Archived Announcements

August 19, 2008
DMA Responds to FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule Amendments Regarding Prerecorded Calls The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced two amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). One will expressly bar telemarketing calls that deliver prerecorded messages, unless a consumer previously has agreed to accept such calls from the seller. The other related technical amendment modifies the TSR's method of calculating the maximum permissible level of "call abandonment."

August 14, 2008
Nonprofit Federation Recognizes Operation Smile as 2008 Nonprofit Organization of the Year The DMA's Nonprofit Federation (DMANF) has announced that Operation Smile is the winner of its 2008 Nonprofit Organization of the Year Award. The award will be presented Aug. 15 at a luncheon that will conclude the DMANF's New York Nonprofit Conference.

August 14, 2008
Email Experience Council Launches Speakers Bureau; Experts Spread Best Practices, Invite New Practitioners into Email Marketing Community The Email Experience Council (eec), the email marketing arm of the DMA, has announced the official launch of the eec Speakers Bureau. Composed of experienced eec members, the speakers have committed to making themselves available to speak at events that currently have little or no programming about email marketing.

August 13, 2008
UPU Selects Non-Private Sector Reps to Consultative Committee; DMA's Prescott Re-Elected Chair On Aug. 12, the closing day of the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) 24th Universal Postal Congress in Geneva, Switzerland, the UPU's Council of Administration (CA) and Postal Operations Council (POC) selected their representatives to the private-sector representative group called the Consultative Committee (CC). In turn, CC members re-elected by acclamation Charles Prescott of the US as chair. Prescott, who is DMA's VP of global development. The CC elected as vice chair the UK's Murray Buchanan of the Royal Mail.

August 13, 2008
DMA08 Connects Attendees to State-of-the-Art Education; DM Basics and Database & Analytics Tracks for the Novice and the Veteran The DMA08 Conference & Exhibition will give attendees valuable tools to effectively target and retain their customers. At DMA08, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, being held Oct. 11–16 in Las Vegas, attendees will be trained by the most experienced marketers when they participate in the Direct Marketing Basics and the Database & Analytics educational tracks.

August 13, 2008
DMA to Host Aug. 21 Virtual Seminar on FTC's New 'Red Flags' Rules for ID Theft Prevention In an effort to limit ID theft, the FTC, federal bank regulatory agencies, and the National Credit Union Administration have issued regulations called the "Red Flags Rules," which take effect Nov. 1, 2008. To help members comply with the new rules, DMA will host a virtual seminar on Thursday, Augist 21 at 2 p.m. (EDT).

August 12, 2008
2008 DMA Hall of Fame Winners Announced: Jan Brandt, Andi Emerson, W. Howard Lester, Charles Williams The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has announced its 2008 Hall of Fame inductees: Jan Brandt, vice chair emeritus, AOL and member, Pilot Group; the late Andi Emerson, founder, president, and board chair, John Caples International Awards; W. Howard Lester, chairman of the board and CEO, Williams-Sonoma; and Charles Williams, founder and director emeritus, Williams-Sonoma.

August 11, 2008
DMA Publishes 'Direct Mail Best Practices, Benchmarks, and Strategies'; First of Its Kind Report DMA today released "Direct Mail Best Practices, Benchmarks, and Strategies," an inaugural report designed to provide knowledge of current best practices in the direct mail arena.

August 8, 2008
DMA Extends Deadline for 'Marketer of the Year' Nominations to Aug. 14 DMA has extended the deadline for nominations of an individual, company, or nonprofit organization for its 2008 Marketer of the Year Award. The new deadline for nominations is Thursday, Aug. 14. The winner will be honored Oct. 14 during DMA08 in Las Vegas.

July 30, 2008
DMA08 Presents Extra Opportunities Special Sessions and Events for Attendees DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing that runs Oct. 11-16 in Las Vegas, will offer attendees special attention. Whether it's a full day of Spanish language programming or the brand new DMA08 Master Class, attendees will find exactly what they’re looking for.

July 28, 2008
DMA's Prescott Presents UPU Consultative Committee Chairman's Report at 24th Universal Postal Congress in Geneva DMA VP of International Development Charles Prescott is attending the 24th Universal Postal Congress in Geneva. Prescott also is the chairman of the Universal Postal Union's (UPU) Consultative Committee (CC). During his report to the Congress on CC activities, Prescott announced that the Committee, during the next four-year cycle, would focus on address systems and change of address systems. Also, Prescott said that the CC will focus on the environmental impact of poorly addressed mail, which is one of the UPU's core postal strategies.

July 28, 2008
DMEF Announces 2008 Collegiate ECHO Awards Winners; Pitney Bowes and Litle & Co. Sponsor Competition The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) today announced the winners of the 2008 DMEF Collegiate ECHO Awards: The University of Northern Colorado (undergraduate team), and Baruch College (graduate team).

July 22, 2008
DMA Names Linda A. Woolley Executive VP of Government Affairs Direct Marketing Association (DMA) President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. has announced that Linda A. Woolley will join DMA as executive vice president, government affairs. Reporting directly to Greco, Woolley will begin on Monday, August 11, 2008, and will be based in DMA’s Washington, DC office.

July 22, 2008
DMEF Announces Annual Awards; Roska, Scholastic, and Malthouse to Be Honored During DMA08 The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) has announced that Jon Roska, founder, CEO, and chief creative officer of Roska Direct Advertising, will receive the DMEF Edward N. Mayer, Jr. Education Leadership Award; Seth D. Radwell, president of e-Scholastic and executive vice president of Scholastic will be presented with the DMEF Corporate Leadership Award on behalf of Scholastic; and Edward C. Malthouse, Ph.D., professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, will receive the 2008 Robert B. Clarke Outstanding Educator Award.

July 22, 2008
DMA08 Welcomes Attendees to Las Vegas, 'Entertainment Capital of the World,' Midler, Beatles' 'Love,' Cirque Du Soleil Entice Attendees at the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, will find that Las Vegas is definitely not just a place to gamble. The "Entertainment Capital of the World" boasts a variety of attractions that will keep conference-goers entertained throughout the six-day event, which runs between October 11 and 16.

July 17, 2008
DMA08 to Offer Six Pre-Conference Intensive Workshops DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing that runs Oct. 11-16 in Las Vegas, continues this year’s educational focus by offering additional comprehensive instruction with its Pre-Conference Intensive Workshops. The Pre-Conference Intensives — taking place on Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12 — will provide participants useful, cutting-edge information on direct and multichannel integration topics for all levels of marketing professionals, from direct marketing novices to marketing veterans who want to focus on specific marketing strategies.

July 17, 2008
New DMA Mobile Marketing Study Finds Text Messaging Most Often Recalled M-Marketing Technique DMA has released the results of its first-ever quantitative research effort in the area of mobile marketing. The online survey indicated that text messaging is by far the most often cited mobile marketing method — accounting for 70% of consumer mobile marketing responses — compared to a 41% response rate to surveys and a 30% response rate for e-mail offers.

July 16, 2008
DMA Announces First Environmental Goal in the Area of Solid Waste Source Reduction Today, the The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Board of Directors announced its first public and measurable "green"” goal toward achieving continuous environmental improvement in the US direct marketing community. This new, five-year goal seeks to improve the relevance, deliverability, and carbon footprint of direct mail through widespread marketer adoption of key list hygiene practices.

July 15, 2008
DMA Welcomes FTC Statement that Self Regulation Continues to Be Best Approach to Behavioral Advertising DMA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jerry Cerasale praised the Federal Trade Commission for its statement in testimony before the US Senate Committee on Commerce on July 9 that privacy concerns raised by behavioral advertising can be addressed by industry self regulation.

July 11, 2008
Nonprofit Federation of the DMA Names Incoming Advisory Council Members The Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association (DMANF)has announced the names of six new members to its Advisory Council: Mary Bogucki, VP of Amergent; Thomas Harrison, president and CEO at Russ Reid; Roger Hiyama, VP of Strategy and Analytics for Merkle; Mimi LeClair, VP of Development at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago; Atul Tandon, SVP for Donor Engagement at World Vision; and Kim Walker, director of Direct Mail for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and the 2007-2008 president of the Direct Mail Fundraisers Association (DMFA).

July 8, 2008
Direct Marketing Veteran John J. Flieder Passes Away; DMEF Establishes Fund Direct marketing veteran, businessman, and community activist John J. Flieder passed away on June 30 after a lengthy battle with kidney and bladder cancers. He was 71. In recognition of Flieder's commitment to direct/interactive marketing education, DMEF in May created the John Flieder Fund.

July 8, 2008
DMA's Member-Online CAN-SPAM Briefing Available Online; FTC's New Rules Now in Effect To brief members on what the FTC's new CAN-SPAM rules mean, DMA hosted a conference call on May 16. That briefing is now available for members online. The new rules took effect July 7, 2008.

July 7, 2008
China's Postal Administration Alerts DMA to Mail Security During Olympics DMA has been informed by the postal administration of the People's Republic of China about security and the mail during the Summer Olympics, which begin Aug. 8 in Beijing.

July 2, 2008
DMA08's Thought Leadership Series to Provide Insight into Integrated Marketing's Best Practices The DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing that will be held Oct. 11–16 in Las Vegas, will feature a two-day Thought Leadership series that will present attendees with the latest in best practices, marketing solutions, and management insight. DMA08's Thought Leadership series — running Oct. 13 and 14 — will consist of valuable sessions that will leave attendees inspired, engaged, and fully connected to the entire direct marketing community.

June 30, 2008
Tomorrow! DMA to Host July 1 Virtual Seminar on USPS's New Rules for Addressing Flat Mail DMA will host a virtual seminar on the US Postal Service's new rules for addressing flat mail on Tuesday, July 1 at 3 p.m. (EDT). At this one-hour virtual seminar — entitled "New USPS Rules for Addressing Flat Mail: How to Ensure Your Mail Continues to Qualifies for Discount Rates" — USPS experts will provide DMA members with detailed information on all aspects of the new addressing requirements for flat-shaped mailpieces, which will take effect Mar. 29, 2009, and answer questions.

June 25, 2008
At DMA08, Programming to Include Acquisition & Prospecting and Creative Strategy Tracks The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing that will be held October 11–16 in Las Vegas, will provide nine leading-edge educational tracks to help marketers strategize and become masters of their craft. Two of those nine tracks — Acquisition & Prospecting and Creative Strategy — are back by popular demand from last year’s conference.

June 20, 2008
DMEF Kicks Off Second Year of Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program; Goodman&Company, Kraft, and Scholastic Help Students The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) has kicked off of the second year of its Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program (DMLDP), an innovative, next-generation, rotational program designed to provide carefully selected and highly qualified recent graduates (program associates) with valuable employment experience through a unique combination of work settings.

June 19, 2008
DMA's 'Recycle Please' Campaign Gains Momentum; Pitney Bowes and Metropolitan Museum of Art Join Over 80 Companies, Nonprofits in Campaign Support of the DMA's "Recycle Please" campaign continues to intensify, as Pitney Bowes Inc., a leading provider of mailstream solutions, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MMA), one of the world's largest museums, recently announced their participation in the nationwide campaign.

June 18, 2008
With FCC Action, DMA Awaits FTC Report on Accuracy of National Do Not Call Registry Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jerry Cerasale praised the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its decision to require telemarketers to honor National Do Not Call list registrations indefinitely, and expressed anticipation for the Congressionally-mandated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report on improving the accuracy of the DNC Registry.

June 16, 2008
DMA to Host June 25 Briefing for Members on Canada's Do Not Call Rules Canada's Do Not Call registry takes effect Sept. 30. 2008. To assist members who market in Canada, DMA will host a virtual briefing on Wednesday, June 25 at 12 p.m. (EDT) to inform members of the new rules and their impact on their telemarketing operations.

June 16, 2008
DMA's New Integrated Marketing Media Mix Report Focuses on Benchmarks and Trends for Successful Integrated Campaigns The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today released 'The Integrated Marketing Media Mix,' a report designed to fill the gap between how marketers use media in integrated campaigns and their growing importance within the greater direct marketing community.

June 12, 2008
Live from DM Days: 'Magic on Your Desktop' Tom Goosmann Explores the World of New Media Tom Goosmann, founder and chief creative officer of True North Inc., presented a luncheon keynote entitled “Magic on Your Desktop.” The keynote presentation took place during the DM Days New York Conference and Exhibition, which concludes today.

June 12, 2008
DMA Offers 'DM Days Special Membership Offer' Through June 13 In welcoming DM Days attendees on Tuesday morning, DMA President & CEO John Greco urged marketers and suppliers who are not currently an association member to join. To celebrate DM Days New York 2008, Greco presented conferees a special membership offer.

June 12, 2008
Live from DM Days: Big Blue Goes 'Big Green' IBM's Elaine Lennox Explains How Days attendees today gained insight on "going green" from Elaine Lennox, VP of marketing for IBM's Systems and Technology Group, and Matt Rosenblum, CEO of Neuwing Energy. The keynote presentation, entitled "How to Go Green Profitably and Responsibly," took place on the final day of DM Days.

June 11, 2008
DMEF Presents 2008 'Rising Stars' and 'Corporate Commitment' Awards The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation last evening presented its 2008 Rising Stars Awards and Corporate Commitment Award. The five Rising Stars Award winners are Janet Barker-Evans, Draftfcb; Todd Leiser, Rodale, Inc.; Joseph Pak, Google, Inc.; Joe Pych, NextMark, Inc.; and Jeff Yowell, Datacore Marketing. The Corporate Commitment Award winner is KnowledgeBase Marketing/Wunderman.

June 11, 2008
Live from DM Days: Wunderman's David Sable Asks: Are You Saving the World, or Saving the Quarter? Wunderman Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer David M. Sable today discussed what works and what doesn’t in the realm of ethical marketing. His keynote address, entitled "Fashion Statement or Fad du Jour? The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Ethical Marketing," took place during DM Days New York Conference & Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

June 11, 2008
DMA Testifies Before Senate on Impact, Policy Implications of Spyware on Consumers and Businesses In testimony submitted today at a US Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the impact and policy implications of spyware on consumers and businesses and on S. 1625 (the Counter Spy Act), DMA praised the Committee for its interest in combating spyware. However, DMA expressed concern that a statutory approach might not achieve the desired purpose of limiting spyware, but rather, might have the unintended effect of interfering with important e-commerce and marketing functionalities.

June 10, 2008
Linda Huntoon, Tim Hickman and Scott Chilcutt Honored by DMA List & Data Council The DMA List & Data Council last evening presented its highest honors — the 2008 List Leader of the Year Award, the Ron Davis Young List Professional of the Year Award, and the first-ever Industry Innovation Award — to winners Linda Huntoon, Tim Hickman, and Scott Chilcutt, respectively.

June 10, 2008
DMA Offers 'DM Days Special Membership Offer' Through June 13 If you're not already a DMA member, now is the perfect time to take advantage of a DM Days special membership offer. In welcoming DM Days attendees, DMA President & CEO John Greco urged marketers and suppliers who are not currently an association member to join. To celebrate DM Days, Greco presented conferees a special membership offer. DM Days New York Conference & Expo runs through June 12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.

June 10, 2008
Live from DM Days: DMA's Greco Pledges to Keep Marketing Channels Open, Economically Viable In his DM Days New York opening remarks, DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr., said, "Marketers need a 360-degree view. This panorama needs to take in how to acquire customers, how to retain them, how to interact and engage online and offline and in every channel in ways that will earn and retain their trust." DM Days, he explained, is an important part of achieving that vision. However, he pointed out that marketers today face significant challenges—most notably on the legislative and regulatory front.

June 10, 2008
Live from DM Days: 'Shift Happens' and Marketers Must Be Prepared, Says Ted Leonsis During his keynote address at DM Days New York Conference & Expo, AOL Vice Chairman Emeritus Ted Leonsis explored new paradigms for marketers, as they strive to meet the changing needs of today’s consumers.

June 5, 2008
Email Experience Council Releases Retail Email Rendering Benchmark Study The Email Experience Council (eec), DMA's email marketing arm, has released its "Retail Email Rendering Benchmark Study." The new study examines the email design practices of 104 top online retailers tracked via RetailEmail.Blogspot, and examines their performance in an images-off email environment. It also includes the results of a survey of 472 marketers regarding rendering issues, conducted in conjunction with SubscriberMail, the sponsor of this study.

June 5, 2008
DMA's Quarterly Business Review (QBR) for Q1 Indicates Softness in Year-Over-Year Revenue The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has released the Quarterly Business Review (QBR) for the first quarter of 2008. The report details how the greater direct marketing community — including direct marketers, agencies, and suppliers — collectively experienced a revenue dip following eighteen consecutive quarters of positive results.

June 3, 2008
ALC Sponsors Mail Moves America Kiosk at DM Days New York, June 10-12 The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has announced that American List Counsel (ALC) will sponsor the Mail Moves America (MMA) kiosk during DM Days New York Conference & Expo, which is being held June 10-12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

June 2, 2008
All Systems 'Go' for DM Days New York Conference & Expo; Kicks Off June 9 with Fast Forward The Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) DM Days New York Conference & Expo has undergone several changes this year, from going mobile to the addition of four popular events, it is a must for every direct marketer.

May 28, 2008
Ty Pennington, Joseph Jaffe, Christie Hefner, and Craig Newmark to Keynote at DMA08 in Las Vegas The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today announced keynote speakers for DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, taking place October 11-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” host Ty Pennington, crayon’s Joseph Jaffe, Playboy’s Christie Hefner, and Craiglist Founder Craig Newmark will headline during the global event for integrated marketing.

May 27, 2008
All Marketers Stay on Track at 2008 DM Days NY Conference & Expo During the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) DM Days New York Conference & Expo, marketers can take advantage of a full range of programming, including International Day, Directo Day, List Day, and five solution showdowns where vendors face off, on the exhibit floor, to provide solutions to real-life scenarios. The conference is being held June 10–12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

May 22, 2008
Live from ACCM: Multichannel Merchant Presents 2008 MCM Awards Multichannel Merchant presented its 2008 MCM Awards at a luncheon ceremony during the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog and Multichannel Merchants (ACCM). Top honors went to: Catalog of the Year: The Republic of Tea, Catalogue No. 98; Website of the Year: eBags; B-to-B Multichannel Merchant of the Year: Black Box; B-to-C Multichannel Merchant of the Year: L.L. Bean.

May 22, 2008
Live from ACCM: Who's in Control? Author Keith Wardell Puts Marketers Back in the Driver s Seat Yesterday, at the 25th ACCM in Orlando, Keith Wardell, author of "Marketing Out of Control," a handbook for profiting from the new balance of power, explored how marketers can adjust to today’s consumer-centric marketplace.

May 22, 2008
Nonprofit Federation Testifies Before PRC on Universal Service Obligation of USPS and Postal Monopoly In testimony submitted on May 21 at a Postal Regulatory Commission public hearing in Flagstaff, AZ, Matt Panos, a member of the Nonprofit Federation Advisory Council and VP of ministry partnerships and resources at Food for the Hungry, raised questions about the PRC's proposed definition of Universal Service Obligation (USO).

May 21, 2008
Live from ACCM: Exploring DMA's 'Green 15' At the 25th ACCM in Orlando, DMA's Serenity Edwards, Dick Goldsmith, chairman of The Horah Group, and Phil Riebel, environmental director, North America, UPM-Kymmene Inc., discussed how and why marketers should make the effort to "Go Green: 15 Strategies for Marketers to Improve Efficiency and Help the Environment."

May 20, 2008
Live from ACCM: Power Forum Explores the Multichannel Consumer Unmasked At the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog and Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) in Orlando, attendees got a shot of power with their brunch, as a keynote panel explored issues affecting multichannel commerce. Monday's Brunch & Power Forum, entitled “The Mystique of the Multichannel Customer — What Engages Customers and Prospects?” was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort during the conference, which runs through Thursday, May 22.

May 20, 2008
DMA Releases 'Catalog Design: Methods and Strategies to Increase Sales' DMA has released "Catalog Design: Methods and Strategies to Increase Sales," a first of its kind report that presents catalogers with benchmarks in catalog design elements. The new report was released at the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants in Orlando through Thursday.

May 20, 2008
Live from ACCM: DMA's Greco Kicks Off 25th ACCM; Focuses on Keeping Channels Open DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. today welcomed attendees to the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog and Multichannel Merchants (ACCM), which is being held in Orlando. Greco told conferees there are some important challenges and even threats facing marketers today, particular for those in the catalog industry.

May 20, 2008
Live from ACCM: My Fair Indigo: Founder Bill Bass Shares Lessons Learned Tuesday morning, at the 25th Conference for Catalog and Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) in Orlando, Bill Bass, CEO of Fair Indigo and former senior vice president of Lands' End, shared with attendees lessons learned through the evolution of his 18-month-old fair trade company.

May 16, 2008
You Ask the Questions: DM Days NY Conference & Expo Answers with 'Ask the Experts' Roundtables During DMA's DM Days New York Conference & Expo, marketers who missed a session, need a recap, want to learn more, or just have a specific question are invited to attend the "Ask the Experts" roundtable question-and-answer forums. DM Days New York Conference & Expo is being held June 10–12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): Self-Regulation Critical to Direct Marketing s Continued Success Earning and maintaining consumer trust is a business imperative in today’s data-driven, multichannel marketplace. DMA is diligently working on multiple fronts, as it has been doing for decades, to address consumers’ and policymakers’ concerns and to promote corporate responsibility within the global direct marketing community.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): The Green Movement: How Important Is It to You, Your Customers, and DMA? How “green” is your organization? More and more, that question is being asked by your customers, donors, business partners, and policymakers. From the largest company to the smallest, environmental responsibility is a key business concern, affecting your reputation, operations, efficiency — and your bottom line.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): DMA Leads Efforts Against 'Do Not Track' Proposal Privacy protection advocates continue to press the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create a “Do Not Track” list that would prevent online advertisers from monitoring the habits of website users. A vigorous advocate for self-regulation in the consumer privacy arena, DMA remains strongly opposed to the creation of a Do Not Track list.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): State Legislative Report DMA continues to monitor and be active in state legislatures. Key state issues include: Do Not Mail, List Exchange Restrictions, Do Not Deliver, Data Security/ID Theft, and Internet Third-Party Preference Marketing.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): DMA Opposes New York, Florida Tax Efforts New York Governor David Paterson in April signed into law the state’s fiscal year 2008-09 budget that included a provision requiring out-of-state Internet retailers to collect sales tax on deliveries made into New York, based solely on a link to a marketer’s website. In testimony submitted both to the New York State Senate Committee on Finance and State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, DMA expressed strong opposition to the proposal.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): Hill Profile: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2002. When she began serving in 2003 at the start of the 108th Congress, she was the first woman in Tennessee elected in her own right to the House.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): Happening on the Hill DMA provides an overview of recent legislative activity in the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

May 16, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Spring 2008): Join DMA's 2008 'Grasstops' Program DMA needs your power and influence in Washington, DC, at your state capital, and before your city council. Get engaged in the political process and take control of your bottom line and how you operate your business. How can you do this? Become a member of DMA’s “grasstops” network.

May 13, 2008
DMA to Host Teleconference May 16 to Brief Members on FTC's New CAN-SPAM Rules To brief members on the impact of Federal Trade Commission's new CAN-SPAM rules, DMA will host a conference call on Friday, May 16 at 1 p.m. (EDT). To register, please email government@the-dma.org.

May 13, 2008
DMA Applauds FTC's Approval of New Rule Provisions Under CAN-SPAM Act DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. praised the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its approval of four new rule provisions under the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003, also known as the CAN-SPAM Act.

May 9, 2008
DMA08 Exhibition Hall: Go Beyond the Booth, Get a Backstage Pass to Best Show in Vegas DMA's DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, will boast the largest exhibit hall for all integrated marketing solutions. That’s why reserving a booth at DMA08 is like getting a front-row seat at the best show in town along with a backstage pass to the multichannel marketplace of today — and tomorrow. DMA08 will be held October 11-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

May 8, 2008
DMA Launches Research to Improve Future DM Days Conferences; Ernan Roman Direct Marketing Conducting 'Voice of the Customer' Research DM Days New York Conference & Expo has a long and respected history. DMA wanted to ensure that it remains a vibrant and relevant conference for both the loyal marketers who have been attending for years and the new generation of marketers. DMA has partnered with Ernan Roman Direct Marketing to conduct in-depth "Voice of Customer" (VOC) research. A wide range of issues are being studied.

May 7, 2008
Multichannel Medicine: Critiques and More at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) Everybody's a critic. Direct marketers know this, because it's all they hear if their catalogs, websites, email creative, or other multichannel efforts are found wanting. Usually, those critics don't offer solutions. But a plethora of experts at the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) will have the answers. Catalog, website, and email creative critiques and the "Ask the Doctor" Multichannel Merchant Medical Center will help cure what ails multichannel marketing efforts.

May 5, 2008
Wall Street Journal Publishes Greco's Letter: 'Internet Sales Tax Is a Bad Idea' The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, May 3 published a letter to the editor that DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. sent regarding the Journal's Thursday, May 1 editorial on New York State's new tax law, which DMA has opposed since it was first introduced last fall.

May 2, 2008
'Tonight Show's' Jay Leno Headlines International ECHO Awards at DMA08 in Las Vegas "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, who is known for ironic comedy, will soon be "Jaywalking" with multichannel direct marketers as he headlines the 2008 International ECHO Awards Ceremony & Gala. This event that honors the best in direct marketing will take place on Tuesday evening, Oct. 14 at the Bellagio Las Vegas, during the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center (Oct. 11-16).

May 1, 2008
DMA Releases 'New Media Emergence in DM & Brand'; To Host May 7 Virtual Seminar DMA yesterday released "New Media Emergence in DM & Brand," a report that investigates Web 2.0 as the platform which converges all marketing. The new DMA study addresses a wide range of issues surrounding direct marketing and branding, and specifically, their integration of new Web 2.0 new media, including blogs, virtual words, social networks, user-generated content, RSS feeds, and Wikis.

May 1, 2008
DMEF Calls for Nominations for 2008 'Ed Mayer' and 'Corporate Leadership' Awards; Nominations Due May 23 The Board of Trustees of the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) is accepting nominations for both the 2008 DMEF Edward N. Mayer, Jr. Education Leadership Award, and the 2008 DMEF Corporate Leadership Award. The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 23.

April 30, 2008
DMA List & Data Council Announces 2008 Award Winners: Huntoon, Hickman and Chilcutt The DMA List & Data Council has announced the winners of its highest honors, including its first-ever Industry Innovation Award. The honors will be presented during a June 9 awards dinner, coinciding with DM Days New York Conference & Expo.

April 29, 2008
For First Time, DMA 'Goes Mobile' at 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo A complete conference guide in a cell phone? As the 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo goes mobile — a first for a DMA conference — attendees will be able to employ their cell phones to help them navigate the three-day event. DM Days will be held June 10-12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, NY.

April 29, 2008
DMEF Launches First Podcast DMEF launched its first-ever podcast of a virtual roundtable entitled “The Next Generation of Leaders Discuss the Next Generation of Challenges for Direct Marketing.”

April 28, 2008
Ad Age Publishes DMA CEO's Letter Responding to Direct Mail and the Environment Article Advertising Age published DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr.’s letter to the editor in response to an April 21 article by Michael Bush entitled “To Direct Mailers, Green Means One Thing: Cash.”

April 25, 2008
DMA's Charles Prescott Re-Elected to FEDMA Board and Vice Chairman Charles A. Prescott, DMA vice president of Global Knowledge Network Services, has been re-elected to a two-year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing (FEDMA). Additionally, Prescott was re-elected as one of the Board’s four vice chairmen.

April 25, 2008
Nonprofit Federation Calls for Nominations for 2008 Nonprofit Organization of the Year; Nominations Due May 16 Each year, the Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association recognizes an outstanding nonprofit group with its Organization of the Year Award. This year's deadline for nominations is Friday, May 16, 2008. The award will be presented at a luncheon on August 15 during the 2008 New York Nonprofit Conference.

April 24, 2008
Hands-On Labs Strengthen Web Skills at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) Transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "All life is an experiment." But few of life's experiments offer a chance at an absolute solution. Enter the Website Usability and Search Engine Marketing Labs at the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM). Co-produced by DMA and Multichannel Merchant, ACCM will take place May 19-22 in Orlando, FL.

April 24, 2008
DMA Extends 2008 International ECHO Awards Submissions Deadline to May 5 DMA has extended its entry submission deadline for the 2008 International ECHO Awards to Monday, May 5. The awards, which recognize the world's outstanding direct marketing campaigns based on excellence in strategy, creativity, and results, will be presented during DMA08, Oct. 11-16 in Las Vegas.

April 23, 2008
DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. Responds to Ad Age Article on Direct Mail and the Environment DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. sent the following letter to the editor of Advertising Age in response to an April 21 article by Michael Bush entitled "To Direct Mailers, Green Means One Thing: Cash."

April 23, 2008
DMA08 to Offer Nine Tracks of Educational Programming to Improve Marketers' Strategies, ROI DMA is planning ahead to help marketers strategize and become masters of their craft by providing nine leading-edge educational tracks during DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, which will be held Oct. 11–16 in Las Vegas.

April 22, 2008
At 2008 DM Days New York, Exhibit Hall Is the Center of Action This year, DM Days New York Conference & Expo will take marketers directly to the hub of innovation — the DM Days Exhibit Hall. With sessions conducted right on the Exhibit Hall floor during DM Days, conferees can just lean over and touch the technology, which will last from June 10-12 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, NY.

April 18, 2008
DMA Research Now Selling Database Licenses; Recent 'Consumer Response Database' Available Now, for the first time, DMA is making its research available for licensing, with its groundbreaking Consumer Response Database. Additional studies will follow, allowing marketers to mine these other rich databases, segmenting the information any way they please.

April 16, 2008
Email Experience Council Partners with Iconix to Fight Email Fraud The Email Experience Council (eec), the DMA's email marketing arm, announced that it has partnered with Iconix, the leading provider of visual email identification solutions, and joined the more than 500 senders protected from email fraud by the Iconix® Truemark® service.

April 15, 2008
DMA Asks: r u Connected? Get Connected at DMA08 Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas Today, being connected to all the components of the multichanneled marketplace is more vital to marketers than ever. That's why this year, DMA is asking marketers around the globe an important question: "r u Connected?" The best way to answer with a resounding "yes!" is by attending the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, which will be held October 11-16 in Las Vegas, NV.

April 11, 2008
DMA Names John Horan Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. has announced that John Horan will join DMA as senior vice president and chief financial officer, beginning April 14. Horan, who was most recently vice president and chief financial officer for Ablest, Inc. in Tampa, FL., will report directly to Greco and will be based in DMA’s New York headquarters.

April 11, 2008
DMA's Charles Prescott to Stand for Re-Election as Chair of UPU's Consultative Committee DMA has announced that Charles A. Prescott, DMA vice president of Global Knowledge Network Services, will stand for re-election to a four-year term as chairman of the Consultative Committee (CC) of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).

April 10, 2008
DMA Announces Keynote Speakers for 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo DMA has announced four keynote speakers for its 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo, which will be held June 10-12 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. They are: Ted Leonsis, Vice Chairman Emeritus, AOL; David M. Sable, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Wunderman; Tom Goosmann, Chief Creative Officer, True North, Inc.; and Elaine Lennox, Vice President of Marketing Management, IBM's Enterprise Systems Division.

April 10, 2008
DMA Forecasts $10.6 Billion in 2008 Pharmaceutical Sales via Direct Marketing; New Report Focuses on Pharmaceutical Industry This year, pharmaceutical companies are forecast to generate $10.6 billion in sales through direct marketing, and that figure is expected to hit $15.2 billion in 2012. These are key findings in a new DMA report entitled "Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Pharmaceutical Industry."

April 9, 2008
DMA Joins Coalition in Responding to FTC's Proposed Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising DMA has joined a coalition of leading trade associations representing the advertising, marketing, financial services, retail, and Internet industries in filing a joint comment to the Federal Trade Commission on its proposed self-regulatory principles for online behavioral advertising.

April 8, 2008
Nonprofit Federation of the DMA Launches Major Benchmarking Survey The Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association on Monday announced that it is launching a comprehensive benchmarking survey, which will provide Federation members with data on how nonprofit organizations are performing relative to their counterparts through their use of various marketing channels. The survey will run through April 25, 2008.

April 8, 2008
Finalists for 2008 MCM Awards Announced; Awards Set for May 21 at ACCM Multichannel Merchant today announced the 120 finalists for its 2008 MCM Awards. Winners will be announced during a May 21 luncheon ceremony at the Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM). Co-produced by DMA and Multichannel Merchant, the 2008 ACCM will be held May 19-22 at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL.

April 3, 2008
DMA's Fast Forward, Directo Day, International Day, and List Day Incorporated into 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo DMA has announced that four of its popular annual events are being incorporated into the 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo. The four DMA events that now will be part of the DM Days line-up are: Fast Forward, Directo Day, International Day, and List Day.

March 31, 2008
Nonprofit Federation and MobileCause Launch Mobile Marketing Pilot Program The Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association, in partnership with MobileCause, announced that the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Food for the Hungry, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City will be the participants in the first phase of a pilot program that is aimed at helping Nonprofit Federation members increase opportunities to raise funds through mobile marketing.

March 26, 2008
Email Experience Council Releases Inbox Management Tips The Email Experience Council (eec), the DMA's email marketing arm, has announced the release of seven inbox management tips to help people reduce emailbox congestion and frustration. The eec’s advice ranges from four actions to take when receiving an email to tips on managing email newsletter subscriptions and inbox organizing.

March 25, 2008
DMA Names 2008 ECHO Award 'Ambassadors'; Program Now Includes US Ambassadors In an effort to draw upon direct marketing talent from around the world and raise awareness and participation in the DMA's annual International ECHO Awards, DMA in 2007 launched an International ECHO Ambassadors Program. Now, DMA announced that the program has been expanded to include American ECHO Ambassadors. The 2008 Awards Ceremony & Gala, which will be hosted by "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, will take place Oct. 14 at The Bellagio, during the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas (Oct. 11-16).

March 21, 2008
Eight Specialized Programming Tracks Hit the Mark at 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo; Set for June 10-12 in New York City Direct marketers attending the 2008 DM Days New York Conference & Expo can aim at their educational targets thanks to eight tailored tracks, two Intensive Workshops, plus two special pavilions — one dedicated to marketing technology/operations, and another dedicated to online solutions.

March 19, 2008
Warren Hunter Named DMA Financial Services Council Direct Marketer of the Year DMA Financial Services Council named Warren Hunter, chairman and chief executive officer of DMW Worldwide, as the 2008 DMA Financial Services Council Direct Marketer of the Year.

March 19, 2008
DMA Responds to Washington Post's 'Do Not Mail' Article The Washington Post published an article dated March 19, 2008, entitled "Efforts to Block Junk Mail Slowed," discussing state efforts to establish Do Not Mail Registries. Responding to this article, DMA has sent a letter to the Post’s editors, stating that DMA vehemently opposes any legislation proposing a Do Not Mail registry.

March 18, 2008
2008 NCOF to Present Ways for Operations and Fulfillment Professionals to Win in Challenging Economic Times; NCOF Set for Apr. 7-10 Even if the economy dips, operations and fulfillment professionals can come out on top by learning winning solutions at the 2008 National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF), the only event focused exclusively on the operations and fulfillment opportunities and challenges facing today’s catalog, online, and multichannel retailers.

March 18, 2008
DMA Applauds US Postal Service's New 'Mail Back' Program DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. praised the US Postal Service (USPS) for its decision to launch a pilot program that would enable its customers to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge.

March 17, 2008
DMEF Announces 2008 'Rising Stars' and 'Corporate Commitment' Award Winners; Honors to Be Presented at June 10 Dinner The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation has named its 2008 Rising Stars Award and Corporate Commitment Award winners. The five Rising Stars are Janet Barker-Evans, Draftfcb; Todd Leiser, Rodale, Inc.; Joseph Pak, Google, Inc.; Joe Pych, NextMark, Inc.; and Jeff Yowell, Datacore Marketing. The 2008 DMEF Corporate Commitment Award winner is Wunderman/KnowledgeBase Marketing (KBM). The honors will be presented at a June 10 dinner in New York City.

March 17, 2008
DMA Releases 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Financial Services Industry' American financial services institutions are increasingly harnessing the power of direct marketing. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the $13.4 billion that US banks and credit institutions spent last year on direct marketing advertising generated $178.8 billion in sales. In 2012, these sales are forecast to hit $286.2 billion.

March 13, 2008
DMA Releases 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Computer and Electronics Industry' DMA is now offering “Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Computer and Electronics Industry,” its first such study on the topic.

March 12, 2008
Exciting New Features at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) Catalog, Internet, and multichannel professionals are always innovating, to provide their latest and greatest offerings to their customers. These direct marketers wouldn’t dream of giving consumers anything less. And that’s why the 25th Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) is doing the same for them, with plenty of new programs and access to industry providers at the 2008 event.

March 7, 2008
DMA Publishes 30th Edition of 'Statistical Fact Book' DMA announced the publication of its Statistical Fact Book, now celebrating 30 years as one of DMA’s best-selling research offerings. From basic benchmarks to detailed data, this book provides marketers with easy access to information that will help them make informed decisions.

March 5, 2008
US State Department Appoints DMA's Charles Prescott to International Postal Advisory Committee The United States Department of State has invited Charles A. Prescott, DMA’s vice president of global knowledge network services, to serve on its International Postal and Delivery Services Advisory Committee.

March 5, 2008
DMA Urges Senate to Provide Greater Flexibility Regarding Consumer Notification of Hazardous Products In a letter to Senate Leadership and members of the Senate Commerce Committee this week, DMA made clear its support for effective notification policies to protect children's health and safety, but noted its opposition to provisions in the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Reform Act (S. 4050).

March 5, 2008
Debbie Oenning Presented with 2008 DMA B-to-B Marketer of the Year Award The DMA Business-to-Business Council has presented Debbie Oenning with its 2008 DMA B-to-B Marketer of the Year Award. Oenning received her accolade during the B-to-B Marketer of the Year Award Luncheon on the final day of the DMA B-to-B Marketing Conference at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, FL.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): DMA Helps Members Prepare for 2008 Postal Rates The US Postal Service on February 11 announced rate adjustments for market-dominant mailing services (First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services) that will take effect May 12, 2008. Price changes for Priority Mail and Express Mail are expected to be announced.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Do Not Call Bills Make Registration Permanent, Cap Fees As the first session of the 110th Congress came to a close in December 2007, the Senate and House each passed a pair of bills relating to the operations of the National Do Not Call Registry, which is run by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). President Bush signed into law S. 781 and H.R. 3541 on February 15.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Consumer Privacy High on Capitol Hill's 2008 Agenda DMA expects the 2008 presidential election to heavily influence the second year of the Congress’ 110th session, making the passage of any controversial legislation more difficult.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Internet Access to Remain Tax-Free; Fight Moves to Sales Tax As the final days of the previous Internet access tax moratorium waned, US businesses were faced with the threat of an unpredictable tax forecast. Fortunately for these businesses, Congress passed a seven-year extension to ensure that access to the Internet would remain tax-free until November 2014.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): DMA's State Report This year promises to be another busy year for DMA on the state legislative front for issues that affect multichannel direct marketing.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Internet Alliance Opposes Data Security Liability Bills Data security will again be a priority for lawmakers in the 44 state legislatures scheduled to meet in 2008, and marketers are big targets.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Hill Profile: Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) Throughout his Congressional career, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has been a leader on a variety of high tech-related issues — many of which are critically important to multichannel direct marketers.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): DMA Launches Tool to Assess Information Security Guidelines Compliance DMA in February 2008 released a fully automated process that members may employ to assess their level of information security against self-regulatory guidelines and current government regulations.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Join DMA's 2008 'Grasstops Program' Day in and day out, DMA is working with elected officials on the Federal, state, and local levels of government.

March 5, 2008
DMA Politically Direct (Winter 2008): Happening on the Hill DMA provides a brief overview of recent legislative activity in the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

March 5, 2008
DMA Publishes 'The B-to-B Sphere of Influence: Best Practices' How big is the sphere of influence in a B-to-B sale? DMA answers that question and many others in its first study exploring the topic: “The B-to-B Sphere of Influence: Best Practices.”

March 3, 2008
DMA Releases Quarterly Business Review (QBR); Direct Marketing Delivers 18th Consecutive Quarter of Positive Results Despite some recession concerns, direct marketers are expecting growth in the coming quarter, according to DMA's Quarterly Business Review (QBR) for the fourth quarter of 2007.

February 29, 2008
DMA's President and CEO John A. Greco, Jr. Issues Statement on Resignation of FTC Chairman Majoras John A. Greco, Jr., DMA's President and CEO, has issued a statement regarding this week's announcement that FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras will resign in late March. "Throughout her tenure, Chairman Majoras has been both a strong advocate for consumers on a variety of issues, including privacy protection, data security, and marketing and a champion of strong self-regulation as an effective tool for driving responsible business practices."

February 28, 2008
Warren Hunter Named DMA Financial Services Council Direct Marketer of the Year DMA Financial Services Council announced that Warren Hunter is its 2008 DMA Financial Services Council Direct Marketer of the Year.

February 27, 2008
Debbie Oenning Earns 2008 DMA B-to-B Marketer of the Year Award DMA announced that Debbie Oenning will receive the most prestigious honor the DMA Business-to-Business Council has to offer — the 2008 DMA B-to-B Marketer of the Year award.

February 25, 2008
Bill Bass, Keith Wardell, and Power Forum Panel Top the Marquee at 2008 Annual Conference for Catalog & Multichannel Merchants (ACCM) Catalog, Internet, and multichannel professionals will want to take note that ACCM announced conference keynoters and a marquee affair. ACCM 2008, co-produced by DMA and Multichannel Merchant, is a four-day conference and exhibition taking place on May 19-22 in Orlando, FL.

February 25, 2008
DMA Welcomes Nominations for 2008 Hall of Fame Honors; Induction Ceremony Set for Oct. 14 During DMA08 in Las Vegas DMA is now accepting nominations for its 2008 Hall of Fame honors. The deadline for nominations is Mon., April 14. Nomination forms are available online at www.dmahalloffame.org. Up to four individuals will receive accolades for their lifetime contributions to direct marketing, during the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition, which will be held October 11–16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The formal inductions will take place at the DMA Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, October 14.

February 21, 2008
DMA B-to-B Marketing Conference Keynoters Get Down to Business in Orlando, March 3-5 Keynoters at DMA's B-to-B Marketing Conference know how to navigate troubled waters and come out on top. To that end, they’ll reveal how surfing the Web put them at the apex of the Internet wave when they address attendees at the conference, which will take place March 3-5 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, FL.

February 20, 2008
2008 NCOF Keeps Operations and Fulfillment Professionals on Track in a Multichannel Retailing Environment DMA and Penton Media’s Multichannel Merchant magazine, the co-producers of the event, are welcoming attendees to NCOF from April 7–10, 2008, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The US Postal Service is the official sponsor of this 18th annual conference.

February 19, 2008
DMA Testifies in Opposition to Governor Spitzer's Proposal to Tax Out-Of-State Marketers In testimony submitted last week to both the New York State Senate Committee on Finance and New York State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, DMA expressed strong opposition to Governor Eliot Spitzer's recent legislative proposal requiring out-of-state marketers to begin collecting sales tax on deliveries made into New York, based merely on a link to the marketer's website. DMA called it "an unabashed attempt by New York State government to expand the reach of its tax system across state borders to businesses, which have no physical presence in the state."

February 19, 2008
DMA to Host Feb. 29 Virtual Seminar on 2008 Postal Rates; Free for DMA Members DMA will present a free virtual seminar for DMA members on Friday, February 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (EST) that will focus on the 2008 postal rates. The USPS on Feb. 11 announced that it will adjust prices for market-dominant services — First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services — on Monday, May 12, 2008.

February 15, 2008
DMA Testifies Before House Small Business Committee in Support of Business Activity Tax Reform Legislation In testimony yesterday before the US House Small Business Committee, DMA expressed its support for the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2008 (H.R. 5267). This legislation, introduced by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), would require a clear physical presence standard in determining the applicability of business activity taxes (e.g., income taxes and gross receipts taxes).

February 15, 2008
DMA Executive VP & COO Ramesh Lakshmi-Ratan Elected to Easter Seals New Jersey Board of Directors Ramesh A. Lakshmi-Ratan, Ph.D., executive vice president & chief operating officer of DMA, was elected to the Board of Directors for Easter Seals New Jersey.

February 15, 2008
DMA to Host Feb. 29 Virtual Seminar on 2008 Postal Rates; Free for DMA Members DMA will present a free virtual seminar for DMA members on Friday, February 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (EST) that will focus on the 2008 postal rates.

February 14, 2008
Live from Email Evolution Conference: Bloggers Unite: Passion, Power, or People? The final day of the Email Evolution Conference opened with a keynote panel discussion focused on the power of blogging. Hosted by eec, DMA’s email marketing arm, the two-day event was held at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego.

February 14, 2008
Live from Email Evolution Conference: DailyCandy's Pete Scheinbaum Keynotes on Facilitating Passionate Communities “The cornerstone of any company’s business and marketing strategy should be understanding and facilitating relationships and communication between their customers,” said Pete Sheinbaum, CEO of DailyCandy, as he presented his keynote address at the Email Evolution Conference. The conference, hosted by eec and DMA, was held February 12-13 at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego.

February 14, 2008
Wacom and eROI Win Email Experience Council's Email Performance Award eec, DMA's email marketing arm, presented Pen tablet manufacturer Wacom and email and interactive agency eROI with its 2008 Email Performance Award, which recognizes an organization that has created an email marketing campaign that demonstrates the full power of the email channel. The award was presented during the two-day Email Evolution Conference, which concluded Feb. 13 in San Diego.

February 13, 2008
Live from Email Evolution Conference: The Consumer's Perception IS Your Reality "Email is only as good as it is to your consumers....It is the consumer that matters the most to us," said Jeanniey Mullen, founder of the Email Experience Council (eec), as she led a Tuesday panel of email professionals during the Email Evolution Conference. The panel of email marketing experts consisted of David Daniels, VP and research director, JupiterResearch; Chip House, VP marketing services, ExactTarget; and Craig Spiezle, chairman of Authentication & Online Trust Alliance and Director Online Safety & Security at Microsoft Corp.

February 13, 2008
Live from Email Evolution Conference: Luncheon Keynote Panel Focuses on Email, US Policy and Beyond Relevance and vigilance: These are two watchwords attendees most likely carried with them from a luncheon panel discussion held Tuesday during the Email Evolution Conference hosted by the Email Experience Council (eec) and DMA. DMA Senior VP of Government Affairs Jerry Cerasale posed questions to Eileen Harrington, deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Jordan Cohen, senior director of corporate communication for Epsilon, as they explored the topic of email legislation and its impact on the fight against spam.

February 13, 2008
Email Experience Council Launches Email Marketing Program for Women's Bean Project eec, DMA's email marketing arm, announced that it has helped the Women’s Bean Project, a Denver-based nonprofit, successfully design, create, and launch a new email marketing program from scratch. The effort, which began last summer, was part of the eec’s annual E-ality Focus project.

February 13, 2008
Hachette Filipacchi CEO Jack Kliger Keynotes at DMA's 22nd Annual Circulation Day Hachette Filipacchi Media US President and CEO Jack Kliger was the luncheon keynote speaker at DMA's 22nd annual Circulation Day, which was held on yesterday at the Marriott Marquis in New York’s Times Square.

February 12, 2008
DMA to Host Feb. 29 Virtual Seminar on US Postal Service's 2008 Rate Increases The US Postal Service yesterday announced that it will adjust prices for mailing services — First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services — on Monday, May 12, 2008. To fully brief DMA members on today' postal rate news and its implications for all direct mailers, the Association will host a virtual seminar on Friday, Feb. 29 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (EST).

February 12, 2008
Email Measurement Accuracy Coalition Merges with Email Experience Council; eec Announces Partnership with JupiterResearch eec, DMA's email marketing arm, announced that it is taking over guardianship of the Email Measurement Accuracy Coalition (EMAC), which has been working to establish email marketing measurement standards.

February 12, 2008
Email Experience Council Launches Digital Lifestyle Roundtable eec, DMA's email marketing arm, announced the launch of a new and innovative roundtable called the Digital Lifestyle (DLS) Roundtable.

February 11, 2008
DMA Launches Automated Tool to Help Members Assess Compliance with Information Security Guidelines DMA today released a fully automated process for members to employ to assess their level of information security against industry self-regulatory guidelines as well as current government regulations. DMA partnered with Solutionary, Inc., a security services organization in Omaha, NE, to customize SecurCompass®, which is Solutionary’s security and compliance assessment tool. Solutionary has designed DMA SecurCompass specifically to help association members measure their compliance against DMA’s Information Security ethics guidelines.

February 8, 2008
DMA's Predicting Customer Behavior Seminar Has Predicting Customer Behavior Down to a Science Steve Cuno isn't afraid of a little controversy. As the instructor of the new DMA seminar, "Predicting Customer Behavior: Finding What Works and Why," he teaches marketers to use science — not gut feelings — to predict consumer behavior. It may rub a few the wrong way, but Cuno knows his method will lead to marketing success, and he’s sticking to his guns.

February 7, 2008
DMEF Welcomes Jeannette Monaco as Director of Development The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation has announced the appointment of Jeannette Monaco as the Foundation's new director of development. Monaco, who started on Monday, has a strong and varied background in direct/interactive marketing and development, as well as a natural interest and commitment to education.

February 6, 2008
DMA Releases 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Health Services Industry' Doctors, hospitals, health maintenance organizations, and medical equipment companies survive by acquiring and maintaining relationships with patients, members, and customers. To help them stay healthy, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) introduces its first-ever “Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Health Services Industry.”

February 6, 2008
eec Founder Exits Ogilvy for Zinio Systems and VIV Magazine; Retains eec Leadership Jeanniey Mullen, the founder of Email Experience Council (eec), DMA’s email marketing arm, is leaving her position as executive director of OgilvyOne worldwide’s Global Email and Digital Dialogue practice to join Zinio Systems and VIV Magazine as the Global EVP and CMO. Even with this move, she will maintain her current eec leadership role, which is substantial.

January 31, 2008
DMA Kicks Off 2008 International ECHO Awards Campaign; Jay Leno to Host Gala DMA has kicked off its 2008 International ECHO Awards competition. Submissions for this year's honors — which recognize the world's outstanding direct marketing campaigns based on excellence in innovative strategy, creativity, and results — will be accepted until April 24. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, the 2008 ECHO Awards Ceremony & Gala will take place on Tuesday evening, Oct. 14 during the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas (October 11-16).

January 31, 2008
Wacom and eROI Win Email Experience Council's Email Performance Award eec DMA's email marketing arm, announced that Wacom and eROI are the winners of its 2008 Email Performance Award, which recognizes an organization that has created an email marketing campaign that demonstrates the full power of the email channel.

January 31, 2008
DMA Circulation Council to Induct Susan M. Allyn into Circulation Hall of Fame DMA Circulation Council today announced it will honor Susan M. Allyn, vice president and circulation marketing director for TV Guide magazine, with induction into the DMA Circulation Hall of Fame. The award will be presented at a ceremony on Feb. 12, during DMA's 22nd Annual Circulation Day at the New York Marriott Marquis.

January 28, 2008
DMA Extends Deadline for DMA08 Session Proposals to Feb. 11 Calling all presenters for DMA08 Annual Conference & Exhibition! DMA is inviting the multichannel direct marketing community to submit speaker proposals for DMA08, which will be held Oct. 11-16, 2008, in Las Vegas. The NEW deadline for submitting proposals is Monday, Feb. 11, 2008.

January 28, 2008
DMA Releases 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Automotive Industry' Auto retailers who spent $7.3 billion on direct marketing campaigns in 2007 saw it drive $248.1 billion in sales. The return on investment of $33.81 is just one astounding statistic among many that may make auto industry direct marketers gear up and review the DMA's first-ever “Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Automotive Industry.”

January 25, 2008
DMA Financial Services Conference Keynotes to Focus on Market Opportunities Questions such as "Which Do You Choose — Customers or Money?" are bound to catch the attention of attendees at DMA's 32nd Annual Financial Services Conference, which will take place March 16–18 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Those queries and more, will be answered by the four expert keynoters: Anne Herbster, brand service director, AARP; Catherine Muriel, CMO, Prosper Marketplace; Don Peppers, founding partner, Peppers & Rogers Group; and Jon Roska, CEO, Roska Direct Advertising.

January 25, 2008
Email Experience Council Releases 'Retail Email Unsubscribe Benchmark Study' The Email Experience Council (eec), the email marketing arm of DMA, released its first annual "Retail Email Unsubscribe Benchmark Study." The new study examines the opt-out practices of 94 of the top online retailers tracked via RetailEmail.Blogspot.

January 25, 2008
Nonprofit Federation Honors Kelly B. Browning The Nonprofit Federation of the Direct Marketing Association has announced that Kelly B. Browning, executive VP & COO of the American Institute for Cancer Research and CFO of the World Cancer Research Fund, has been selected as the 2008 recipient of its Max L. Hart Nonprofit Achievement Award.

January 24, 2008
DMA Releases 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Insurance Industry' Insurance marketers last year spent $6.81 billion on direct marketing-related advertising expenditures, which in turn generated more than $55.53 billion in US sales. That is an impressive return on investment of $8.15 for every dollar spent. These are two of the top findings from DMA's new report "Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Insurance Industry."

January 23, 2008
DMA Releases Statement Regarding New York Governor's Proposal to Tax Out-of-State Marketers DMA issued a statement opposing New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's tax proposal calling for legislation requiring out-of-state marketers to begin collecting state sales tax on deliveries made into New York, based merely on a link to the marketer's website.

January 18, 2008
DMA Introduces 'Channel Integration and Benchmarks in the Retail Industry' Although many retail businesses have mastered the art of multichannel direct marketing, quite a few are still apprentices when it comes to cross-channel integration. This is one of the key findings of a report by DMA, entitled "Channel Integration and Benchmarks in the Retail Industry." DMA takes an in-depth look at the multichannel players in the retail industry, helping retailers determine what aids the process of cross-channel integration — and what hinders it.

January 18, 2008
DMA Testifies Against Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement Before Florida Taxation Commission Testifying on Jan. 17 before the Committee on Finance and Taxation of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, DMA strongly urged the State of Florida against joining the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) compact.

January 18, 2008
Email Experience Council Announces Finalists for Email Performance Award The Email Experience Council (eec), DMA's email marketing arm, has announced the five finalists for its Email Performance Award, which recognizes an organization that has created an email marketing campaign that demonstrates the full power of the channel.

January 17, 2008
A Menu of New Offerings at National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) 2008 The menu of new offerings at the 2008 National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) is so rich and extensive, that attendees may find themselves going back for many extra helpings. DMA and Penton Media's Multichannel Merchant magazine, the co-presenters of the event, are welcoming attendees to NCOF 2008 from April 7–10, 2008, in Orlando.

January 16, 2008
DMEF's Don Kuhn Fund Expands to Help Advance Entry- Level Direct Marketing Professionals The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation's Don Kuhn Fund for Research and Education has expanded. Now, in addition to assisting college students whose focus is on nonprofit direct marketing, DMEF will also help to advance the careers of entry-level direct marketing professionals in the nonprofit sector. The inaugural recipient of the Don Kuhn Fund’s entry-level scholarship is Kate Conner, donor relations manager of Piedmont Park Conservancy, Atlanta.

January 15, 2008
DMA 'Direct Marketing Facts and Figures in the Nonprofit Sector,' Is Updated, Expanded In the thrifty world of nonprofits, every penny counts. That's why nonprofit organizations value direct marketing. In 2007, every dollar that membership organizations spent on direct marketing yielded a return on investment of $14.47 — and that figure is only going to rise through 2012, according to the newly released Direct Marketing Association (DMA) report "Direct Marketing Facts & Figures in the Nonprofit Sector."

January 10, 2008
DMEF Calls for Nominations for 2008 'Rising Star' and 'Corporate Commitment' Awards; Nominations Deadline Feb. 22 DMEF is welcoming nominations for its 2008 Rising Star Awards and Corporate Commitment Award.

January 8, 2008
DMA Unveils Free Online Service; Enhances DMAChoice to Meet Consumers' Needs for Choice in Catalog Mailings DMA announced plans to enhance DMAChoice with the latest evolution of DMA's Mail Preference Service (MPS) and remove the $1 verification fee online, to help consumers decide what catalogs they receive in their mailbox. Also, for the first time, DMA now will allow consumers to opt out of mailing lists by individual brands as well as to select the catalogs they do wish to receive.

January 8, 2008
DMA's 2008 Financial Services Conference Expands, Reflecting Industry Growth; Set for Mar. 16-18 in Fort Lauderdale The 32nd Annual DMA Financial Services Conference will take place March 16–18, 2008, at Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL. The conference will provide leading direct marketing strategies for professionals in the insurance, banking, and other financial services industries, many of whom have already made clear their affinity for all things direct marketing.

January 4, 2008
DMA Calls for 2009 Board of Directors Nominations; February 22 Deadline The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is now accepting nominations for a limited number of vacancies on its 2009 Board of Directors. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 22, 2008. Completed nomination forms should be returned no later than Friday, February 22.

December 20, 2007
DMA Convenes Catalog Summit; Introduces Significant Enhancements to Mail Preference Service DMA on Dec. 17 convened a Catalog Summit for members to discuss current developments in the mail channel and to plan an appropriate, strategic response. Opening the summit, DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. pointed out that the mail channel is under assault, noting that the number of states that have proposed Do Not Mail registries have grown from three states in 2005 to 15 states this year. Greco went on to describe major DMA initiatives to show consumers that marketers do want to provide consumers relevant information and offers, and do want to honor consumers' choices.

December 18, 2007
DMA Calls for Proposals for DMA08; Submission Deadline Jan. 25 Calling all presenters for DMA08 Annual Conference & Exhibition! DMA is inviting the multichannel direct marketing community to submit speaker proposals for DMA08, which will be held Oct. 11-16, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, Jan. 25, 2008.

December 18, 2007
DMA List Leaders Group Announces 2008 Chair & Vice Chair The DMA List Leaders Group yesterday announced the election results for its 2008 chair and vice chair positions. Effective January 1, 2008, Jay Schwedelson, corporate vice president of Worldata, will take office as chairman, and Fran Green, chief revenue strategist at American List Counsel, Inc. (ALC), will serve as vice chair. Lee Kroll, president of Kroll Direct Marketing, is the group’s 2007 chair.

December 18, 2007
DMA Lauds Senate for Working to Improve Accuracy and Cost of National Do Not Call Registry DMA lauds the efforts of the US Senate for passing two pieces of legislation last night that will greatly improve the National Do Not Call Registry for consumers and marketers alike.

December 14, 2007
Keynoters Announced for National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) 2008 From a magical inventor to a multi-millionaire shoe salesman, the keynote speakers for the 2008 National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) are one-of–a-kind resources for attendees at the only event focused exclusively on meeting the operations and fulfillment challenges facing today’s catalog, online and multichannel retailers. NCOF co-producers DMA and Multichannel Merchant's O+F magazine are pleased to announce the business leaders who will headline NCOF 2008 from April 7–10, 2008, in Orlando.

December 13, 2007
DMA Warns That Sales Tax 'Sourcing Rule' Jeopardizes Sales Tax Simplification DMA yesterday announced its strong opposition to the recently approved "sourcing rule" provision of the Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA). DMA said the provision was a significant step backward on the road to genuine sales tax simplification.

December 12, 2007
DMA Praises FTC's Workshop on Use of Social Security Numbers by Private Sector DMA praised the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for hosting a successful and constructive public workshop on the use of Social Security numbers (SSN) by American businesses. The workshop, entitled “Security in Numbers: SSNs and ID Theft,” explored the uses of SSNs in the private sector and their role in identity theft.

December 11, 2007
NCDM in Las Vegas: Devyani Sadh, Ph.D., Shows Attendees the Database Ropes It's Monday morning in Las Vegas. While thousands of rodeo fans crowded the strip in anticipation of local cowboy events, Devyani Sadh, Ph.D. showed NCDM attendees that she could lasso with the best of them. Sadh, CEO and founder of consulting company Data Square, and chair of DMA's Analytics Council, corralled a packed session of marketing professionals for an intensive entitled "Primer on Database Marketing and Digital Channel Integration for Senior Marketers."

December 11, 2007
DMA Lauds House for Working to Improve Accuracy and Cost of National Do Not Call Registry DMA lauds the efforts of the US House of Representatives for passing two pieces of legislation today that will greatly improve the National Do Not Call Registry for consumers and marketers alike.

December 7, 2007
Dive into Email Evolution Pre-Conference Workshops on Feb. 11 in San Diego A day of pre-conference workshops will be featured during the Email Evolution Conference, which is being held at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego on February 12-13, 2008.

December 6, 2007
In US House Testimony, DMA Opposes Mandatory Sales Tax Collection Bill DMA tax counsel George Isaacson today testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial & Administrative Law in opposition to the Sales Tax Fairness and Simplification Act (H.R. 3396). Introduced by Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA), the bill would make interstate sales tax collection mandatory — regardless of whether the seller has a physical presence or "tax nexus" in the taxing state.

December 4, 2007
DMEF Launches Shankar-Spiegel Dissertation Award The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) announced the inaugural Shankar-Spiegel Award for the Best Dissertation Proposal in Direct/Interactive Marketing, which is to be awarded for the first time in October 2008. The award is named for its co-sponsors, DMEF Outstanding Educator Award recipient Venkatesh "Venky" Shankar, Ph.D., who is the Coleman Chair Professor in Marketing at Texas A&M University, and DMA Hall of Fame Award recipient Edward J. "Ted" Spiegel, president and founder of Spiegel Marketing Associates.

November 29, 2007
DMA Offers 'Safe Harbor' Program for Companies that Import European Personal Data to US Does your company import personal data from Europe to the US? If "yes," then you might want to consider joining the US Department of Commerce's safe harbor framework. In 1998, the European Union passed wide-sweeping privacy legislation called the European Union Data Protection Directive. This Directive places requirements on businesses that wish to collect, process or transfer personal data from an EU Member State. The US Department of Commerce and DMA have Safe Harbor programs in place to help American companies who are impacted by the directive.

November 28, 2007
DMA's 'Customer Prospecting and Retention Report' Updated, Expanded; Reveals Real-World Customer Acquisition Practices Internet marketing is hot and email marketing is on fire, but professionals who track new customer return on investment (ROI) still concentrate most on direct mail. These and other survey results are in the second edition of DMA's newly released "Customer Prospecting and Retention Report." The DMA report builds on its 2005 predecessor by comparing and contrasting previous data with new results, while adding relevant information about how marketers are reaching, converting, and retaining customers in today's multichannel marketing environment.

November 28, 2007
DMA and DIRECT Magazine Announce NCDM Database Excellence Awards Finalists DMA and DIRECT magazine announced the finalists for the 2007 NCDM Database Excellence Awards. Winners will know their exact ranking when their names are called during the NCDM Database Excellence Awards Luncheon and Ceremony on Dec. 11 during the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) 2007 Conference. Co-presented by DMA and DIRECT magazine, NCDM 2007 will take place Dec. 10–12 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

November 28, 2007
DMA Applauds FTC Study on ID Theft; Study Indicates Continued Nationwide Decline in ID Theft DMA commended the Federal Trade Commission for its new benchmarking survey exploring the extent and effect of identity theft in the US. While the survey affirms that ID theft remains a serious threat, DMA notes that the data also reveal that incidents of the crime have decreased by nearly 9% since the FTC's 2003 survey.

November 15, 2007
NY Plan to Require Sales Taxes Dropped. DMA Pleased at Reversal, Remains Committed to Keeping All Marketing Channels Open DMA constantly works to support the free flow of commerce online and in the entire multichannelled direct marketing community, and was pleased that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer yesterday rescinded a plan that would have required many out-of-state online companies to collect sales tax from New Yorkers, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. DMA EVP for Government Affairs & Corporate Responsibility Steven K. Berry said, "Although DMA is pleased the proposed regulation was rescinded, we remain fully committed to support the Supreme Court's decision in Quill."

November 15, 2007
DMA Praises Postal Service Governors for Embracing New Ratemaking Regulations The Direct Marketing Association today commended the Postal Service Governors’ decision to use the Postal Regulatory Commission’s (PRC) new regulations to adjust future postal rates. According to the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act that was signed into law in December of 2006, future price increases of mailing services adjusted under the new system must be capped at the rate of inflation.

November 14, 2007
New DMA 'Web Analytics Report' Helps Direct Marketers Increase ROI, Conversion Rates Multichannel direct marketers today can accumulate a plethora of data about their customers through the marketers' Web sites. But the real challenge for many is how to interpret and use that data effectively — especially when the sheer volume of that data seems too daunting for any kind of meaningful analysis. Enter DMA's first-edition "Web Analytics Report." In this report, which is based on the responses of 131 marketers and suppliers who responded to DMA's analytics survey, DMA has encapsulated information that has long been the sole province of those with advanced degrees.

November 14, 2007
Email Experience Council Launches Email Performance Award; Entries Due Dec. 10 The Email Experience Council (eec), DMA's email marketing arm, has announced its call for entries for the eec’s first award competition recognizing email marketing excellence. Chosen directly by eec members, the Email Performance Award will be presented to an individual or organization that has created an email marketing campaign that demonstrates the full power of the channel.

November 14, 2007
US Postal Inspection Service Invites DMA Members to Participate in Intelligence Sharing Initiative DMA has been working for a number of years with the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) on initiatives to assist members face the challenges of fraud perpetrated against legitimate businesses — fraud that significantly impacts marketers' bottom lines. The US Postal Inspection Service's Financial Industry Mail Security Initiative recently met in Denver to present updates on current frauds and fraud prevention trends and efforts.

November 14, 2007
DMA Releases Statement Regarding New York State's New Policy to Tax Out-of-State Marketers Governor Spitzer’s New York Department of Taxation and Finance has issued a new regulation that requires out-of-state marketers to begin collecting state sales tax on deliveries made into New York based merely on a link to their website.

November 14, 2007
PRC Briefs DMA Members on Final Ratemaking Regulations DMA today hosted an online and teleconference briefing for its members with Steve Sharfman, general counsel of the Postal Regulatory Commission, to further clarify the PRC's new ratemaking procedures for the US Postal Service.

November 13, 2007
DMA's 'Getting Creative with Copywriting' Report Is Devoted Exclusively to Direct Mail Copy Dear Direct Marketing Professional: Do you know that a picture is worth a thousand words? Or would your direct mail creative efforts achieve higher ROI with factual, personalized appeals? DMA knows the answers and is providing them to direct marketing professionals in its first-ever report titled "Getting Creative with Copywriting," which is filled with research devoted exclusively to direct mail copy. This new DMA report contains 15 chapters that are presented in four sections, each dealing with a specific facet of copywriting.

November 13, 2007
National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) Set for April 7-10 in Orlando; Sponsored by US Postal Service DMA and Penton Media Exhibitions are joining forces to present the 17th Annual National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF), which will take place April 7–10, 2008, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The US Postal Service is the official sponsor of NCOF 2008.

November 13, 2007
DMA to Present Nov. 14 Member Briefing on PRC's Final Ratemaking Rules DMA on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. (EST) will present a briefing, both online and by teleconference, to help members better understand the Postal Regulatory Commission' final regulations to implement the new postal ratemaking procedures. The new rules promise to have a lasting impact on members of the direct marketing community for years to come.

November 8, 2007
NCDM 2007 Keynote Speakers Reveal Secrets Behind Turning Consumers' Discretionary Spending into Reliable Income Those who visit Las Vegas may be interested in a game of chance, but the keynoters for the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) 2007 Conference — which will take place in Las Vegas — have turned consumers’ discretionary spending into a sure thing. Keynoters will reveal their database marketing secrets during NCDM 2007, the conference that will be co-presented by DMA and DIRECT magazine. NCDM 2007 will take place Dec. 10–12 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

November 8, 2007
Email Experience Council Releases Schedule for Email Evolution Conference; Set for Feb. 12-13 in San Diego The Email Experience Council (eec), DMA's email marketing arm, has announced the release of the schedule for its inaugural Email Evolution Conference, which is being held at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego on Feb. 12-13, 2008. The new conference will feature 34 sessions and more than 85 speakers.

November 5, 2007
DMA List Leader Executives Come to Capitol Hill Last week, a number of executives from DMA’s List Leaders Group came to Capitol Hill for a day of meetings with various Senators and Congressional staff. Among the six meetings held on Capitol Hill, four were with Senators - Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), and Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AK). Meetings were also held with aides for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican-Kentucky) and Congressman Rick Boucher (D-VA).

November 2, 2007
DMA Highlights the Critical Importance of Ad-Supported Internet Content at FTC Meeting on Behavioral Marketing The Direct Marketing Association participated in the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Town Hall Meeting on Behavioral Marketing. DMA’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Jerry Cerasale emphasized the importance of responsible data collection by marketers, and the critical role such data plays in keeping Internet content free and accessible to all Americans.

November 1, 2007
DMA to Hold Briefing on PRC s Final Regulations for New Ratemaking System. Nov. 14. DMA will hold a briefing on Nov. 14 at 2 p.m., in order to discuss in detail the Postal Regulatory Commission's (PRC) recent release of its final regulations to implement new modern ratemaking and classification systems for market dominant and competitive mail products. DMA has invited the PRC to participate in the briefing, which is open to DMA members. Further information on how members can participate in the briefing will be released shortly.

November 1, 2007
DMA Survey Finds Majority of Web Users Prefer Current Model of Online Advertising Consumer response to a national survey of more than 1,000 adult consumers, which was conducted during the weekend of October 26-28 on behalf of DMA by ORC International of Princeton, NJ, found that, when given a choice about how Web content should be paid for, the vast majority (72%) of Web users preferred that websites not charge them, and instead be funded by advertising.

October 31, 2007
DMA Lauds Congress for 7-Year Extension of Internet Tax Moratorium to 2014 as Good for US Economy, but Maintains Position on Permanence DMA commended Members of the House for accepting the Senate’s seven-year extension in advance of the Internet Tax Moratorium’s November 1, 2007 expiration date. The moratorium prevents states and localities from imposing taxes on Internet service and once signed by President Bush will remain in effect until 2014.

October 26, 2007
It s a Wrap! DMA07 Conference & Exhibition Pulled Together DMA's 'Five Pillars' of Member Services In a six-day whirlwind of activity, DMA integrated all five pillars of its member service into its flagship show of the year — DMA07 Conference & Exhibition, which took place Oct. 13-18 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. The largest global gathering of multichannel direct marketers saw more than 12,000 attendees partake in more than 150 educational sessions, and view the wares of more than 575 exhibiting companies.

October 26, 2007
DMA Insert Media Council to Honor Kranjac, Erickson, and Lenox Collections at Dec. 6 'Roast & Toast' DMA's Insert Media Council plans kidding and kudos for its honorees during its annual Roast & Toast Holiday Luncheon. Individual Award winners Paulette Kranjac, founder of List Process Company, and Dennis Erickson, VP of insert and print media for Paradysz Matera, will join Corporate Award honoree Lenox Collections on the hot seat from 11:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the Yale Club of New York.

October 26, 2007
DMA Lauds Senate for Extension of Internet Tax Moratorium to 2014; DMA Continues Support for Permanent Moratorium DMA today commended Members of the Senate for passing a seven-year extension in advance of the Internet Tax Moratorium's Nov. 1, 2007, expiration date. Nevertheless, as this legislation moves through the final stages of the legislative process on Capitol Hill, DMA will maintain its position in support of a permanent prohibition on taxing access to the Internet.

October 25, 2007
National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) Presents New Features for Dec. 10-12 Conference in Las Vegas The National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) 2007 Conference will present exciting new features designed to equip attendees with results-driven database marketing strategies. Co-presented by DMA and DIRECT magazine, NCDM 2007 will take place Dec. 10–12 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, visit www.ncdmevents.com.

October 24, 2007
DMA Seminar 'When Intuition Isn't Enough' Has Predicting Customer Behavior Down to a Science Steve Cuno isn't afraid of a little controversy. As the instructor of the new DMA seminar, "When Intuition Isn't Enough: The Science of Predicting Customer Behavior," he teaches a theory that may rub a few the wrong way at first: marketers need to use science to predict consumer behavior — not gut feelings. But Cuno knows this knowledge will lead to marketing success, and he's sticking to his guns. Cuno, chairman of RESPONSE Prospecting & Loyalty Strategies, Inc. and author of "The Fallible Gut: A Marketer's Guide to Surviving Intuition," will elaborate on his theory during the Dec. 3 and 4 seminar, which will be held at the DMA Seminar Center in New York.

October 22, 2007
DMA's 'Web Marketing: Design. Navigation. Analytics. Understanding the Big Picture' Seminar Brings Together Creative and Technical Direct Marketers It's been said that there's no "I" in "Team, but not when "I" stands for Internet. Optimizing the power of Web marketing requires teamwork between the creative and the technological sides of the process. In the new DMA seminar, "Web Marketing: Design. Navigation. Analytics. Understanding the Big Picture," marketers from both sides of the fence come together to gain a thorough understanding of what it takes to market a Web site to its full potential. The seminar will be held Nov. 12-13 in New York City.

October 17, 2007
DMA Presents 2007 International ECHO Awards; Diamond ECHO Goes to Draftfcb DMA last night presented its 2007 International ECHO Awards. Reflecting multichannel direct marketing’s growing influence on the global marketing landscape, DMA presented a total of 130 ECHO awards to multichannel direct marketing campaigns from the US and 37 other nations. Of the record-breaking 1,124 campaigns submitted for the 2007 ECHO Awards, this year, six campaigns were honored with special awards. In addition, 24 campaigns were honored with Gold ECHOs, 51 with Silver ECHOs, and 55 with Bronze. The top award, for the campaign considered “best-in-show,” went to Draftfcb of New York, NY, for its campaign “Have a Ball. Or Two.”

October 17, 2007
Live from DMA07: A Little Respect Goes a Long Way: Jimmy Wales Guides Marketers Through the World of Wikia Today, NeXt Gen marketer Jimmy “Jimbo” Wales, president of Wikia Inc. and founder of the hugely popular online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, addressed DMA07 delegates on a subject dominating the marketing arena today: “User-Generated Media: Leading the Marketing Mix in the Digital Era.”

October 16, 2007
DMA Names Microsoft-MSN 2007 Marketer of the Year Microsoft-MSN thought outside of the box when it created advertising platform Microsoft adCenter and produced the critically acclaimed Live Earth project, which integrated television, radio, Internet, and audiences to bring a live concert to the world while raising awareness about global warming. DMA today honored those achievements, presenting Microsoft-MSN with DMA's 2007 Marketer of the Year Award. The award was presented at DMA07 in Chicago.

October 16, 2007
Ronald Bliwas and Charles Morgan Inducted into DMA Hall of Fame at DMA07 Ronald L. Bliwas, president/CEO of A. Eicoff & Company, the largest direct response television agency in the nation, and Charles D. Morgan, chairman of the board and company leader of Acxiom Corporation, a firm that integrates data, services, and technology, were inducted into DMA's Hall of Fame today.

October 16, 2007
DMA Lauds House for Passage of Internet Tax Moratorium Extension; DMA Prefers Permanent Moratorium, But Encouraged by Move DMA commended members of the US House of Representatives for passing H.R. 3678, the Internet Tax Freedom Amendment Act of 2007 in advance of the Internet Tax Moratorium's Nov. 1, 2007, expiration date. H.R. 3678 extends the Internet Tax Moratorium another four years to 2011. "While DMA continues to advocate for a permanent ban on taxing access to the Internet, the House's vote today to extend the Internet Tax Moratorium has sent a clear message to the American public," said Steven K. Berry, DMA's EVP for government affairs and corporate responsibility.

October 16, 2007
Direct Marketing Expenditures Account for 50% of Total Ad Expenditures, Says DMA's 2007 'Power of Direct Marketing' Report Despite a US economy that shows signs of softening in key areas, growth is predicted in direct marketing (DM) expenditures, sales, ROI, and employment through 2008, as reported in "The Power of Direct Marketing," DMA's annual forecast of direct marketing’s economic impact on the US economy, including advertising expenditures and sales. The 2007 edition of the report, which was first published in 1995, was released today.

October 16, 2007
DMA's Quarterly Business Review for Q3 Indicates 17th Consecutive Quarter of Economic Growth DMA's Quarterly Business Review (QBR) for the third quarter of 2007 was released today, complete with 2008 forecasts for marketers and suppliers. The 32-page report details how the greater direct marketing community — including direct marketers, agencies, and suppliers — collectively experienced a 17th consecutive quarter of positive economic growth.

October 16, 2007
Live from DMA07: Rise Up and Take the Lead -- Lazarus and Rappaport Encourage Marketers to Innovate On Tuesday, leaders of the direct marketing community brought the DMA07 podium alive with messages of optimism and encouragement for the future of direct marketing. John A. Greco, Jr. welcomed attendees and introduced incoming board Chairman, Donn Rappaport. Rappaport, chairman and CEO of American List Counsel, Inc., who highlighted his vision for the coming year. Keynote speaker Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, presented a stirring keynote address entitled “Changing Faces of Direct — Reinventing the Client, the Consumer and the Agency.”

October 15, 2007
DMA Launches New 'Commitment to Consumer Choice' Guidelines to Empower Consumers, Build Consumer Trust DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. today announced DMA's new "Commitment to Consumer Choice" (CCC) guidelines that apply to all DMA members using mail to communicate with consumers. The CCC is DMA's public assurance that all Association members will follow specific practices to honor consumer choice in the receipt of solicitations.

October 15, 2007
Live from DMA07 in Chicago: Kenneth Cole Bares His Sole To be aware is more important than what you wear,” declared pun-loving Kenneth Cole during his keynote address Monday. Playing multiple roles as fashion icon, author, chairman and CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions, and social activist, Cole gave DMA07 attendees his perspective on balancing business with social responsibility.

October 15, 2007
DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. Champions Choice and Innovation DMA President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr. kicked off DMA07's opening general session with an address, during which he was joined, both in person and via video message, by a number of illustrious guests, including US Representative Danny Davis (D-IL), Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada), Senator Mark Pryor (D-AK), and FTC Chairman Deborah Platt-Majoras.

October 14, 2007
DMA Board Elects Donn Rappaport 2008 Chairman of the Board; Five New Directors Elected The DMA Board of Directors on Sunday announced the election of new officers and Board members for 2007–2008. American List Counsel, Inc. Chairman/CEO Donn Rappaport was elected DMA Chairman of the Board for 2008. Rappaport succeeds AKS Marketing & Media LLC Partner Markus Wilhelm, who will continue to serve on the Board. Other officers and five new Board members were elected.

October 14, 2007
Mayor Daley to Address Direct Marketers at DMA07 in Chicago Chicago Mayor Richard Daley will deliver welcoming remarks to DMA07 attendees in Chicago at the Opening General Session on Monday morning, Oct. 15, 2007. DMA07 Conference & Exhibition, the six-day multichannel marketing event of the year, is taking place at McCormick Place West in Chicago.

October 14, 2007
Live from DMA07 in Chicago: Beyond Integration: John Adams Portends a New World Order for Marketers John Adams, The Martin Agency's chief executive officer, sees a whole new world order ahead for the marketing arena — one that moves beyond integration, into unification. Adams expounded on this theme in his keynote address this afternoon at DMA07 Conference and Exhibition at Chicago’s McCormick Place West.

October 14, 2007
DMEF Raises $500,000 at Awards Dinner for Direct/Interactive Marketing Education; Tim Litle and Draftfcb Honored It's a brand new day at the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) as more than 350 direct marketing professionals and academics gathered last evening at the Hyatt Regency Chicago to raise more than $500,000 for direct/interactive marketing education at the university level. DMEF also honored Tim Litle, chairman and founder of Litle & Co., with its 2007 Edward N. Mayer Educational Leadership Award, and Draftfcb with its 2007 Corporate Leadership Award.

October 13, 2007
Direct Marketing Educational Foundation Elects New Board, Re-Elects Chairman Al Dyon; Nine New Members of DMEF Board Are Elected for 2007 2008 The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) elected officers and nine new members to its Board of Trustees. They will oversee the Foundation, which is moving forward in 2007–2008 with a recharged mission to exponentially improve service to the direct/interactive marketing community of educators, professionals, and students. Al Dyon, chief marketing officer of DMRA, was re-elected Chairman of the Board.

October 13, 2007
DMA Releases 5th Annual 'Response Rate Trends Report' For nearly 30 years, direct marketers have been asking DMA, "What's the typical response rate for a direct marketing campaign in my profession and product category, and what channels will yield the best response?" Five years ago, DMA put all the answers in one book. Today, DMA's 2007 Response Rate Trends Report is bigger and better than ever. The report includes four years of data — with more refined calculations, and more precise results — to help multichannel direct marketers benchmark their campaigns.

October 12, 2007
At DMA07, Pre-Conference Attendees Get a Jump St