Response Magazine - December 2007

two-weeks notice. If we opened our eyes and truly saw how this one common green thread connects us all, would we embrace it, or would we cut and run?

It is no secret that the value of the U.S. dollar has depreciated. Many factors can influence a fluctuation like the U.S. dollar has experienced, but in the past year alone, it seems to have been on a continuous downward spiral. It certainly doesn’t help that the U.S. has been on the receiving end of a costly, apocalyp-tic-like streak of natural disasters, ranging from floods to wildfires. Add to that the real estate market crash, where interest rate hikes skyrocketed and a bevy of foreclosures followed.

Ah, yes, and lest we not forget the scourge of all Americans — the ever rising price of oil. How can one not feel violated when the total on a gas station receipt looks like the birth weight of a baby hippopotamus? These feelings of shock and disbelief resurface when com-

ing face to face with heating bills, shipping invoices and pizza delivery boys. Let’s be honest, it looks bleak.

But there is a ray of hope, and its light has shone down on the direct response industry in the form of consumers who aren’t going to let a little rain, some flames or the possibility of homelessness stop them from buying the latest products marketed via direct response.

In spite of the economic struggles and personal hardships of the American consumer, DR media rates are up. Infomercials are no longer the marketing tool for just small, home-based businesses. They are fast becoming the marketing weapon for big name Fortune 500 conglomerates that want to reach a wider audience. Television viewers are waiting with bated breath for the newest innovations in weight loss, cosmetics, kitchen appliances and business ventures to dance across their TV sets with that oh-so-familiar 800 number.

In the face of adversity and tragedy, humans look to an outside source to give them hope or to give them something to look forward to. For some, it is God or family, for others it is an operator telling them that if they pay $12 extra for rush delivery, their package will arrive in three-to-five business days.

We, the American people, are driven in some way or another by the almighty dollar, and we know that the product developers can’t survive without our money, just as the product developers know we can’t survive without their goods. To cut that common thread would leave someone struggling to tread the deep waters of the economic abyss. Who that would be, I can’t say. But if I’ve learned anything, it is to never underestimate the buying power of the American consumer. And in the end, no matter what our education, job title, economic status or hardships may be, aren’t we all consumers? ■

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Targeted consumer publicity can play an important role in your DR campaign. SSA specializes in achieving product-based editorial coverage to compliment your media by reinforcing consumer awareness.