When social networking exploded onto the scene several years ago, marketers suddenly had another consumer engagement tool at their fingertips. They also had a new front to protect through a process known as social reputation management, or the practice of understanding or influencing the reputation that a company builds through social networking platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest.

Successfully delivering TV advertising messages isn’t easy these days, what with the proliferation of mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices that come between the target audience and your television commercial itself.

Here are four great ways to secure celebrity spokespeople for your DRTV shows without breaking the bank.

Brand advertisers may think they have it “in the bag” when it comes to consumer engagement, loyalty and trust, but what many of them don’t realize is that their brand equity has been sliding downward since the early-1990s. That’s right folks: the Coca-Colas, Mercedes-Benzes and IBMs of the world may look like they have the corner on consumer loyalty and brand awareness, but in reality these popular companies are grappling with many of the same challenges that their smaller counterparts are dealing with.

We don’t have to look far these days to see where companies, professionals, and even politicians are going wrong when it comes to the U.S. Hispanic market. Mitt Romney provided enough proof last November when he not only failed to recognize this critical voter demographic—73 percent of which voted for President Obama—but also alienated them by speaking out against the issues near and dear to the population’s heart (immigration law, to name just one).

High definition has changed the way viewers watch TV and the way DRTV producers make and format commercials. Credit the affordability of HDTVs and the picture quality and clarity that they provide for pushing the majority of consumers to deep-six their old televisions in favor of these state-of-the-art entertainment boxes. A 2012 Treehouse Media and DG study, Increasing TV Advertising Impact in a High Definition World, found that HDTV household penetration has increased from 28.4 percent in 2008 to a 80.1 percent today.

An astounding volume of consumer media consumption – 90 percent, in fact – takes place in front of a screen. Televisions, tablets, laptops, and smartphones battle it out daily for our attention in a world where jumping from one device to the next to shop and do research is not only commonplace – it’s the norm. The evolving multi-screen environment presents both challenges and opportunities for marketers that have to break through the clutter and overcome distractions to be heard and seen.

Confused about the truths and rumors behind DRTV? Here are four realities to keep in mind as you plan your campaign.

When you’re in an industry for nearly 30 years, and you’ve witnessed firsthand its birth, rise and maturation, you get to know the space inside and out. Along the way you figure out what others think they know about your industry and develop a mental “FAQ” that addresses and clarifies those assumptions.

Congrats! After years of watching short-form DRTV commercials pull in direct sales dollars, boost revenues across multiple channels, and speak to customers in a way that traditional spots can’t touch, you’ve made the right decision to add a few to your advertising portfolio. By making this move, you’ll be increasing the accountability of your advertising dollars, tapping into more efficient and affordable media avails and significantly expanding your window of demonstration time.

Brush on up these key points before adding DRTV to your brand’s advertising portfolio.

It’s no secret that a large number of brand advertisers have warmed up to the idea of adding DRTV commercials to their marketing portfolios. Over the last few years, Apple, Nissan, Discover Card, Nikon and the U.S. Navy, stood as some of the biggest, most recognizable brands that used short- and long-form DRTV campaigns to sell products and services, increase customer loyalty, build subscription bases and generate leads.