DMA TO HOST FIRST DIRECTO DAYS WEST CONFERENCE

New York, July 18, 2005 - The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) today announced the first DMA Directo Days West Conference to be held on August 8 at the Long Beach Marriot in Long Beach, CA.

Directo Days will be the first DMA West Coast Conference devoted solely to direct marketing to the Hispanic population. The conference offers an array of experts who will provide participants with the latest data, trends, and actionable best practices to maximize your Hispanic direct marketing efforts.

· David Morse, president and CEO, New American Dimensions, LLC. Morse will share some of his strategies on ways to develop innovative and profitable ethnic marketing campaigns.

· Liz Sarachek, executive director, sales, Yahoo! Hispanic, and Lee Vann, president, Captura Group will discuss the growing importance of online and offline integrated marketing tactics, the need to understand the cultural relevance of English and Spanish content, and the growing importance of Broadband in this vital market.

· Laura Sonderup, director, Heinrich Hispanidad, a division of Heinrich Marketing Inc., will explore the importance of relevant marketing and educational endeavors to convey the features and benefits of the US banking system, as well as other financial services like insurance, mortgage, and credit cards.

Directo West participants are also given the opportunity to learn about the latest Hispanic consumer attitudes toward direct marketing, analyze what's working and what's not, explore the most up-to-date information and trends, and gain actionable ideas from leading practitioners.

To register or for more information, visit www.dmadirectodayswest.org or call DMA Customer Service at 212.790.1500.

For media inquiries please contact Laura Colona at 212.790.1532 or Lcolona@the-dma.org.

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading trade association for businesses and organizations interested in direct, interactive, and database marketing, which in 2004 generated more than $2.3 trillion in US sales, including $143.3 billion in catalog sales and $52.5 billion in Web-driven sales. In addition to catalogs and the Web, DMA members employ a wide variety of marketing media, including mail, e-mail, telephone, newspapers and magazines, interactive television, and radio, among others. Founded in 1917, The DMA today has more than 5,200 corporate, affiliate, and chapter members from the US and 44 other nations, including 55 companies listed on the Fortune 100. Reflecting the significant and growing role that direct marketing plays in today's advertising mix, The DMA's membership represents marketers from every business segment, including catalogers, Internet retailers, retail stores, nonprofit organizations, advertising agencies, financial services providers, book and magazine publishers, book and music clubs, industrial manufacturers, and a host of other vertical segments, as well as the service industries that support marketers.

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