Image Builder

Television advertising works. At least for me.

Recently, as the local morning news blared from the television on the kitchen counter, I perused the fridge and found milk and bread wanting. But I was headed to the pediatrician with a sick child -- a stop at the grocery store or any store was not an option with a feverish baby. Just then, a television commercial for Dairy Barn caught my eye: an image of the store's red barn -- a car at the drive-through driven by a woman much like me with children in car seats. A friendly clerk handed her a bag and her change through the open car window.

The scene flowed into a shot of fresh, cold milk being poured. I knew where I was stopping on the way home from the doctor's office.

"That's what our television ads are designed to do --reinforce our brand message and remind people of our offerings when they're not driving," said Hari Singh, president of the East Northport, N.Y.-based company that operates 53 drive-through c-stores on Long Island.

Worked for me. And apparently it works for Dairy Barn. While radio ads conveying specific product promotions during peak drive times comprise half of the company's advertising budget, television ads target potential customers; adult drivers; when they're not behind the wheel.

"We spend 40 percent of our ad budget on cable television spots to get our message out when our customer is at home," Singh explained. "TV keeps Dairy Barn top of mind. It lets us demonstrate the convenience of our drive-through service and range of products visually, which goes a long way toward creating an attachment to the brand."

As more and more convenience store operators shift their marketing strategy toward brand building, television is playing an increasingly important role in the marketing of both small regional chains like Dairy Barn and powerhouse operators. Eighty percent of 7-Eleven's advertising budget will go to television advertising this year, and CITGO reports similar spending.

"Television touches the major senses and is an easy way to evoke an emotional response, and that's what builds the brand image," said Bob Merz, director of marketing for Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. "TV is the fastest way to get a response and drive traffic, and do so in a way that supports the retail brand."

Newspaper and radio continue to be the preferred advertising mediums for convenience store operators, however, estimates Jeff Lenard, a spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).

The most likely deterrent to television advertising is cost. Airtime is the largest expense involved, followed by production costs. For every $8 spent by Dairy Barn on television advertisements,