DMA's Charles Prescott Takes DMA Multichannel Research to Europe

November 14, 2006 — Last week, Charles Prescott, the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) vice president for global knowledge network services, traveled abroad to participate in two important and exciting direct marketing conferences.

Meetings in Germany

At Germany’s DDV’s Dialog Day in Frankfurt on November 9, Prescott presented recent DMA research on the state of multichannel marketing and the growth of e-commerce.

In nearby Konigstein, Prescott visited the Siegfried Vogele Institut, the prestigious international direct mail/marketing research center, discussing the possibility of co-operation on research and educational projects. Prescott also met and conversed on similar topics with the research group of DHL/Deutsche Post in Bonn with Professor Kay Peters of Muenster University.

Hungarian DMA Conference

Following the Frankfurt conference, Prescott traveled to Budapest, where he spoke at the Hungarian DMA’s conference. He elaborated on his thesis that expertise in database marketing and mastery of multiple media channels with integrated database marketing programs would be the keys to success for business during the next five years, particularly in the face of the challenges of digitalization, globalization, consumer information overload, and consumer empowerment.

“It is always enlightening to visit our colleagues abroad and learn of their challenges,” said Prescott. “In Hungary, the mobile marketing arena is in a state of rapid development and marvelous sophistication. Digital video transmission to mobile phones is not far off, and when it arrives, the local dominant player, T-Mobile, will be ready. The Hungarian DMA’s event helped other marketers also prepare.”

One of the highlights of the Budapest conference was the annual Golden Dove awards, a competition for direct marketing campaigns from the region. Prescott commented on the event, saying, “The creativity, and most important, the results, show there is very sophisticated expertise in this market.’”

Prescott further indicated that he is in the process of preparing a report that will showcase and discuss the six best campaigns honored at the gala dinner.

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