Direct Marketing Association

Digital and direct marketing job seekers can expect a spring thaw in layoffs and hiring freezes, according to the latest quarterly employment report by Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC.

Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, Linda Woolley, testified today before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee in opposition to the proposed expansion of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) rulemaking and enforcement authority.

New York, NY, February 4, 2010 — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit multichannel direct marketers, today named Robert (Bob) Allen, Interim President & CEO. Mr. Allen, an award winning direct marketing executive, is the former President & CEO of The Vermont Country Store, a multichannel retailer of hard-to-find products. He will assume the title of Interim President & CEO effective Friday, February 5, and be based in DMA's New York office.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today announced its Board of Directors has approved the recommended changes to DMA’s Guidelines for Ethical Business Practice for testimonials and endorsements in all channels.  DMA, through its Ethics Policy Committee, and both Corporate & Social Responsibility (CSR) and Government Affairs experts developed and recommended these amendments to keep DMA’s Guidelines consistent with the FTC’s new Guides for Testimonials and Endorsements.

Days after the resignation of the Direct Marketing Association’s beleaguered President & CEO John Greco, the American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA) launched an aggressive campaign for its National Catalog Forum, as well as new members.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit multichannel direct marketers, today announced it will begin a search for a new president & CEO to replace John A. Greco, Jr. Mr. Greco has resigned his role effective today, and DMA has organized a search committee to identify possible candidates.

Digital and direct marketers are planning a major ramp-up in hiring this winter, according to Bernhart Associates' latest Quarterly Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report. "All of our major indicators are showing significant improvement," said Jerry Bernhart, principal of Bernhart Associates Executive Search. "As far as hiring goes, digital and direct marketers are back on a growth trajectory."

I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight for those who put forth the garbage that direct mail intrudes. Consider the following:

In a session I hosted at last week's DMA Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, I examined traditional marketing databases and how they've been designed and built to support traditional marketing, primarily analytic-driven direct mail. Email has provided marketers the ability to leverage digital technologies to render custom content on an individual consumer basis. Yet many marketers haven't taken advantage of this, instead performing blast email strategies — i.e., sending the same email to everyone, regardless of profile, segment or buying behavior.

There's a battle raging for the control of e-commerce. On one side are retailers looking to increase market share, accelerate revenue, grow brand affinity and increase customer lifetime value. On the other side are consumers who want to be empowered, increase connectedness, find relevant products, receive feedback from peers, and have interactive and entertaining experiences online.