On the Cutting Edge of What's Hot with DMA06's Thought Leader Forums

September 28, 2006 — Thought leaders are those select few in every field who revolutionize the way others do business. Because of their deep understanding of the business, customers’ needs, and the broader marketplace, these inspiring individuals command the respect and recognition of the world at large.

At DMA06, on Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17, DMA is presenting these creative innovators who are trailblazing some of the hottest areas of direct marketing in the vastly popular Thought Leader Forums.

"The Thought Leader Forums are always enormously popular for conference attendees because they allow them to get up-to-the minute information from the industry's best and brightest." according to Julie Hogan, acting vice president of DMA Conferences and Events and executive producer of DMA06, "It gives us great satisfaction to present individuals who are not only part of the latest trends but who are helping shape them."

DMA06’s Thought Leader Forum’s will present the following sessions:

Monday Sessions

Securing Your Brand: Exploring Strategies to Protect Your Brand in the Online Space

Monday, October 16

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

This all-star panel of marketers and risk managers, Todd Bransford, vice president, Marketing Cyveillance; Aaron Kornblum, internet safety enforcement attorney, Microsoft Corporation; and Mark Rasch, SVP & chief security counsel, Solutionary, will provide critical, thought-provoking solutions and in-depth analysis into online brand abuse. Aggressive strategies in the prevention of product piracy, unwanted brand association, e-mail fraud, phishing, and identity theft will be presented that will enable marketers to regain control while preserving brand equity and rescuing potentially lost revenue. The panel will be moderated by Matt Blumberg, CEO & chairman, Return Path.

Direct Mail Meets Custom Publishing with Stellar Results

Monday, October 16

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Companies are dramatically increasing customer acquisition, retention, and long-term profitability by integrating custom publishing and direct marketing into one creative execution. This valuable session is designed to present tactics in creating persuasive, brand focused content that connects, shifts attitudes and behaviors, and drives a measurable ROI. The panel of experts to discuss this critical marketing imperative will include David Norton, SVP-relationship marketing, Harrah’s; Stephen Boulton-Wallace, executive director – customer lifecycle management, Cingular; and Chris Schraft, president, Time, Inc. Content Solutions as moderator.

Tuesday Sessions

Radical Direct Advertising: The Marketing for the 21^st Century-Dragging Advertisers Kicking and Screaming into the Future

Tuesday, October 17

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Radical Direct Advertising comes to DMA06, and direct marketing guru Jon Roska will be there to describe the theory, application, and implementation of this new discipline that brings together the best elements of brand and direct. In an arena where technology allows consumers to control what messages they see and hear, marketers are constantly seeking new ways to bolster their brands. This fractured, multi-platform environment demands a new kind of advertising. Hear Jon Roska tell you about his vision for the future: Radical Direct Advertising – an approach that breaks the rules.

Reputing: Principles and Implementation Methods of Aligning Brand and Reputation

Tuesday, October 17

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Executives, for the most part, assume if sales are good, then their brand and reputation must be strong. Not having a clear understanding of the values that drive brand and reputation and actually sustain long-term profitability and growth leaves companies vulnerable to dangerous backlash between corporate values, and those of their stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, media, government, and community.

Branding expert Kasper Nielsen will moderate a panel of industry leaders as they discuss ways to help companies assess corporate values, identify potential flashpoints, and align values to build a stronger brand and reputation.

For Additional Information

To register, or for additional information about DMA06 in San Francisco this October 14 – 19, visit www.dma06.org or call 800.293.7279.

About DMA06

DMA06, the largest gathering of direct marketing professionals, is DMA’s annual conference and exhibition. DMA06 will feature more than 100 educational sessions and its exhibit hall will feature more than 500 exhibiting companies. For more information on DMA06 and to register, please visit www.dma06.org.

About DMA

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates industry standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the entire direct marketing process. DMA delivers "Five Pillars" of member services: Advocacy, Branding, Education and Competency Building, Networking, and Research and Market Intelligence. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,600 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 50 other nations, including a majority of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

In 2005, companies spent an estimated $161 billion on direct marketing in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated an estimated $1.85 trillion in increased sales in 2005, or 7 percent of the $26 trillion in total sales in the US economy (which includes intermediate sales). All together, direct marketing accounted for 10.3 percent of total US GDP in 2005.

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