“I know that I generated millions of ad impressions, and I saw my web traffic increase, but I don’t have quantitative data that connects my advertising to direct response.”

This has been the mantra of every medical marketer running a DTC campaign in the past decade. Now, that paradigm is changing—rapidly.

Cablevision in New York recently introduced an opt-in response function for television commercials. How it works: When a commercial runs on Cablevision, the viewer can press the “select” button on their controller for more information. This generates an email response to the advertiser, who then sends the requested information back to the subscriber. In short, an email request is created without viewers ever leaving their sofas.
For medical marketers, this development is a big breakthrough that can potentially:

• Increase direct response rates
• Provide the company with an opt-in channel to educate prospective patients
• Provide an unambiguous connection between the company’s public education efforts and patients visiting a doctor’s office
• Provide added metrics to measure specific offers and specific advertising program buys.

Like QR codes for print publications, this TV click-through technology is elevating the value of so-called traditional media and creating an integrated loop that is good for the advertiser and the consumer. Stay tuned for more on this emerging trend.

Clay Wilemon is the CEO and Chief Strategy Officer at DevicePharm, a marketing strategy and integrated marketing communications firm based in Irvine, CA. You can email Clay at clayw@DevicePharm.com.