Response Magazine - September 2008

pulling in the same direction to achieve the business objectives.”

What Clients Want

From their DR agencies, Hodor says clients are seeking efficiencies and accountability. After all, everyone knows that DR rates are traditionally less expensive than general rates, creating a sort of “bonus” for clients, especially in these economic times. Add in the ability to report how many people raised their hands to specific media airings by going online, to retail or a call center, says Hodor, and the model should become a no brainer.

“Agencies and clients are starting to see the positive light that DR brings, which is why it’s the fastest-growing piece within the TV sector,” says Hodor. “At the end of the day though, it’s a case of clients demanding the accountability that DR brings to the table rather than trying to slip something by at a cheaper rate.”

Garnett says a key consideration for

“When we are in on the planning, we can give advice on whether DR is right for the client and address other issues early in the game.

— Doug Garnett, Atomic Direct

^DR ^agencies ^that ^are ^blending ^their”^tal-ents with general partners is whether or not the creative strategies bridge across all of the media that the client is pushing into. “There are things that will work in print that don’t work on TV, and vice versa,” says Garnett. “You have to figure out how to work that line in order to effectively integrate the campaign, and cre-

ate the most impact. If we can piggyback off of each other’s campaign, then the sum of the parts ends up being bigger than the whole thing.”

The best results usually come when the stars align and both agencies can work together to create a synergistic campaign. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. “Many times when agencies conglomerate, clients end up with mediocrity,” says Garnett, who sees the biggest challenges surface when traditional agencies use their own employees to handle the DR component. “Where in traditional advertising you can get away with throwing a good creative team at the project and get the results you want, DRTV is much more sensitive and requires a more sophisticated approach.”