Strong Results For D2C Companies In Morning, Non-Prime-Time Dayparts
- by Wayne Friedman , June 11, 2019
TV attribution company TVSquared says commercials running in morning and daytime TV dayparts averaged significantly better response rates (website visits, social media activities and search queries) than prime time.
TVSquared's January 2018 to March 2019 analysis of 18 D2C companies -- including retail, subscription services, food delivery and and travel -- found that $138 million was spent on TV advertising on 440 national and local TV channels. That's 1.9 million spots, yielding 749 billion ad impressions.
TVSquared said morning and daytime had a better “efficiency index” in terms of media dollars spent -- 105% higher and 37% higher, respectively.
The lowest-performing dayparts were early fringe (36% lower efficiency dollar index); overnight (20% lower); and prime time (15% below average).
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While 15-second commercials accounted for the most commercials analyzed -- 46% -- response rates were 12% below average, while 30-second spots accounted for 33% spots, with collective response rates 50% above average. Sixty-second-long spots amounted to 21% of those surveyed, posting the worst results, at 79% below average.
TVSquared quotes the Video Advertising Bureau from its recent report on D2C, citing that companies running traditional TV campaigns grabbed 83% higher website visits, 206% more social activities, and 312% better search queries.
Daytime TV will almost always "beat" primetime in "efficiency" when its CPMs are factored into the calculation as they are only a third as high. This applies to demographic targeting and direct response as well. However there should be other considerations--like total reach---which may cause DR advertisers to continue to use primetime--if available--as well as early and late evening TV.