Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 41

BY PETER KOEPPEL

Don’t Just Ring in the Holidays – Ring Them Up!
CHANNEL CROSSING: DRTV
An analysis of last December’s Infomercial Monitoring Service rankings reveals that housewares, health and fitness, and personal care products were the big winners. While one could argue these categories are mainstays regardless of the economic outlook, it is worth exploring what allows them to defy the odds during a sustained downturn. Furthermore, embracing holiday best practices can help marketers win the hearts of consumers and leapfrog the competition. For marketers, selling products may be foremost about business, but for the consumer, it’s personal. With less disposable income, buyers are being more judicious with their dollars than ever. Folks are eating out less, enjoying more time at home, and spending discretionary income on items that will allow them to save money, yet still pamper themselves. This nesting instinct is evident in the success of housewares products that can range from tabletop appliances priced at $100-plus all the way to $19.95 kitchen gadgets. Take Hearthware’s NuWave Oven, which has sold more than 1 million units and was the No. 1 longform show last December. The infomercial contains a strong money saving message, because it requires less energy than a conventional oven and cooks a variety of healthy foods. Speaking of healthy, at least part of that time being spent at home is devoted to slimming down if the IMS report is any indication. During a period of economic, political and even environmental turmoil, consumers may be more inclined to focus on what they can control – their waistlines. Despite the notion that the holidays are for indulgence, a combination of guilt, coupled with the New Year, traditionally rings in a renewed commitment to health and wellness. At the same time, products that allow us to pamper ourselves – whether they are personal care products such as manicure or foot care items or something as simple as a pillow that promises to help us rest better – are also popular items. Their attractive price points, along with the idea that they can save us money or stress, make for compelling holiday messaging. Regardless of the category, marketers must make sure they can obtain the right media inventory and clearance to ensure their objectives are achieved. For example, a great deal of short-form DRTV inventory will be taken up by retail-support programs for As Seen On TV products that must give their shelf space air cover to ensure products move at retail. This makes it more difficult for marketers relying strictly on direct sales to justify the cost of media. A knowledgeable agency partner can advise marketers on the best course of action for their particular campaign objectives. Regardless of your aims, you still have to ask for the order. The holiday season presents some unique seasonal opportunities for marketers. Here are a few tips: • Make it a gift: While the words “makes the perfect gift” may seem cliché, there are ways to make the idea come alive. Showing a recipient’s delight over receiving the product is one way, especially grandparents or parents gifting a beloved child. These scenarios help take an announcer’s line and make it more engaging emotionally. A gift-wrapped package icon in the lower third of the screen helps remind viewers of the pleasure they can attain by giving your product. • Ensure on-time delivery: Just as leading e-commerce marketers are clear about when a consumer will receive a package, DRTV and online direct advertisers should also calibrate consumer expectations, especially as Hanukkah or Christmas draws nearer. Whether you are giving purchasers a range of days they can expect for delivery or explicitly telling them to order by a certain date to ensure on-time delivery, it is an opportunity to create urgency! • Timing is everything: Everyone knows that New Year’s is a time of resolution, but there is a period of contemplation leading up to it. Product marketers that solve a personal problem such as obesity or insolvency should be emphatic about how their product offers a solution. While conventional wisdom might suggest that people are distracted during the holidays, there is a voice in people’s heads whispering about impending change. Your advertising can be that voice, making impressions that pay off as the day of reckoning nears. In fact, the week between Christmas and New Year’s is a time when many advertisers go dark, but it might be the ideal time for your product. With the right offer and incentives, price point and agency partner, marketers can make the cash register ring, even amid our current cyclical slump! Peter Koeppel is president of Koeppel Direct, a full-service media buying agency based in Dallas. He can be reached at (972) 732-6110 or online at pkoeppel@koeppelinc.com or twitter.com/DRTVBUYER. 41

November 2011 | electronicRETAILER



Electronic Retailer - November 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronic Retailer - November 2011

Calendar of Events
Your Association, Your Bottom Line
Industry Reports
FTC Forum
eMarketer Research
IMS Retail Rankings
Jordan Whitney’s Top Categories
Lockard & Wechsler’s Clearance & Price Index
The Leadership Team
Call Centers in the Age of Facebook
5 Keys to Creating a DR Hit
Building a Voluntary Sales Force
Guest Viewpoint
DRTV
Legal
Teleservices
Payment Processing
Advertiser Spotlight
Bulletin Board
Advertiser Index
Classifieds
Rick Petry
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - cover1
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - dps1
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - dps2
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - dps3
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - dps4
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 2
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 3
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 4
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 5
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 6
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Calendar of Events
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Your Association, Your Bottom Line
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Industry Reports
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 10
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 11
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - FTC Forum
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 13
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - eMarketer Research
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 15
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - IMS Retail Rankings
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 17
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Jordan Whitney’s Top Categories
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 19
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Lockard & Wechsler’s Clearance & Price Index
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 21
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 22
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 23
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - The Leadership Team
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 25
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 26
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 27
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Call Centers in the Age of Facebook
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 29
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 30
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 31
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 5 Keys to Creating a DR Hit
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 33
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 34
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 35
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 36
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 37
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Building a Voluntary Sales Force
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Guest Viewpoint
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 40
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - DRTV
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Legal
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Teleservices
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Payment Processing
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 45
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Advertiser Spotlight
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Advertiser Index
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Classifieds
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - 49
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - Rick Petry
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - cover3
Electronic Retailer - November 2011 - cover4
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