TORONTO – Direct marketer Torstar Media Group Television (TMG TV), this week received the 2005 Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) Award in the category of Best International DRTV Production.
It’s the third ERA award won by TMG TV in four years and was presented at an ERA gathering in Las Vegas. 
The award is in recognition of the short form DRTV (direct-response TV) spot produced by TMGTV Productions, in collaboration with OgilvyOne Worldwide, for AIG Assurance entitled Photo Album and was the first to be shot in high definition by the insurance company.
Shot in the setting of a grandparents’ living room with a grandmother looking at an old photo album with her grandchildren, the spot highlighted the importance of family and the necessity of ensuring they are taken care of should anything happen.
An estimated US$2-trillion business globally, DRTV will account for roughly $45 million of Canada’s estimated $3-billion TV ad spend in 2005, says financial services firm TD Newcrest. In 1995, DRTV accounted for just $10 million in ad spending, according to the Television Bureau of Canada.
The Electronic Retailing Association is the trade association for companies who use the power of electronic media to sell goods and services to the public.
