The most common time period available for purchase as "long form" infomercial media is 28 minutes, 30 seconds in length.
The second is to purchase remnant airtime, which is time that stations were not able to sell, and need to fill quickly or cheaply to avoid broadcasting dead-air.
[1] When it first appeared, DRTV was used to market goods and services directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler to the consumer, bypassing retail.
Marketing companies who specialize in DRTV continue to use the format to offer product exclusively sold through TV.
The DRTV campaigns ask for direct consumer action either to purchase the product or to obtain a coupon which they can use at the retail store.
Companies who have used DRTV for these purposes include DuPont (Teflon),[3] Hamilton-Beach, Space Bag, Rubbermaid, P&G, Toyota, Philips Consumer Electronics, Bissell, Evinrude, and Sears (Craftsman brand).
Companies using this approach include Blue Shield, AAA Insurance (CSAA),[4] Bank of America,[5] Citibank Credit Cards, DirecTV, Dish Network, and many more.
Typically these campaigns collect leads and close the sale at a later date via direct mail, email, or phone specialists.
Other uses of DRTV include branding via hybrid campaigns, whereas you create awareness of the product and drive retail sales with no firm response goal.
And even general advertising and production award shows, like the Telly's, WorldFest and Davey's, include categories for long form TV Infomercial and DRTV work.