Tag Archives: Cable Network Directory

Jun 04

Response May: Beyond the Rack, the Media Pack and an Expo FAQ

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Response May 2015The May issue of Response went live online just before Memorial Day weekend. With a full recap of late April’s Response Expo a key facet of the issue, we’ve pushed back our print and mail dates closer to mid-month, keeping content slightly more fresh for our readers. After some recent Response travel to San Francisco and Las Vegas, as well as tying up loose ends on the coming June issue, I finally have some time to glance back at how the pieces fit into our May issue puzzle.

  • Shortly after the calendar flipped to 2015, I was reading a different trade pub on a flight and came across a small blurb about Beyond the Rack, an online private shopping club based in Montreal. Digging deeper, I found that its vice president of marketing, Richard Cohene, was a regular on the speaking circuit and popped up often as a source in various stories online. Intrigued by the direct and digital aspects of operating a business like BTR’s, I dropped a line to the company. After a couple of stops and starts, due mainly to conflicting travel schedules, I got on the line with Cohene — who was not only personable, but extremely knowledgeable about today’s “direct response marketing,” as he repeatedly called it. Within a couple of calls, he’d agreed for the company to be featured in our May issue — and, just last week after the issue debuted, he agreed to be the first slated speaker for Response Expo 2016. If you missed the link above, here it is again: Where Marketing’s Always in Fashion
  • The May issue is home to our first Media Buying & Planning Guide for the year. With the mag’s history based in DRTV, it’s always great to dig deeper on the state of media, and in the spring we usually seek out the perspective of TV/cable network sales leaders. Hence, it’s a natural fit to publish the annual Cable Network Directory in that same issue. One of the relationships I’m most proud of helping build in my 14 years at Response is the relationship we have — and have helped leaders of other sectors of the industry gain — with TV sales leaders. During the past decade, I’m happy to say that Response has done unprecedented things in bringing together the sales and buying sides of the DRTV media business thanks to an investment in our relationships with the network groups. If you didn’t already click the links above — here they are: Connecting With All Screens and the 2015 Cable Network Directory.
  • The news pages of our May Field Reports section focus heavily on a recap of Response Expo 2015. From Peter Guber’s stellar keynote through the Closing Night Party, if you missed any of Response Expo in April, these stories will help you feel like you were there and let you know what you missed! Here’s that link again: Field Reports — Response Expo Recap
  • Our monthly direct response TV and radio media billings recap takes one last look at 2014 short-form DRTV results. And while the sector ended the full year with a minor 2.8-percent rise, struggles in the second half of the year prevented what could have been a full return to form after a dismal 2013. Fourth-quarter results — the focus in this month’s story — were particularly concerning, as overall spending in the final three months of the year hasn’t been this lackluster since 2005. For a deeper dive into 4Q 2014 short-form DRTV media billings, click here: Total 2014 Short-Form DRTV Billings Rise 2.8 Percent
  • My May Editor’s Note column starts by referring to my interview with Cohene for this month’s cover story and his repeated references to BTR’s use of “direct response marketing.” As you can imagine, with the magazine’s — and my — stated goal in recent years being to foster the combination of direct, digital and data-driven marketing, this gave me plenty of food for thought considering BTR’s almost-100-percent digital marketing budget. Want to read on? Here’s that link once again: Direct Response Is Today’s Marketing … and Tomorrow’s

Thanks again for reading and interacting with Response!

Jun 24

Response May: Pressure Washers, Media Sellers and Fond Remembrances

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The May issue of Response has been available online since right around Memorial Day — but with a busy schedule and a RES0514_CV1week out of the office, I’m only just now getting to my regular glance inside the issue. Now, with the June issue on the verge of debuting online and in your mailboxes, I forced myself to take some time today to take a look at our May magazine, including the cover feature on hardware giant Briggs & Stratton, our recap of Response Expo and more.

  • With the National Hardware Show taking place annually in May, we often look to feature a hardware marketer on our cover. And when I look for a hardware marketer having success in direct, digital and data-driven marketing, I often drop a line to Doug Garnett, long-time Response Advisory Board member and leader of Portland, Ore.-based Atomic Direct. This time around, that call resulted in a link to Eric Loferski, director of marketing, portable power & cleaning systems, for Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton. Loferski has worked for a who’s-who of Wisconsin-based brands and it’s no surprise he’s turning to direct and digital marketing to create retail and brand buzz for the company’s new line of POWERflow+ pressure washers. If you missed the link to the story above, here it is once again: High Pressure, High Flow
  • One of our most popular research efforts, the annual Cable Network Directory is a who’s who of those selling DR media time at the cable network — and now satellite provider and MSO — level. From behemoths like Viacom, Turner and Discovery to small independent networks, we strive to grow this list every year. And, with more than 135 networks listed in 2014, we’re proud to say that this version of the directory is the biggest and most complete yet! If you want to know who to call to buy time for your DRTV campaign and you didn’t click the link above, here’s another chance: 2014 Cable Network Directory
  • Our Field Reports section provides a full recap of Response Expo in the May issue. From keynoter Brian Billick to all the education and networking opportunities, you can relive the best Response Expo yet! And a special bonus: our monthly But Wait, There’s More section offers a two-page spread of the event’s excitement! If you missed the links above, click here for the news recap: Field Reports May and here for the photo spread: But Wait, There’s More May
  • The final quarter of direct response TV and radio media billings results proves no better for the short-form DRTV market. Fourth-quarter billings dipped more than 10 percent from the same quarter in 2012 — sadly, the year’s best quarterly result in Kantar Media’s short-form DRTV research. As we begin to track 2014 billings, one hopes that Kantar’s contention that a change in measurement and calculation was responsible for about 50 percent of the year’s nearly $1 billion drop from 2012 is true. For more on 4Q short-form DRTV billings from Kantar and Response, click here: Short-Form DRTV Media Wraps Unsightly 2013
  • Moderating a session at Response Expo.

    Moderating a session at Response Expo.

    Finally, my Editor’s Note takes a fond look back at Response Expo. As the co-founder of this event, the eighth version of it that took place in late April and early May was perhaps the most fulfilling. With our smallest team ever and minimal support or notice from our parent company, I cannot tell you just how proud I am of all of my Response teammates, from our core crew in the Orange County office to our key supporting staff who join us each year from our Newton, Mass., office. With a team that’s, at best, half the size of teams that put on other events in our industry, the hard work that goes into creating Response Expo is rather tiring. So to see the event unfold with nary a hitch and to hear the wonderful feedback of our attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers is incredibly satisfying. To read my full take, here’s the link once again: Feeling the ‘Vibe’ at Response Expo

Thanks again for reading and interacting with Response!

Jun 02

Response May: Vitaquest’s Chemistry, Expo Recap and the Annual Cable Network Directory

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RES0513_CV1The May issue of Response has been available online for a couple of weeks now. Hopefully, if you’re one of our readers, you’ve taken a look at it, but — if not — here’s some back story on the cover feature on Vitaquest and Charlie Mooney, as well as a number of the other key pieces in the issue:

  • Once again, a link with Response Expo was crucial in bringing the cover story on Vitaquest Intl., and its marketing leader, Charlie Mooney, to our readers. Mooney spoke on a panel at our event in early April, after some discussions with him about he could become more involved with the event and the magazine. His expertise in the supplement space — and not just in marketing, but also creating product — shone through during his panel appearance, and his excitement about the use of direct response was just as powerful. It became obvious that Mooney and Vitaquest should be immediately considered for the special opportunity that is a Response cover, and following up immediately on his appearance at the show made great sense. Here’s the link again, if you missed it above: Just the Right Chemistry
  • Once again, the May issue means the reappearance of Response‘s annual Cable Network Directory. This is one of the magazine’s most popular pieces of research, and in 2013, we had more than 120 cable networks — an all-time high — respond to our requests for demo and sales contact information. If you have any role in the direct response media space, this list is crucial to your business. If you missed the link above, click here: 2013 Cable Network Directory
  • Our monthly Field Reports and But Wait, There’s More sections took a long look back at the news, networking and excitement of April’s Response Expo. From Bob Knight’s stellar opening keynote to Tone Loc’s exciting performance at the event’s closing night party, the 2013 Expo was packed more full of educational and networking experiences for our 3,000 attendees than any of the previous six events. To read about some of the event’s highlights, visit our Field Reports section and for a wide-ranging photo essay on the Expo, visit our But Wait, There’s More page. Additionally, the Expo’s full photo album can be reached on Flickr by clicking here: Response Expo in Pictures
  • In DRMA news, the Inter/Media Group of Companies returns to the Spotlight this month. Fresh of the posthumous induction of company founder Syd Yallen to the brand new Direct Response Hall of Fame, scion and current company leader Bob Yallen speaks about the growing influence of Inter/Media across the direct response advertising universe — from media to creative to breaking new ground in celebrity endorsements. As part of the package, I also worked on a video interview with Bob Yallen for a piece that was edited by the Inter/Media team. If you missed the links above here’s the print story link: A Vast Array of Capabilities. And here’s the video link: DRMA Spotlight Inter/Media Video
  • Our latest analysis of the DR industry’s quarterly media billings results circles back to short-form DRTV billings’ 4Q 2012 results. Much like the prior month’s long-form report, the final 2012 numbers for short-form DRTV were cause for celebration, as the which were cause for excitement, as the quarter’s 3.4-percent increase solidified a 4.1-percent jump for the year as a whole. While some indicators suggested a further tightening of market testing, stronger pricing and the willingness of top marketers to double down on short-form spending for successful campaigns made 2012 the best year in a half-decade. For a full look at all the categorical and outlet results, here’s the link: 4Q 2012 Short-Form DRTV Media Billings Rise $35.5M
  • Finally, my Editor’s Note wonders if 2013 can maintain the great media momentum shown in these media billings results. With economic indicators slowly moving in a positive direction — even with some troubling fits and starts, consumer confidence numbers are now at a five-year high — and marketers looking more and more at driving direct response from all media outlets (TV, E-commerce and more), I have high hopes. If you missed the link to my the column above, here it is once again: Can 2013 Carry 2012’s Media Billings Momentum Forward?

Thanks again for reading and interacting with Response!