Looking Ahead at 2018 in Direct Response Advertising from Inside the ERA D2C Conference

Every year, direct response marketers from across North America converge for four days of learning, inspiration and business development at the Electronic Retailing Association Direct-to-Consumer conference. The conference highlights emerging ideas in DRTV advertising and next-gen direct response. Kingstar Media was among this year's attendees, and we brought back some key learnings that we'll be taking with us into 2018.

The Rise of the Third Screen

Brands already know that viewers are multitasking on multiple devices. Industry insiders at ERA D2C reported that campaigns with an online presence concurrent with their TV ad spots saw better results. That's because consumers are going to second and third screens to validate what they see in infomercial spots or direct response radio. The role of the direct agency is more important than ever in managing the entire ecosystem that includes DRTV advertising, digital media buying and social.

Direct Response Creates Retail Megastars

As a direct agency, we know firsthand that response marketing is the best way to create measurable retail results. But audiences at the ERA D2C Moxie Awards, honouring the best in direct response marketing, were floored at some of the success stories out of 2017. One memorable example: AJ Khubani (President & CEO, Telebrands) recounted the story of how his product, Star Shower, used response marketing to drive more revenue than any other SKU at Walmart USA, beating out the perennial top-earning SKU, Bananas. Yes—an innovative outdoor lighting system beat out everyone's favourite yellow fruit for sales in a single year. How's that for DRTV advertising results?

Conventional TV and Radio are Here to Stay

The main takeaway from ERA D2C we'll be taking with us into 2018? The reassurance that despite the validity, relevance, and importance of online direct response, TV and radio are still creating the best results in the industry. There's a reason brands still look to advertise on radio and TV—both channels remain the gold standard when it comes to driving mass awareness, and both still have the power to capture a consumer's imagination and create measurable results more effectively than any online campaign. So while Kingstar Media will continue to pave the way with emerging online response media, we remain committed to excellence in direct response radio and DRTV advertising.

Got questions about using direct response as a lead generational marketing tool in 2018? Get in touch!