Electronic Retailer - April 2012 - 31

The Power of Online Video

Today, video doesn’t just refer to the infomercial or spot created for television. Instead, marketers say video created for the Web is a must-have for all DR campaigns.

BY JACQUELINE RENFROW information to potential consumers. Not to mention, with so many consumers now making purchases directly from a product’s website, it makes the step from potential buyer to buyer that much easier. creative agency to help produce television campaigns, they all include some sort of online video component. “One hundred percent of our campaigns are on television, and 100 percent of them we adapt for online video,” Fay says. “If it’s a 30-minute show, we can cut down certain pieces and put that video online on a website associated with the product or we can post video on YouTube,” he adds. Levy says that more than 50 percent of people who are watching an infomercial are going to the Web to get more information on the product or to order it. The days of just calling the 800 number are over. In fact, many companies are not just creating pages on a website for a product, but instead building a separate microsite for the product or service. Levy says that while most clients understand the need for online video and the Web in any campaign, she often still has to tell them that they need to build something specifically for that campaign. 31

One of the key components to just about any direct marketing campaign is video. But in 2012, video doesn’t just refer to the infomercial or spot created for a television campaign. It also refers to the uniquely created or edited video used for online viewing. While a large portion of time and money designated for a DR campaign still belongs to television, no marketer can overlook the importance of the Web. In fact, as experts in the DR field – and leaders of major production companies – told Electronic Retailer, some campaigns are leading off their media testing with online video. Online video has the ability to reach a wider audience at a lower cost than a new television spot or infomercial. And after talking with our experts, it seems there are no drawbacks to creating online video to accompany a product’s campaign. The additional costs are minimal, and the benefits range from testing alternative demographics to offering more in-depth product

Integrated Campaigns
Although most of Dena Levy’s clients do not approach her company, Two-D Productions, specifically to create online video, it ends up being a large part of every client’s overall integrated marketing campaign. About 95 percent of Two-D’s clients come to the production house to create an infomercial or spot for television. However, “television is not the stand-alone piece it used to be,” Levy says. “Years ago, TV spots didn’t even have a URL. Today, if you’re a DR production company, you can’t do just television production. You have to do a fully integrated campaign.” Sean Fay, president and CEO of Envision Response, agrees. Although most of his clients also approach the

April 2012 | electronicRETAILER

Electronic Retailer - April 2012

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