S. Murray Gaylord and NYTimes.com Present Today's NCDM 2008 Keynote

What You Can Do to Win and Measure Success in the Digital Revolution

Orlando, FL, December 10, 2008 — The National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) 2008 Conference, co-produced by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), and DIRECT magazine will conclude today at the Gaylord Palms resort in Orlando, Florida. S. Murray Gaylord, vice president, marketing and customer insights for NYTimes.com addressed attendees this morning with his keynote presentation entitled “What You Can Do to Win and Measure Success in the Digital Revolution.”

Gaylord, a member of the NYTimes.com senior management team, oversees all marketing, customer and consumer insights, as well as web analytics. His keynote presentation discussed the key drivers of the digital revolution and how companies — including The New York Times — are using research and data to provide customer and consumer insights to drive success.

As companies are marketing in a time of change, where media and technology converge, a new set of challenges has arisen. Winning and measuring success during a metamorphosis in media consumption is a delicate balance. Gaylord, on his journey to help transform NYTimes.com from an online newspaper to a fully interactive news and information platform, shared his answers with attendees.

Realizing the changes in consumer behavior — they were now turning to each other to tune out the noise, NYTimes.com also discovered the subsequent implications for advertisers and media. To evolve their brand and keep moving forward in the new climate NYTimes.com began employing enhanced web features such as blogs and video capabilities, forging strong partnerships with new ‘participatory media’ like YouTube, and made major monetary investments in new media. Now, they are one seamless brand operating on many platforms such as print; web; mobile; iPhone; Amazon Kindle; and the Times Reader.

However, keeping a handle on viral engagement, and actively engaging the right audience is a challenging necessity, since according to Gaylord, “Users must be brought into the brand, or else it’s just more noise.” Lastly, measuring success and expectations in the digital revolution is another challenge that Gaylord says should be met with the blend of tools that works best for a company. NYTimes.com applied web analytics to the specifics of their company: the measures and drivers of their value, and their performance indicators.

In conclusion, Gaylord stressed his main takeaways for success: Participate in social media, flawlessly integrate ideas across all channels, and lastly, cultivate a culture of analytics in your DNA and you will win.

About NCDM

Co-produced by DIRECT magazine and the Direct Marketing Association, the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) Conference is dedicated exclusively to the database marketing industry. NCDM is held once a year and brings marketing and technology decision-makers together to find practical approaches to today’s direct marketing challenges using customer data and technology.

About DIRECT

DIRECT provides strategic and tactical information for direct marketers that is timely, inspirational and on the cutting-edge of innovation. DIRECT’s franchises of print, online, and interactive information products connect today’s direct marketers to the information, resources and suppliers they need to reach their business goals. DIRECT’s award-winning editorial staff delivers detailed coverage on cross-channel integration, ROI/analytics, CRM/database marketing, direct mail, email marketing, search/web marketing, print/production, DRTV/radio, insert media, telemarketing, and legal/regulatory issues.

DIRECT’s franchise of information products includes: DIRECT magazine; www.directmag.com; DIRECT Newsline, DIRECT Listline and Magilla Marketing enewsletters; the online Buyer’s Guide; the National Center for Database Marketing (NCDM) conference; Webinars; E-Special Reports; ListFinder; and original research. DIRECT is part of Penton Media’s Chief Marketer Network, which includes Chief Marketer, PROMO, and Multichannel Merchant.

About Direct Marketing Association (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 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 end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,400 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 48 other nations, including half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

In 2008, marketers — commercial and nonprofit — will spend $176.9 billion on direct marketing, which accounts for 52.1 percent of all ad expenditures in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures will generate approximately $2.057 trillion in incremental sales. In 2008, direct marketing accounted for approximately 10 percent of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2008, there were 1.6 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly support 9.3 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 10.9 million US jobs.

The Power of Direct: Relevance. Responsibility. Results.

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