DM News back issues from May 2008:
Mailers lax on IMB compliance.
May 05, 2008; ... DESPITE EFFORTS by the US Postal Service as well as some direct mail service companies such as Pitney Bowes, news about the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB) may not be reaching the majority of mailers. The IMB, developed by the USPS to encode routing and tracking information on ...
Quebecor world faces further staff cutbacks.
May 05, 2008; ... QUEBECOR WORLD Inc. has said it will close one US facility and significantly downsize a Canadian facility as part of its three-year retooling program, resulting in the loss of approximately 700 full-time jobs. Earlier this month, Quebecor World said it will close its Magog, ...
In bankruptcy, L 'n T shutters 120 stores.
May 05, 2008; ... LINENS 'N Things has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on May 2. The company's Financial restructuring plans include closing 120 underperforming stores. This news followed Home Depot saying it would close 15 stores ...
Gander Mountain's DM return.(MULTICHANNEL)
May 05, 2008; ... AFTER A 12-year absence from direct marketing and a legal battle with Cabela's, outdoor gear and apparel retailer Gander Mountain is making a big push into catalogs and e-commerce this year. On April 26, the Gander Mountain brand made its return to multichannel retail in a ...
AJC scales down circ, cuts 62 jobs.(CIRCULATION)
May 05, 2008; ... THE ATLANTA Journal-Constitution, one of the largest dairies in the Southeast US, is reworking its circulation strategy and eliminating 62 distribution jobs in its second distribution cut since 2007. Circulation is expected to fall by 2.2% daily and 1.9% on Sundays, following ...
On May 2, Amazon filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court objecting to the state law approved by Gov. David A. Paterson last week, which requires out-of-state online retailers to collect taxes on everything sold in the state if it has agents or affiliates in New York.
May 05, 2008 ... On May 2, Amazon filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court objecting to the state law approved by Gov. David A. Paterson last week, which requires out-of-state online retailers to collect ...
Interpublic Group of cos.
May 05, 2008 ... INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COS. and its global agency network, McCann Erickson Worldwide, agreed to a $12 million settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission last week ...
Microsoft.
May 05, 2008 ... MICROSOFT'S directors met April 30 to discuss its possible bid to purchase online search giant Yahoo. There were speculations the company would offer a higher bid than the original $44.6 billion one. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer threatened to start a proxy fight to ...
Aegis Group.
May 05, 2008 ... AEGIS GROUP recently announced the acquisition of Tempo Media, a media services spin-off of full-service Romanian agency ...
Gannett Co.
May 05, 2008 ... GANNETT CO. and Meredith Corp. have announced plans to create white-label social media sites, each partnering with social media software provider Ripple6. Meredith's site will focus on recipe sharing, mixing user-generated content with ...
Playboy Enterprises.
May 05, 2008 ... PLAYBOY ENTERPRISES has finalized a deal for eFashionSolutions to manage its catalog, as well as e-commerce operations of its retail brands ShopTheBunny.com and PlayboyStore.com ....
Cox Enterprises.
May 05, 2008 ... COX ENTERPRISES, a media company, said on April 29 that it would pay $300 million in cash for the advertising technology company ...
FTD Group Inc.
May 05, 2008 ... FTD GROUP INC., the online floral delivery business, was acquired for $456 million by United Online Inc., which owns social ...
Publicis Groupe.
May 05, 2008 ... PUBLICIS GROUPE'S MediaVest has been awarded media duties on all of Schering-Plough's global prescription ...
Curly fries to the rescue.(Brand New)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arby's recently launched a Rescue Brigade concept with Merkley & Partners. A microsite, www.arbyrescuebrigade.com, introduces a group of brand ...
BMW's experiential push targets wealthy urbanites.(DIGITAL)
May 05, 2008; ... BMW OF North America is targeting the power lunch crowd with the new BMW X6 campaign. A 3-D virtual vehicle tour--a walk-in box containing hologram images of the car's interior--debuted at the World Financial Center in New York's financial district on April 21. More animated ...
First spam felony rule to be reheard.(E-MAIL)
May 05, 2008; ... THE FIRST felony spam conviction in the US was granted a limited rehearing, calling into question laws applied to commercial vs. non-commercial spam. The Supreme Court of Virginia had sentenced Jeremy D. Jaynes to nine years in prison for violating Virginia's 2003 Anti-Spam Act ...
Digital and media strong for Publicis.(AGENCIES)
May 05, 2008; ... PUBLICIS GROUPE has reported year-over-year organic revenue growth of 5.4% for the first quarter of 2008. In a company statement, Maurice Levy, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, called the first quarter growth "healthy" and speculated that the media group's healthcare ...
Charming focuses on its core.(MULTICHANNEL)
May 05, 2008; ... CHARMING SHOPPES Inc.'s board of directors is exploring operating and strategic alternatives for its non-core misses apparel catalog titles in order to provide a greater focus on its core brands: Lane Bryant, Catherines and Fashion Bug. The catalog titles operated by Charming ...
DM should shine in current market: DMEF.(AGENCIES)
May 05, 2008; ... SEVERAL DIRECT marketing industry up-and-comers discussed how brand and direct marketing are merging as well as emerging new technologies during a Direct Marketing Educational Foundation teleconference last week. The panelists included Gary Laben, president/CEO at KnowledgeBase ...
Sizing up mobile ads.(Duly Noted: LEGISLATION AND CORPORATE NEWS)
May 05, 2008 ... The Mobile Marketing Association issued its latest guidelines for mobile ads last month, which recommend aspect ratios and banner dimensions, maximum file ...
Colorado springs on SPAM.(Duly Noted: LEGISLATION AND CORPORATE NEWS)
May 05, 2008 ... The state of Colorado enacted the Spare Reduction Act of 2008 last month, an extension of the CAN-SPAM Act that deems any violation of the federal CANSPAM Act inherently fraudulent and carries penalties of $1,000 per ...
List scam sealed.(Duly Noted: LEGISLATION AND CORPORATE NEWS)(United States. Federal Trade Commission)(Brief article)
May 05, 2008 ... The Federal Trade Commission has reached a $1.2 million suspended settlement with Byron C. Peterson of Florida over allegations that he defrauded consumers who sent $45 in response to a work-at-home offer from Integrity Marketing Team Inc., which was doing business as Home Business System ....
Cataloger layoffs.(Duly Noted: LEGISLATION AND CORPORATE NEWS)
May 05, 2008 ... Cataloger Hanover Direct has laid off approximately 100 employees, including workers in its Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and Wisconsin offices, due to economic struggles at the ...
Wachovia settles with US government agency.(LEGISLATION)
May 05, 2008; ... WACHOVIA BANK has entered into a settlement for one of the largest penalties ever filed by the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for failing to perform due diligence in screening accounts belonging to telemarketers and third-party payment processors. ...
Nailed it.(LEGISLATION)
May 05, 2008; ... Q: What was the goal of the GMC campaign that you developed? A: The goal was to get as many test drives as possible to a highly targeted audience. At the same time, we wanted to increase awareness of the brand. From July 4 to October 1 of last year we went to different Lowe's ...
Wells Fargo banks on virtual worlds to gather real-world interest.(Optimized: MAKING THE MOST OF DIGITAL)
May 05, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IF YOU don't think virtual worlds can mirror reality, imagine losing your cool new virtual car because you haven't made your virtual payments. That's one of the things that can happen on Stagecoach Island, a private virtual world created by ...
Retailers look to new leaders for a boost.(ANALYSIS)
May 05, 2008; ... IN THE current economic climate, shopping at the nation's largest retail stores seems to be far from consumers' minds. Faced with consumers who are increasingly wary about where and how they spend, retailers are bulking up their marketing departments by hiring experienced executives, ...
Data Bank: the weeks in stats.(MULTICHANNEL)
May 05, 2008 ... <Pre> US search engine queries, March 2008 6.4B Google 2.3B Yahoo 953M Microsoft queries 503M AOL queries Source: ComScore Marketers' offline DM expenditure over time 2005 Increase 63% Stay the same28% Decrease 5% Don't know ...
Editorial.(OPINION)(Editorial)
May 05, 2008; ... I SPENT two evenings without Internet or American Idol last week, thanks to the "catastrophic failure" of my Verizon FiOS equipment. Checking my Gmail at work, the two evenings added up to 140 non-spare messages. Of the daunting 116 commercial messages, 112 came as a result of my having ...
Picturing new online campaigns.(OPINION)
May 05, 2008; ... While the Internet is emerging as a predominant communication channel for marketing and advertising campaigns, creativity is still struggling to understand its role. We want online to be the next great creative frontier, but haven't yet found the formulas for great online creativity. ...
How to best market offshore.(OPINION)
May 05, 2008; ... Many of America's largest companies have been using offshore resources for manufacturing and services for many years. Today, the depth of business process outsourcing has increased dramatically to encompass mail order processing, warranty/product registration processing, special campaign ...
Is mail still effective for acquisition? With the onset of rising postage and paper costs, as well as a tremendous uptake in online commerce, some marketers have questioned print's power as an acquisition tool.(GLOVES OFF)
May 05, 2008 ... * CONTENDER George Michie Co-founder and principal, search marketing division, Rimm-Kaufman Grp. Former manager at Crutchfield Corp. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WISE INVESTMENT requires moving money to where it has the most impact and, for many catalogers, that ...
Rumors of DRTV's demise exaggerated: Euro RSCG's Kirby explains why direct response television is here to stay.(Spotlight)(Interview)
May 05, 2008 ... Q: What has changed in the DRTV sector since you started in it? A: TV is still the dominant mass medium of our time. However, because audiences have become so fragmented in the past two decades, you have to keep in mind that consumers are going to respond in different ways, be ...
Small business, big community: for American Express Open, engaging and interacting with customers is the key to gaining loyalty.
May 05, 2008; ... As brand-new small business owners, Connie and Thomas Betts had quite a lot to deal with when they started the Cascade Alpacas Ranch and Foothills Yam & Fiber store in Hood River, OR. Not only did they have to fix up the ranch and install the yarn store, but they had to purchase four ...
A healthy challenge: with healthcare costs on the rise, health insurance marketers need creative ways to woo consumers. Mary Elizabeth Hurn shares some expert solutions.(Insurance)
May 05, 2008; ... Health insurance is a competitive world. In addition to the fact that consumer choice is increasing in the sector, consumers have the option of shopping for health insurance online, and many are becoming more proactive in terms of finding the best plan. "Consumers are being ...
Going digital in the great outdoors: digital out-of-home advertising is everywhere, from coffee shops and elevators to bars and gas stations. Four experts discuss how to take advantage of this dynamic, flexible technology.(TECHNIQUE)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Simon Badinter Co-chairman, OnSpot Digital Network AS MORE people watch what they want, when they want it--often ignoring commercial messages at home--advertisers need to reach them where they are, which is no longer on their couches ...
The work: showcasing creative solutions.(PRIVATE VIEW)(briefs)(Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A. Inc.)(Austad's Inc.)(3M Co.)
May 05, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 Konica Minolta Sports sponsorship scores Situation Konica Minolta wanted to reestablish a connection with consumers after dropping out of the photographic business in early 2007. When the opportunity to sponsor the ...
Business opportunity seekers from Listopedia Consortium.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... Marketing Advisory Group Description: This file contains entrepreneurial individuals who are highly motivated to either supplement or replace their current income. These opportunity seekers have recently indicated their desire to gather information on new ...
Momtalk.com.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... Aggressive List Management Description: This file contains members of Momtalk.com, a Minnesota-based Web site for mothers. The majority of visitors are women who reside in Minnesota and understand the joys and stresses of being a morn. They connect online to discuss and learn ...
Education responders.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... eTargetMedia.com Inc. Description: This file, sourced through opt-in e-mail, contains people looking for current information on colleges, universities, online education, student loans and other education offers. These US consumers represent a diverse group of individuals that ...
Chromatography techniques.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... Statlistics Description: This file contains scientists, chemists and laboratory managers who are interested in staying well-informed of the emerging chromatography techniques and instruments that are vital to their field. Chromatography Techniques, from Advantage Business ...
Eye of Ra astrological product buyers.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... Macromark Description: This file contains astrology believers who have paid $50 to Undisclosed Aquarian Age to receive the "Eye of Ra", a lucky pendant that is meant to bring good luck and fortune to those wearing it while at the same time, warding off evil spirits. These ...
Essential science make up buyers.(NEW LISTS)
May 05, 2008 ... Infinite Media Description: This file contains buyers of a collection of skin care products that aim to help reduce the signs of aging. They enjoy spending money on themselves to not only enhance their beauty, but also to enjoy their ...
Sylmark merchandise buyers at email address.(E-MAIL)
May 05, 2008 ... American List Counsel Description: This file contains information-driven responders who prefer to receive information via e-mail and are quick to make impulse purchases on products that can help make every day life easier and healthier. Many Sylmark product buyers opt to provide ...
Knowledgetorm masterfile.(NEW MANAGEMENT)
May 05, 2008 ... MeritDirect Description: This file contains IT professionals, executive managers, engineers, CIOs, CTOs, CEOs, sales and marketing directors and operation and manufacturing professionals across a number of industries worldwide. KnowledgeStorm is the top-ranked search resource ...
How can a small business get the best possible response from its e-mail efforts?(E-MAIL)
May 05, 2008 ... "Lots of links," responds Janine Popick, CEO and founder of VerticalResponse. "Give your reader more than one opportunity to respond within the same e-mail. Send tests to different readers to see how your content looks in Yahoo Mail, Gmail and Outlook. "Subject lines matter" she ...
How can I better obtain closed-loop data on my leads in order to show ROI?(DATABASE)
May 05, 2008 ... "Consider taking a hands-on approach to your lead management by employing a closed-loop lead administrator," suggests Kathy Rizzo, VP of marketing at TeleNet Marketing Solutions. This administrator would be a person who can actively monitor the CRM system, ensuring leads are properly ...
When sponsoring conferences, how can I save money and engage with attendees to promote my products and services?(B-TO-B)(Brief article)
May 05, 2008 ... "The majority of communications professionals are unaware of the fact that they do not have to sponsor a conference in order to secure a speaking engagement," says Lori Zetlin, managing partner at S3--Strategic Speaker Services Inc. "An executive visibility program is a targeted, ...
Millard Group Inc.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MILLARD GROUP INC. has promoted Melina Shiner (1) to ...
HC&B Healthcare Communications.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HC&B HEALTHCARE COMMUNICATIONS has named Steven ...
Javelin Direct.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... JAVELIN DIRECT, an Omnicom direct marketing agency, has hired Chad Jones as SVP, managing director. Prior ...
Nielsen Business Media.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... MARK HOSBEIN is the SVP of marketing at Nielsen Business Media. Most ...
ALC.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... ALC has named Dave Nelson SVP of customer acquisition. Nelson ...
Carat.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IAN BEAVIS (3), formerly ...
AbelsonTaylor.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ABELSONTAYLOR has promoted Ben Murphy (4) to senior ...
IAC Advertising Solutions.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... DEAN LUCENTE has joined IAC Advertising Solutions as VP of ...
ICrossing.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... ICROSSING has named Tamsin ...
Cameron Kellock and Joanna Pena-Bickley have joined Wunderman.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... CAMERON KELLOCK and Joanna Pena-Bickley have ...
IProspect.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... IPROSPECT has named Bill Muller, ...
Money Mailer Direct Marketing.(People News)
May 05, 2008 ... MELY SILVERIO has been hired as senior database ...
How is the direct marketing job market changing with the current economy?(Expert Advice)
May 05, 2008; ... The market is very different from a year ago. There are many more active job seekers and fewer opportunities. Within the direct marketing industry, high growth segments of the market include e-mail, analytics, research, digital media, SEO/SEM and other online marketing positions. If you ...
Meal deals by text from local Texas Italian restaurant.(Third Screen)
May 05, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DUE TO its diverse range of clients from families to older patrons to college students--Dallas, TX-based Prego's Express Italian restaurant has launched a mobile marketing campaign to customize its weekly special offers to different customers by mobile ...
Simplicity satisfies in personalized World Vision direct mail piece.(Direct Choice)
May 05, 2008; ... Some of the best creative strategies in direct marketing are the simplest ones. For instance, take this direct mail fundraising piece I recently received from World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization. A remarkably straightforward, understated appeal, this piece stood ...
Intel looks to social platform.
May 12, 2008; ... * IN ITS largest online push to date, Intel aims to shed light on the technology inside computers and connect directly with customers. The impetus behind last week's launch of the "What's inside you" campaign is to demonstrate how real people use Intel as a part of their daily life. ...