The DRTV Centre Offers Cost-Saving Advice To First-Time TV Advertisers

Advertising agency The DRTV Centre offers tips to first-time TV advertisers on how to minimise their TV production costs and TV media costs.

This summer the UK economy will overtake the peak level it was at before the 2008 financial crisis, The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said this week.

Given greater business confidence, more advertisers will be seriously considering trying TV advertising for the first time - but may be concerned about entry costs. Ad agency The DRTV Centre tells clients how to avoid unnecessary expense.

How to reduce TV commercial production costs

• Visit ad agencies experienced in TV. Check out their TV commercial showreels. Ask the agencies about their typical TV commercial production costs.

• Ask to speak directly to three or four of the agencies’ current TV clients about how their commercials have performed.

• Having chosen your TV ad agency give them a clear written brief and a sensible but demanding production budget.

• Allow your agency adequate time to create your script, say 3 or 4 weeks.

• Once the script is agreed, do not make script changes.

Other factors which affect TV production costs include location, music, numbers of actors and how they are remunerated, special effects and production values.

Perhaps surprisingly, good and effective low budget TV commercials can be made for between £5,000 and £10,000; these would normally utilise animation, stills or library footage. Original TV filming costs from £15,000 dependent on the complexity of the TV script and the desired production values. More ambitious TV scripts, for example on location, may cost £30,000 or much, much more.

How to minimise TV media costs

The media cost of TV advertising is determined by several variables:

• Time of day - The day is divided into 'dayparts' and costs vary accordingly. Peak time is much more expensive than off peak.

• Programmes - It is more expensive to advertise in high-profile, top-rating programmes. Speciality programmes have lower audiences and are cheaper – these could be very attractive to relevant products or services.

• Time of year - The cost of advertising on television varies by month. Advertising in July and August represents especially good value. January is generally the cheapest month of the year. Pre-Christmas is the most expensive period.

• Commercial time-length - A 60-second spot will cost twice that of a 30-second. Note that 20-second and 10-second spots are proportionately more expensive.

• Target audience - Cost will also depend on the level of detail in specifying an advertiser's target audience. The more plentiful and accessible the audience, the cheaper the rate for reaching them, expressed on a cost per thousand viewers basis. Thus men aged 16-24 are much more expensive to reach than all adults, for example.

• Regionality - The provision of regional flexibility differs by broadcaster. ITV can offer a full regional breakdown while others, such as satellite channels are normally costed only on a national basis.

David Pearson of The DRTV Centre, says “Sometimes potential first-time TV advertisers are deterred by worries about costs – but, with careful planning, TV advertising may well cost much less than they expect. And, of course, TV advertising can transform a business and propel it into a different league.”

About The DRTV Centre

The agency was founded in London in 1997. It specialises in direct response television advertising.

The DRTV Centre’s service includes everything clients need to mount successful TV campaigns: strategies, idea creation, scriptwriting, storyboards, research, casting, location search, film/video production, music, voice-overs, Clearcast clearance, transmission copies, channel selection, TV airtime planning/booking and campaign response analysis.

The agency’s experience includes advertising travel and holidays, annuities, coins & jewellery, communications, comparison websites, education, equity release, injury compensation, law, loans, pet insurance and toys.

For advice or info, call The DRTV Centre on (UK) 0800 635 9000.