What Is The Direct Marketing Association?

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Overview

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the world’s largest trade association dedicated to advancing and protecting responsible data-driven marketing. Founded in 1917, DMA represents thousands of companies and nonprofit organizations that use and support data-driven marketing practices and techniques.

In 2012, marketers — commercial and nonprofit —will spend $168.5 billion on direct marketing, which accounts for 52.7 percent of all ad expenditures in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures will generate approximately $2.05 trillion in incremental sales. In 2012, direct marketing accounts for 8.7 percent of total US gross domestic product and produces1.3 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly support 7.9 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 9.2 million US jobs.

DMA is headquartered in New York City and has an office in Washington, DC. It represents its members' interests in each of the 50 states as well as on Capitol Hill, at the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and other agencies such as the United States Postal Service (USPS). Each year DMA tracks thousands of proposed laws and regulations in Washington, DC and across the nation. We address key Federal and state policy issues that affect the direct marketing community such as behavioral marketing, data security, privacy, postal reform, Do Not Mail legislation (DNM), the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA), and others.

DMA provides best-in-class education and professional development including specialized seminars; webinars; in-house training; certificate programs; access to direct marketing databases and information; a library and resource center; as well as case studies; white papers; in-depth analyses; performance benchmarks; thought-leader trend briefings; and research reports. DMA's comprehensive education programs have content available online through virtual seminars and self paced e-Learning modules. The programs are delivered in collaboration with thought leaders from across the community and top experts in the appropriate fields including the newly expanded Search Engine Marketing certification program and the DMA Certified Marketing Professional Program.

We are increasingly active in international government relations, including the Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing (FEDMA), the Universal Postal Union (UPU), and have forged partnerships with the China Direct Marketing Association (CDMA) and the Arab Direct Marketing Association (ADMA). DMA keeps an online roster of different Direct Marketing Associations from around the world, as well as numerous international resources and business links. We operate a Safe Harbor Program, The International ECHO Awards Competition, a Global Advisory Board, and an International Council.

DMA also promotes the direct marketing community and member companies to consumers, fights negative perceptions, ensures fair treatment by the media, and proactively addresses the issues affecting marketers. We maintains our Commitment to Consumer Choice (CCC) Program, part of our continued emphasis on empowering consumers and strengthening their trust with the direct marketing community, where members follow specific practices to protect consumer preferences and privacy, as well as preserve self-regulatory actions. In October 2008 DMA launched DMAchoice.org, a site empowering consumers to opt-out of commercial mailings they would prefer not to receive and opt-in to get commercial mailings they do want, all from a single, free, Web-based account. DMAchoice is a portal for all channels, enabling marketers to reach audiences with maximum efficiency, and effectively communicate with people who are interested in their products, services, or messages.

For more information about DMA or its subsidiaries, call 212.768.7277 or e-mail us at membership@the-dma.org.