The Marketing Sleuth: The Difference Between General Advertising And Direct Response Advertising

Monday 8 August 2011

Takeaways…

There are two types of advertising:

Differences

In direct response:-

You know what works and what doesn’t – down to a dollar.
You know two minute commercials are more cost effective than 10 or 30 second commercials.
You know that fringe time TV commercials sell mroe than prime time.
In print advertising you know long copy sells more than short copy.
You know that headlines in copy about the product and its benefits sell more than cute headlines and poetic copy…

… you know it to a dollar.

In general advertising:-

The general advertisers and their agencies know almost nothing for sure because they cannot measure the results of their advertising.
They prefer creativity over results.
They think 30 second commercials are more cost effective than two minute commercials.
They think short copy in print sells more than long copy.
They prefer to entertain than sell.
They have no idea whether their advertising works.

In direct response advertising, you know to a dollar whether or not it’s worked.

“Nobody should be allowed to create general advertising until he’s served his apprenticeship in direct response.”

“… the trouble with many copywriters and general agencies is that they don’t really think in terms of selling.”

The Marketing Sleuth