Brand & DRTV Advertising: Finding a Balance

Finding the balance between brand advertising and direct response TV (DRTV) advertising is essential for brands that aim to hit short-term performance goals while building for the future. As brands mature, this balance becomes a key strategy for scalable, sustainable growth.

What is the Difference?

Brand Advertising

Brand Advertising focuses on building awareness, trust, and emotional connection over time. While it doesn’t usually drive immediate conversions, its impact can be measured through:

  • Organic and brand search
  • Share of voice
  • Post-purchase surveys & brand lift studies

However, for early-stage brands that need to show return quickly, brand advertising alone may not be financially sustainable due to its lack of direct attribution.

Direct Response TV (DRTV)

DRTV is designed to drive immediate actions such as sales, leads, site visits, etc through a compelling call-to-action. It’s highly measurable with KPIs like:

  • Cost per Order (CPO)
  • Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
  • Conversion rate

DRTV is both effective and scalable and can be leveraged across platforms. At Modus Direct, we continuously optimize creative rotations, dayparts, and station mix—and often recommend testing Connected TV (CTV) to expand reach and performance and ensure maximum ROI.

 

Finding the Right Balance

The ideal mix of brand and DRTV advertising varies by brand maturity, goals, and budget. At Modus Direct, we tailor strategies to each client’s unique needs.

DRTV Heavy

For emerging brands, a DRTV-heavy approach helps generate immediate revenue that can fund future investments. Here, efficiency and scalability are critical.

Split Approach

As brands mature, they may want to introduce or expand their brand efforts. At Modus Direct, we would suggest taking a balanced approach:

  • Core DRTV placements continue to drive performance
  • A portion of media spend is allocated to premium or brand-building placements
    • The exact split will vary by brand and is dependent on performance and brand goals.

The DRTV placements will ensure profitability in the short term since the brand ads may not perform as strongly in a traditional ROAS sense. However, the brand placements often generate brand lift, evidenced by increased direct/organic search and fuel future sales.

Brand Led with DRTV Support

For established brands or those launching new products, a brand-first strategy, supplemented by DRTV to support promotions or drive key seasonal pushes may be the best option.

 

Measurement Matters

At Modus Direct, we don’t view brand and DRTV as siloed strategies—we measure them together. Our custom reporting dashboards integrate both brand and performance metrics to provide a holistic view of media impact, from immediate conversions to longer-term growth.

 

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits all formula, but with the right balance of DRTV and brand advertising, and a partner who understands how to adjust that mix over time, brands can drive both performance today and growth for the future.