct Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., and SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. -- Florida-based SendTec Inc., a leading direct marketing services company, and California-based Icon Media Direct Inc., a leading DR media buyer, each announce expansion to new offices on the east...

Where did all the research go?(Media Zone)(direct response marketing)
September 1, 2004... How many times have you had a new client approach you saying, "Can't we just skip the test and duplicate the buy for 'product X'?" I've had a number of people approach me with that question and wonder whom they have been talking to... or what...

Lockard & Wechsler debuts new web sales tracking.(News Brief)(Lockard & Wechsler Direct)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... IRVINGTON, N.Y. -- Lockard & Wechsler Direct bows a "revolutionary" system designed to track Internet sales traffic back to originating television media buys. According to the company, the system, called WebtrackPro[TM], meets an increased need...

PanLatinoTV Web site links 200,000 visitors to media partners.(News Brief)(www.ventasportv.com)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- PanLatinoTV (PLTA) announces that www.ventasportv.com has served more than 200,000 visitors already in 2004, accessing PLTV's media partners in 19 Latin American countries. The site, launched in November 2003, appears in nearly...

Innovative payment options lead buyers to 'act now!'.(Support Services)(direct response marketing)
September 1, 2004... The road to DR profitability is more accessible, due in part to payment options that make consumer purchases simple and affordable. Currently, one of the hottest techniques is the use of credit card "multi-pay" (or "easy-payments") credit...

Advanced software upgrades give Moulton's call center a boost.(Budget for Efficiency)(Moulton Logistics)
September 1, 2004... VAN NUYS, Calif. -- Moulton Logistics Management's 75-seat call center received a recent makeover with the installation of a series of new software applications--part of a program of technological innovation and refinement the company is...

Fosdick Fulfillment introduces new budgeting system for DR clients.(Budget for Efficiency)(XpressTrac[SM])(Direct Response)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... WALLINGFORD, Conn. -- Fosdick Fulfillment launches XpressTrac[SM], a leading edge service built to streamline all costs associated with DRTV test marketing and maximize the efficiencies of all fulfillment and customer care service. The service...

Maximize your back-end business by being up front with your customers.(Guest Opinion)
September 1, 2004... Want to maximize profits? Begin by embracing your business from a customer-centric point of view. Every time you seek to acquire or retain a customer, you need to ask, "What is it that they need or want?" That said, seeing through the eyes...

'Girls Gone Wild' settles down.(Legal Review)(Federal Trade Commission)
September 1, 2004... On July 30, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a settlement with Mantra Films and Joseph Francis for various violations of FTC-administered statutes and regulations stemming from the sales of "Girls Gone Wild" videos. Mantra marketed...

Looking back with Mercury Media leaders Danielson and Cabrinha.(But Wait, There's More!)(Steven Dworman)($12 Billion of Inside Marketing Secrets Discovered Through Direct Response Television Sales)(Excerpt)
September 1, 2004... The following is an excerpt from a new book by long-time industry expert and current consultant Steven Dworman entitled "$12 Billion of Inside Marketing Secrets Discovered Through Direct Response Television Sales." In 1997, Dworman sat...