You've Lost That Selling Spirit

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Television commercials are losing their ability to sell. This thought came to me after being inducted into the Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame a few months ago, when someone asked me how TV advertising had changed over the past 40 years.

Admittedly, as a television direct response advertising practitioner, I’m biased in favor of commercials that sell. But my statement applies to all types of television commercials. From image-focused car commercials to boundary-pushing beer ads to direct response insurance offers, these spots don’t motivate viewers to take action — to go to a store, to call a toll-free number, to visit a Web site.

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