Toll-free Numbers in Television Advertising
Conclusions
Millions of consumers are exposed to toll-free numbers on a daily basis,
leading to their acceptance as a common advertising element. Their use
in television advertising will continue to grow.
Of the numbers used, vanity 800 numbers will continue to predominate.
The findings of this study confirm traditional wisdom regarding toll-free
numbers — consumers are most familiar with the 800 prefix. While
consumers have had 30 years to familiarize themselves with 800, they have
only been exposed to 888 for the last two years, and 877 for the last
few months. The 888 and 877 prefixes, understandably, will never catch
up.
With such big budgets at stake, advertisers are hesitant to take a gamble
on consumers misdialing their phone numbers. With less consumers aware
of the additional prefixes, the vast majority of advertisers continue
using the original toll-free exchange. By doing so, they also eliminate
user confusion and misdialing (i.e., dialing 800 instead of 888 or 877).
It is likely that local advertisers use 888 more frequently because they
do not have the resources of national advertisers in securing easy-to-remember
numbers. Local advertisers appear to use vanity 800 numbers whenever they
can secure one. Due to their scarcity, many have chosen a vanity 888 number
instead, so they can at least have a vanity number. There is no question
that if the vanity 800 number corresponding to their 888 number became
available, they would use it instead. Indeed, when the 888 numbers were
originally made available, many of them were claimed by companies who
were already using their 800 prefix equivalent — a safeguard called
self-replication. This trend will likely continue as the prefixes 866,
855, etc. are introduced in the coming years.
Toll-free numbers are embraced by a wide range of industries. Since the
most frequent consumer uses of toll-free numbers are for requesting information,
ordering products, and making reservations,(12) the industry results aren’t
surprising. Clearly, the top industries using vanity 800 numbers are perfect
for this type of response mechanism; lodging for making reservations,
automotive for requesting more information, and computers for ordering
products.
Perhaps the audiences of the programming choices during which toll-free
numbers are used most frequently are more likely to respond. While watching
game shows, audiences could be in a more "participative" mode.
During movies and TV dramas, consumers would be more attentive for longer
periods of time. Viewers of local news might be in more of an "information
gathering" mode. Vanity toll-free number use during sports programming
was spotlighted with the 1998 Super Bowl when 100% of the advertisers
using toll-free numbers chose vanity.(13)
The predominance of vanity numbers in the shortest commercial lengths
demonstrates that advertisers understand their numbers must be easy to
remember to be effective.
Consumers no longer need to be "sold" on the idea of using
toll-free numbers, just on whether or not the offer in the commercial
warrants their response. The 800 number is no longer seen as a late night,
hard-sell sales tool. It has come of age as an integral part of marketing
and advertising.
Published September 8, 1998
Copyright © 1999, 800 Response. All rights reserved.
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