Glossary: DRTV

people meter

Nielsen electronic device that records television-viewing habits in about 5,000 homes.

per inquiry (PI)

Primarily small broadcast stations’ policy of accepting media payments in the form of a percentage of sales. The stations/networks essentially become the direct marketer’s partner and receive 20 percent to 35 percent of total sales generated from the telecasts. PIs were a common practice until DRTV time became tight in the 1980s. Same as per order.

per order

See per inquiry.

phone-in

A live, testimonial phone caller to a home shopping network product presenter who discusses the merits of using the product currently being sold.

pod

Term used to describe the body segments of an infomercial preceding and following a call to action. There are generally three pods per infomercial, each about six to eight minutes in length.

Postproduction

Electronic assembling of video, audio and graphics via off-line and online editing.

pre-emption

Removal, at a TV station or cable network’s discretion, of a scheduled infomercial to be replaced by another infomercial, entertainment program, or special report.

pre-production

Organizational stage that precedes infomercial production. This involves research, location scouting, set design, production crew hiring, testimonial pre-interviews, production scheduling and more.

premium

Similar to bonus, a product or service added to the core product offer to enhance value.

preventive products

Products that “prevent” a negative experience from possibly happening some time in the future (security devices, fire alarms, etc.). Rarely successful in DRTV marketing. To motivate an immediate response, successful DRTV products must showcase benefits that immediately contribute positively to the consumer’s life. There are exceptions to this rule, though rare.

pro forma

A financial spreadsheet, based on certain marketing assumptions, which details the flow of expenses and revenues over time and calculates projected profit and loss.

problem call

A telephone call requesting assistance in solving a problem such as a delay in product delivery, product doesn’t work, request for refund, etc. Problem calls are different from orders and inquiries.

producer

Person responsible for the organization, management and execution of a DRTV production. Responsibilities include scheduling, hiring free-lance personnel, budgeting, etc.

product is king

Common knowledge among DRTV producers that focusing on product features and benefits, not entertainment, is what motivates an immediate response.

product shots

Similar to beauty shots, the display shot of the product(s) in an appealing setting

product sourcer

Hired by DRTV marketers to seek out new products that fit the profile for success.

production

The filming or videotaping of infomercial script elements.

production company

Company that executes the filming or taping of a commercial production.

program length advertisement (PLA)

Adopted by the Madison Avenue advertising community as the preferred name for infomercials in an attempt to make them respectable to Fortune 500 companies.

public relations firm

May be hired by DRTV agencies to promote DRTV to television networks, keep industry publications abreast of marketing progress, and/or to enhance current or prospective retail relations.

PVR

Personal Video Recorder: a digital recording system commonly used to record, pause, playback, and skip through television programming. Often referred to generically as TiVo (a brand name), PVRs are expected to revolutionize the television viewing experience from “appointment viewing” to “anytime viewing.”