DMA Releases Ethics Case Report for April-July 2006

October 26, 2006 — The Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Committee on Ethical Business Practice and its Teleservices Ethics Committee, which investigate and examine promotions and practices made throughout the direct marketing field based on complaints and inquiries received, have released their latest Ethics Case Report.

According to the report, between April and July 2006, the two DMA committees heard 32 cases:

· 16 of which were on general advertising, including both online and offline promotions and practices;

· Seven on telemarketing practices; and

· Nine on the collection, use and maintenance of marketing data.

To access DMA’s April – July 2006 Report, click here: http://www.the-dma.org/guidelines/EthicsCaseReportApriltoJuly2006.pdf

To access past DMA ethics case reports, click here: http://www.the-dma.org/guidelines/ethicscase.shtml.

If you are aware of a promotion or practice that should be brought to the attention of one of the ethics committees, an online complaint form is available by clicking here: http://www.the-dma.org/guidelines/ethicscomplaintform.pdf

Other DMA Resources

Enhancing the public image of direct marketing through self-regulation is a vital component of DMA’s mission. DMA’s Ethics and Consumer Affairs Department supports this objective by providing marketers with the standards, information, and tools they need to effectively self-regulate.

Our resources include ethical guidelines, privacy policy wizards, guides clarifying complicated laws and issues, and timely briefings and alerts on compliance with government policies and customer service considerations.

DMA’s work is supported by three committees that work with the DMA Board of Directors to establish, amend, and enforce all guidelines: the Ethics Policy Committee, Committee on Ethical Business Practices, and Teleservices Ethics Committee.

A fourth committee—our Committee on Social Responsibility—focuses on social causes beyond ethical business transactions. Currently, the committee is focused on promoting corporate environmental stewardship and online brand integrity.

Moreover, because of the increasingly “borderless” nature of direct marketing, DMA is a founding member of the International Federation of Direct Marketing Associations (IFDMA), which provides a forum for DMAs from around the globe to share market developments and promote self-regulation. IFDMA’s Global Symposium on Self-Regulation meets each October, bringing together two dozen associations to share experience and expertise.

For information about DMA’s work on this vitally important front, please visit www.the-dma.org/guidelines.

# # #