Sure Fit Inc., a mail-order slipcover company, in June will test a 60-second direct response television spot for a free catalog offer in an effort to generate customer leads.
The spot will run for two weeks and, based on test results, will roll out fully in midsummer. The ad will focus on before-and-after displays of slipcovers placed on furniture. It will direct consumers to a toll-free number or the Web site, www.surefit.com, to order the free quarterly catalog.
“DRTV has always been successful for lead generation of household or home improvement products,” said Maria Eden, president of Direct Response Media, Wayne, PA, the company producing and managing the campaign. “If you can get something in people's hands, you can find good, qualified buyers.”
The ad will target women age 25 to 49. Sure Fit circulated its catalog this year to roughly 7.5 million consumers, the company said. Sure Fit reached about $130 million in sales in 2000, and the company plans to reach $140 million by the end of this year. It has not yet established lead projections for the DRTV campaign.
As a further marketing vehicle, Sure Fit sends out quarterly e-mail newsletters and monthly campaign e-mails with new product updates. The company declined to specify the size of the e-mail database.
The ad will run on national cable stations primarily targeted to a cross section of women, such as Lifetime Television, Eden said.
Direct Response Media is responsible for all creative aspects, production and media management of the campaign, and Convergys Corp. will be responsible for all telemarketing. Eden said Sure Fit is a new client for Direct Response Media, adding that the company has used 10-second DRTV sponsorship spots on game shows and 30-second traditional ads to market its catalogs, said Liana Toscanini, a vice president at Sure Fit. She added that the company has received an average 8 percent response rate to past print, TV and e-mail campaigns.
This campaign fits in well with Direct Response Media's business strategy, Eden said, adding that the company has performed similar lead generation DRTV projects for Select Comfort Sleep System and Sunsetters Awnings.
