A comparison of media factors that influence the effectiveness of direct response television advertising

Direct response television (DRTV) commercials provide a unique opportunity for assessing advertising effectiveness, since responses are tangible and can be immediately measured. In this study we examine media factors, such as day- part and program type, that influence the effectiveness of DRTV commercials. Over 700 commercial spots covering 12 campaigns are analyzed with a Tobit regression model. We find that the most cost effective DRTV ads are those placed in program types that are interruptable and/or dur-ing morning and afternoon dayparts.