Which Ads Work?

            The topic being discussed in this research paper is, "Which Ads Work "The Effect of Direct Television Advertising-. In a rapidly advancing technologically based world, it becomes important to analyze the impacting effect that direct television advertising is having on consumers. Questions of concern include, Does direct television advertising influence buyers' purchase decisions? If so, what is the degree of impact that it has on the consumer decision process? Also, which types of television ads successfully draw consumers to their product or cause? These are a few of the questions that will be answered in this research paper. Upon completion of reading this document, one should better understand the concept behind direct television marketing, relate the degree of consumer response to certain television ads, and know which ads actually work.
             It would not be appropriate to concern ourselves with finding which television ads work without first presenting some background information regarding not only direct television marketing, but direct marketing as a whole. Direct marketing can be defined as any direct communication to a consumer or business that is designed to generate a direct response in the form of an order for a specific product or service, a request of information, or a request for visit to a place of business. Referencing this definition, direct marketing is utilized throughout all advertising media, including direct mail, catalogs, telemarketing, magazine, television, radio, and the Internet. In total, it is estimated that sales in the direct marketing industry were approximately $1.4 trillion in 1998, according to a survey conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org). One can see the broad range of media that direct marketing encompasses, but here we will only concern ourselves with it in regard to television. .
             Direct television advertising or more commonly known as direct response television is the use of television commercials, infomercials and home-shopping channels to help promote a company's product or service.