DMA Announces Future of Business-to-Consumer Communications; Expanded 'DMAchoice' Empowers Consumers

Las Vegas, NV, October 13, 2008 — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the trusted consumer preference service leader in America for the past 37 years, today announced the launch of its newly expanded consumer choice portal site, DMAchoice.org. The announcement was made today by DMA President & CEO, John A. Greco, Jr., at the DMA08 Conference and Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DMAchoice is one of the most powerful consumer preference service tools ever made available. It empowers consumers to choose what commercial communications they receive in their mail and email boxes, all from a single Web-based account. Online registration is free and easy and a consumer’s preference information is used only to honor consumer choice.

Consumers can opt-out of mailings that they would prefer not to receive, and have the added benefit of opting-in to get commercial mail they do not currently receive. Consumers can choose by business name or entire categories, like credit card offers, catalogs, or magazines — a service that no other consumer preference service provides. Additionally, DMAchoice puts consumers in control of their mail frequency options by connecting them directly with the merchant. The goal is to build a community where consumers can interact with marketers, learn about one time opportunities, special offers, promotions, and coupons — all vital information during these uncertain economic times.

And because DMAchoice has been developed by DMA, the leading global trade association of business and nonprofit organizations, with more than 3,400 members, both consumers and marketers can depend on the breadth and depth of DMAchoice’s reach and trustworthiness.

“The future of ‘Business-to-Consumer’ communications is here,” Greco said. “DMAchoice is a revolutionary and scalable consumer empowerment tool that will change the way people view and manage their mail, both physical and electronic. It will increase efficiency in the direct marketing community in a way never before possible, and provide superior responsiveness to the wishes of the consumer.”

DMAchoice already serves more than four million registered consumers and does not share consumer information with third parties. It uses consumer preferences only for list suppression or addition. With DMAchoice, consumers can do a complete “mailbox makeover” from any Internet terminal, with the confidence that they are working with a trusted partner.

"We are pleased with the enhancements DMA has made to their preference service, DMAchoice,” said Steve Fuller, chief marketing officer, L.L. Bean. “It is a greatly improved site offering consumers a good vehicle for choice, while strengthening the community’s goal of supporting consumer preferences and actively managing their mailing lists. Responding to and honoring customer catalog preferences is just good business."

“’Know your audience’ is an axiom of winning American marketing campaigns,” said Gary Imig, chief financial officer, Sierra Trading Post. “With DMAchoice, Sierra Trading Post will be able to do that in ways never before possible. We will be able to communicate with the exact audience we wish to reach — those who already have indicated interest in our products.”

Opt-outs are valid for a three-year period, after which consumers will be contacted to ascertain continued preferences. Since DMAchoice gives consumers complete control of their mail and email boxes, they can come back to the site, as often as they would like, and update their preferences according to their immediate needs.

“DMA is proud to expand on its 37-year history of empowering the consumer,” Greco continued. “As the leading direct marketing trade association in the nation, we take great pride in knowing that our newly designed and simplified DMAchoice site demonstrates our continued commitment to consumer choice. This makes sense for the consumer and marketing community alike.”

# # #