Tag Archives: supplements

Jun 29

Response June: Vivarin Revived, Web Exclusive Content and More

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RES0613_CV1_0The June issue of Response has been available online since early last week. 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 Meda Consumer Healthcare and Blake Hawley, as well as a number of the other key pieces in the issue:

  • June marks the third consecutive issue that our cover feature subject harkens from the pharmaceutical/supplements business — and also the third consecutive issue featuring a speaker from Response Expo 2013, as Blake Hawley and the team at Meda Consumer Healthcare are in the spotlight. Hawley spoke on a panel (with our May cover boy, Vitaquest’s Charles Mooney) at our event in early April, following an introduction from long-time Response Advisory Board member Mike Medico of E+M Advertising in New York. Her efforts in bringing legacy supplement brand Vivarin back into the market spotlight via a DRTV drive-to-Web and drive-to-retail couponing campaign are a great example of the power direct response can have in this vertical category. And Meda’s trusting Hawley to do much the same this summer for a brand that any TV viewer from the 1950s-1980s remembers well: Geritol. Here’s the link again, if you missed it above: Wake Up!
  • June also marks the return of an annual feature: our look at the home shopping space. As technology grows, the leaders in the space, such as QVC and HSN, are seeing their business become much more of a Web-based, data-driven, customer relationship model. At the same time, the success of the medium has drawn a new level of marketer to these networks in recent years, including Disney and Coca-Cola. It’s an intriguing read on a business that’s bursting at the seams. If you missed the link above, here it is: Home Shopping Comes of Age
  • The online edition of the June issue features a pair of Web Exclusive columns that did not appear in the print edition: Peter Koeppel of Koeppel Direct muses on second-screen research and the possibilities presented by the expansion of smartphone and tablet use, while Dial800‘s Scott Richards writes about the challenges — and some solutions — of the ever-expanding field of legal services advertisers in the local short-form DR space.
  • Our latest analysis of the DR industry’s quarterly media billings results circles back to DR radio billings’ 4Q 2012 results. Unlike both long-form and short-form DRTV results, both of which celebrated banner years, DR radio essentially broke even with 2011 when all was said and done. The fourth quarter’s 3.1 percent drop left total billings for the year off by less than 1 percent total. For a full look at all the categorical and outlet results, here’s the link: DR Radio Media Billings Slide 3.1 Percent in 4Q 2012
  • Finally, my Editor’s Note reflects on the growing power of direct, digital and data-driven marketing in the pharmaceutical and supplement space. With June marking our third consecutive month featuring a marketer from this space on the cover, it’s worth considering how the powerful combination of direct response, online and retail is pushing the vertical to new heights. If you missed the link to my the column above, here it is once again: Pharma/Supplement Marketers Provide Incredible Response Solutions

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!