Local Breaks vs National Spots: A DRTV Guide

Why would you want to buy Local breaks VS National DRTV spots.

Let’s break down the difference first on what it means to buy a Local cable break VS National cable DRTV spots.

Understanding Local Breaks vs National DRTV Buys

Local breaks are aired only in specific local markets during a national broadcast program where a national placement of the commercial airs nationwide on broadcast or cable networks reaching the viewer on All markets.

Local ad spots tend to be much more efficient than national placements, especially on large scale networks making this a more affordable option. This enables smaller businesses with limited budgets to target a better CPM and reach their audience without paying the premium price for a national reach. Local buying can better target the audience where the product is being sold, which helps prevent wasteful impressions.

With a local buy, buyers have more negotiation power and flexibility. There is more unsold inventory, and stations are willing to negotiate rates, which can help with stronger performance in the long run. This opportunity helps make it easier to test media and make optimizations to your buy making it easier to reallocate your budget to other markets or channels if necessary.

Also, with placements, a client can avoid the clutter of oversaturation of major brands flooding the market where they are spending millions of dollars to get their product to stand out.

Real-World Example: Local vs National

An example of a local placement would be a car dealership running during a nationwide sporting event. Securing the local break would ensure the target audience for the spot would be for the audience that would buy from their dealership; limiting waste with someone who lives in New York when the dealership is in Florida. This is a great strategy for the dealership to have their target audience see their ad and come to them to buy a new/used car.

An example of a national buy would be a car brand buying a national airing ensuring the ad reaches all viewers watching across the country.

When to Use Both: A Balanced Strategy

The ideal strategy for buying is to mix both local and national if budgets allow it. The local gets more frequency in your priority areas and reinforce your brand where you have stores or stronger demand while the national gets you wider exposure and gets you in the conversation.