Mike Colling and Company is a direct response media company with 20+ employees that has been using DRTV for 4.5 years and which has worked with over 45 charities on short-form DRTV.
Some 128 UK charities use short-form DRTV, but long-form is new in the UK. Long-form DRTV is a 15-minute long direct response infomercial shown back-to-back in a 30-minute slot on a UK multi-channel television station at the time and on the channel chosen by the charity (82 channels to choose from).
Governed by ITC rules and the EU 'Télévision sans frontières directive', the broadcast must involve the 'direct sale of a product' in order to qualify. Most charities would qualify.
The 15-minute DR TV appeal usually consists of documentary-like footage of the charity’s work intercut with interviews with donors and beneficiaries. Several times throughout the 15 minutes, there is a call to action, promoting a telephone number viewers can call to donate or register interest.
The format is much used in several countries and is just being introduced into the UK. MC&C have conducted a test for a major UK charity in July 2006 and the campaign began running in October.
