DMA's Greco Makes Statement on Resignation of FTC Chairman Majoras

Washington, DC, February 29, 2008 — John A. Greco, Jr., President and CEO of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), issued the following statement regarding this week’s announcement that Federal Trade Commission (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. Under her tenure, the FTC has continued a strong partnership with the DMA in undertaking joint seminars and educational efforts. She has been thoughtful in understanding the complexity of emerging business models and recognizing the value in products and services provided daily to consumers. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts and cooperation that were strengthened under her leadership."

In 2007, marketers — commercial and nonprofit — spent $173.2 billion on direct marketing in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated approximately $2.025 trillion in incremental sales. In 2007, direct marketing accounted for 10.2 percent of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2007, there were 1.6 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly supported nearly 9.0 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 10.6 million US jobs.