Toll-free Numbers in Magazine Advertising

Findings

58% of Magazine Advertisements Use Toll-free Numbers

Fifty-eight percent of magazine advertisements use a toll-free number as a response mechanism.

800 is Preferred to 888 and 877

The 800 prefix is still the favorite (82%) by far. Fifteen percent of toll-free numbers in advertisements use the 888 prefix and 3% use the 877 prefix.

Home Improvement, Attorneys, Lodging, and Sports Industries are the Most Frequent Users of Toll-free Numbers

By industry, there are some leaders in using toll-free numbers as response mechanisms. 100% (of the sample in this study) of home improvement and attorney advertisements use them, as do 94% of lodging, 90% of sports, 88% of education, and 87% of automotive advertisements. Other frequent users are travel (84%), transportation (82%), furniture (81%), and banking (76%).

Sports, Automotive, and Computer are the Favored Magazine Types for Toll-free Numbers

Sports magazines are the favorite for advertisements using a toll-free number, with 81% using this response mechanism, compared with 80% in automotive magazines, and 77% in computer magazines. Other favorites are health magazines (67%), financial (66%), and business magazines (60%).

Toll-free Numbers are Used Most Frequently in 6 and 7+ Page Advertisements

Eighty percent of 6 page advertisements utilize a toll-free number. Similarly high, 77% of 7+ page advertisements utilize toll-free numbers, as do 76% of quarter page, 73% of 5 page, 64% of half page, and 58% of 3 page advertisements.

49% of Premium Advertisements Use Toll-free Numbers

In premium advertisements (those positioned on the inside-front-cover, back-cover, or inside-back-cover), 49% use a toll-free number as a response mechanism.

86% of Toll-free Numbers in Premium Advertisements Use the 800 Prefix

Of the toll-free numbers used, 86% are 800 numbers. Ten percent use the 888 prefix and 4% use the 877 prefix.

34% of Toll-free Numbers are Displayed Prominently

Thirty-four percent of advertisements display the toll-free number prominently.

58% of Magazine Advertisements Use Internet Addresses

Fifty-eight percent of magazine advertisements contain an Internet address.

Real Estate, Water, Delivery Service, and Computer Industries are the Most Frequent Users of Internet Addresses

By industry, there are some leaders in using Internet addresses as response mechanisms. 100% (of the sample in this study) of real estate, water, and delivery service advertisements use them, as do 91% of computer, 90% of telecommunications and office equipment, 88% of home improvement, 87% of automotive, 77% of banking, and 75% of television programming advertisements.

Computer, News, and Financial are the Favored Magazine Types for Internet Addresses

Computer magazines are the favorite for advertisements using an Internet address as a response mechanism. In computer magazines, 93% of advertisements use this response mechanism, compared with 88% in news, and 79% in financial magazines. Other favorites are business (77%), sports (71%), nature/culture (68%), automotive (64%), entertainment (60%) magazines.

Internet Addresses are Used Most Frequently in 7+ and 5 Page Advertisements

Seventy-seven percent of 7+ page advertisements utilize an Internet addresses. Similarly high, 73% of 5 page, 69% of 2 page, 65% of 3 page, and 60% of full page advertisements utilize Internet addresses.

58% of Premium Advertisements Use Internet Addresses

In premium magazine advertisements, 58% use an Internet address as a response mechanism.

15% of Internet Addresses are Displayed Prominently

Fifteen percent of advertisements display the Internet address prominently.

Many Advertisements are Using Toll-free Numbers and Internet Addresses

Sixty-seven percent of the advertisements with toll-free numbers also feature an Internet address.

Overall, 78% of advertisements have either a toll-free number or an Internet address, or both.

Toll-free Numbers and Internet Addresses are Favorite Direct Response Mechanisms

Toll-free numbers (58%) and Internet addresses (58%) are the most often used direct response mechanisms. Others are street addresses (17%), other (5%), bingo cards (4%), e-mail addresses (4%), and coupons (1%).

82% of Advertisements Use Some Form of Direct Response

Overall, 82% of magazine advertisements contain a direct response device.

Published March 16, 1999
Copyright © 1999, 800 Response. All rights reserved.

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