In November 2024, DRMetrix presented the article “Strategic Edge: DTC Advertisers Capitalize on Lesser-Known Linear TV Units” highlighting how top direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands strategically leveraged Digital Program Insertion (DPI) units to achieve significant cost efficiencies. This follow-up expands on those findings, analyzing 2020-2024 trends to uncover fresh insights into how DPI adoption has evolved. 

The latest data reveals a significant shift: branded direct-to-consumer (DTC) campaigns with $50K or more in national TV spend have increased their DPI unit purchases year-over-year. In 2024, these advertisers set a new record, acquiring over 2.7 million National Linear DPI units—the highest ever recorded, as shown in the chart below:

 

What Are DPI Units?

To fully understand the study’s key findings, we must first define DPI units. These are a type of national linear television ad inventory that, unlike traditional national units, can be subject to cover-up in some local markets by multiple video programming distributors (MVPDs) such as Comcast, Charter, and DirecTV.

In markets where MVPDs do not insert a local ad, the network’s DPI unit is shown to consumers. Since DPI units can be discounted by up to 90%, many advertisers are finding them to be a cost-effective alternative to standard national units.

On the left side of the diagram below, a cable network transmits its signal via satellite to multiple MVPDs. Some MVPDs insert local ads during a DPI break, replacing the network’s DPI ad with a local market ad, as shown in the top example. However, in mid-to-small markets, where the MVPD may not sell a local ad, the network’s DPI ad—such as the Expedia ad shown—remains visible to viewers.

 

 

For decades, traditional direct-response (DR) advertisers have leveraged DPI units, measuring their effectiveness through DR variations in their commercials. These variations—such as unique phone numbers, promo codes, SMS codes, and dynamic QR codes—allow advertisers to directly track responses tied to specific network DPI units.

Despite the absence of impressions or ratings from traditional measurement providers, DR advertisers have long been able to quantify the value of DPI units through their own performance-driven measurement methods.

More recently, DTC advertisers using branded call-to-actions, like vanity URLs or branded websites, have started recognizing the value of DPI units. To measure their impact, they may rely on probabilistic spike analysis, media mix modeling, and/or deterministic attribution methods.

How and Why Did DRMetrix Conduct This Study?

DRMetrix offers unmatched tracking capabilities for both traditional national and DPI Units. Since the timing of DPI breaks varies by network, DRMetrix employs specialized software that detects DPI tones broadcast ahead of these breaks.

Beyond tracking airings, DRMetrix also categorizes creatives based on their attribution methodology—whether they use DR variations (a traditional DR approach) or branded/vanity call-to-action (commonly used by DTC campaigns).

When it comes to competitive television research, DRMetrix’s ability to pinpoint where traditional DR campaigns allocate spend by network, daypart, and creative unlocks actionable insights. By leveraging decades-proven DR variation methodologies, DR advertisers precisely measure which networks, dayparts, and unit types (including DPI) are producing the best outcomes for their campaigns.  DRMetrix shares this actionable intelligence to help advertisers refine their media strategies.

What is Fueling the Growth of DPI Units? 

The expansion of DPI usage can be attributed to two primary trends:

Existing Advertisers Increasing Their DPI Investment

Our analysis confirms that the majority of DPI growth—89.57%—is driven by advertisers who had previously used DPI units and have significantly increased their usage in 2024. These advertisers have recognized the strategic value of DPI and are committing more resources to it. Examples include:

• Moon Pod: Increased DPI usage from 13% in 2020 to 66% in 2024, with spend rising from $280K in 2020 to $2.1M in 2024.
• BestFriends.org: Grew DPI from 5% in 2020 to 54% in 2024, with spend increasing from $482K in 2020 to $5.4M in 2024.

New Advertisers Adopting DPI for the First Time

While the primary driver of DPI growth is increased investment by existing advertisers, 8.97% of the growth can be attributed to brands that previously focused on national placements but have now incorporated DPI into their media strategies. Examples include:

• TruGreen: Increased DPI usage from 1.4% in 2020 to 34% in 2024, which helped them lower their spend from $5.8M in 2020 to $2.2M in 2024.
• QuickBooks: Expanded DPI usage from 3% in 2020 to 32% in 2024, which helped them lower their media expenditures from $35.3M in 2020 to $20.9M in 2024.

Key Takeaway

While both factors contribute to DPI’s expansion, our data shows that the overwhelming majority of DPI growth is fueled by advertisers who were already using DPI and are now scaling up their investment. However, the rise of new DPI adopters suggests that awareness and adoption continue to grow across the industry, signaling broader acceptance of DPI as a viable media strategy.

High-Spending DTC Campaigns with Strategic DPI Usage

Advertisers such as 4imprint and Grainger lead the way, combining substantial spend with respectable DPI percentages. For instance:

• 4imprint spent $91.2 million on national units, with 31% being DPI units.
• Grainger allocated $83.2 million on national units, with 38% being DPI units.

Mid-Sized DTC Campaigns Leveraging DPI

Brands like BetterHelp and Care.com exemplify how mid-sized advertisers are embracing DPI units:

• BetterHelp invested $24.9 million on national units, with 52% being DPI units.
• Care.com allocated $12.5 million on national units, with an impressive 58% being DPI units.

High-Spending DR Campaigns with Strategic DPI Usage

In 2024, several high-spending DR advertisers demonstrated a strong strategic focus on DPI units. Here are some notable examples:

• LegXercise: With a total spend of $43.6 million, LegXercise allocated 38% of its budget to DPI units, achieving significant cost efficiencies by purchasing 48,762 DPI units..
• Nugenix Total-T: This Direct Digital brand invested $38.8 million in 2024, with 42% of its spend directed toward DPI units, leading to 23,906 DPI airings.
• Bosley: Specializing in hair restoration, Bosley spent $27.5 million on its campaign, dedicating 37% to DPI units and securing 19,353 DPI airings.
• PureWick: A product of Liberator Medical Supply, PureWick spent $26 million on national units in 2024, with an impressive 43% allocated to DPI units, resulting in 20,846 DPI airings.
• Instaflex Advanced: Another Direct Digital brand, Instaflex Advanced, allocated 56% of its $25.8 million spend to DPI units, achieving 26,676 DPI airings and reinforcing its strategic approach.

Brands Significantly Increasing DPI Usage and Spend (2020–2024)

Analyzing trends from 2020 to 2024, several brands have dramatically increased their reliance on DPI units while also growing their overall ad spend. These advertisers represent some of the most compelling cases of how brands are leveraging cost-efficient DPI units in their television advertising strategies.

• Moon Pod: DPI usage rose from 13% in 2020 to 66% in 2024 (+53 percentage points), while spend increased from $280K in 2020 to $2.1M in 2024.
• BestFriends.org: Grew DPI from 5% in 2020 to 54% in 2024 (+49 percentage points), with spend rising from $482K in 2020 to $5.4M in 2024.
• HomeServe: Increased DPI usage from 11% in 2020 to 51.9% in 2024 (+40.9 percentage points), while spend grew from $3.6M in 2020 to $11M in 2024.
• Mortgage Modification Helpline: DPI percentage grew from 39% in 2020 to 70% in 2024 (+31 percentage points), while spend increased from $751K in 2020 to $1.2M in 2024.
• American Diabetes Association: Expanded DPI from 4% in 2020 to 34% in 2024 (+30 percentage points), increasing their spend from $546K in 2020 to $2.4M in 2024.

These brands exemplify a growing trend of advertisers increasing both their DPI investments and overall ad budgets, demonstrating confidence in the effectiveness of these units.

Upcoming Innovations

In 2025, iSpot.tv plans to integrate ACR (automatic content recognition) data along with DPI signal detection software to segment and assign impressions and ratings to DPI units. This innovation will provide DTC advertisers with clearer visibility into the performance of their DPI campaigns.

Conclusion

DPI units remain a powerful yet underutilized tool in the linear TV advertising ecosystem. By analyzing DRMetrix data, we see that advertisers across numerous categories are integrating DPI units into their strategies.

Stay ahead of the curve – connect with DRMetrix today for exclusive insights on how top advertisers are leveraging DPI for maximum ROI.