Thursday, June 26, 2008

Charter Communications VS Privacy

Don't know if this made it outside of Connecticut but the local cable company - which like most bundles high speed Internet, phone and cable TV to subscribers - has been called to task by Attorney General Blumenthal for tracking the usage of subscribers when they use the Internet.

Charter Communications acknowledged it was doing so to help advertisers better understand the habits of subscribers and thus be able to provide more targeted products for them. Local users of Charter were up in arms and felt that there privacy was being invaded. One person felt that as a very political person he didn't want any of the sites or blogs that he visited made public to any one else.

Charter Communications has stopped the pilot program.

Labels: marketing information

Monday, June 23, 2008

Cool new look for HVDMA

The Hudson Valley DMA has a new brochure. Great copy and the layout and artwork is wonderful. Even has current photos of attendees to events. Sounds like I'm promoting? Well I am, since a lot of hard work by RMI's Becky Terhaar and Hillary Taylor went into this little baby.

It will make you want to join twice!!!!

Labels: employees, HVDMA

Mastering the 50+ marketplace

I received a mailing piece today from the DMA on a seminar... Step-by-Step Guide to 50+ Direct Marketing Success and it got me thinking. When I graduated from high school I had the mindset that any parent (or teacher) over the age of 30 was ancient. When I turned 30 I set my goals on early retirement at 50. I thought how strange was it that I thought 30 was ancient?

Now as I get prepared for my 30th high school reunion and edge closer to the big FIVE-Ohhh... and have gotten NO closer to retirement than I was at 30, I wonder what are marketers going to do differently after that 50th b-day that they didn't, or wouldn't, do when I was 30.

My clothing has only changed in the waist size, my hobbies haven't changed, the music I listen to hasn't changed, my disposable income HAS changed - but I'm sure it has for everyone. Yet what are marketers going to do differently for me in two years that they don't now? I may have to skip off to Miami for this seminar and see what I have to look forward to, in the meantime I say marketers should create relationships with the customers and grow (age) with them!

Labels: guest blogger, marketing

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

New CAN-SPAM law affects email opt-outs

Among four new FTC regulations, it is now illegal to request a password, or any other information for that matter, when a recipient attempts to opt-out.

To unsubscribe, the recipient must be able to reply directly to the email or there must be a link in the email that leads directly to the unsubscribe page. The only piece of information that can be required is an email address.

The other three regulations involve address, person and sender definitions. PGiBlog has posted a summary of the revisions and a link to the complete FTC document.

Labels: email

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

List Leaders Group events successful

If all you took away from last week's DM Days in NY was that it was oppressively hot, you missed the best parts. The List Leaders Group hosted two events; a breakfast with John Greco, President of the DMA, and Donn Rappaport, Chairman of the Board of the DMA. This was an unprecedented event set in a "town hall" discussion platform. Attendees had access to the two leaders of our industry and could hear from them their ideas for the future of our industry. They spent over an hour fielding questions from the audience and giving frank answers.

The next event was Fast Forward... my favorite. The two morning sessions were geared towards what we as owners of marketing companies must do to insure our viability for the future. Our lunch speaker was the always-on-target, Seth Godin who urged us to think differently about the way we view ourselves in the industry. Two more afternoon sessions also dealt with issues critical to marketers' futures followed by the List Leader of the Year Awards dinner. A long but very productive day.

I urge every list marketing company to make the effort to attend next years Fast Forward event. It really is worth every penny.

Labels: DMA, DMDays

Monday, June 16, 2008

Laura Smith's Memorial Tree

On June 6, 2008 a beautiful Pioneer Elm was planted in memory of our Laura Smith. Jade Blacksher of the Arbor Day Foundation described the day as a "beautiful sunny day". They chose a site between the Tree Adventure Pavilion and the Nature Explore Classroom, just off the Exploration trail at the Conference Center. Now when visitors walk by they will see the tree and the plaque which will bear Laura's name. Jade was kind enough to send along photos of the planting.

Thanks to all who made this wonderful memento happen.

Last week at DM Days

In case you were one of the few who missed seeing our booth at DM Days in New York last week - check it out! It's a new "mini-me" of our 20x20 exhibit displayed in Chicago last October. We're pretty fond of it.

For more photos of the events from last week, check out our Flickr album!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Charter Communications VS Privacy

Monday, June 23, 2008

Cool new look for HVDMA

Mastering the 50+ marketplace

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

New CAN-SPAM law affects email opt-outs

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

List Leaders Group events successful

Monday, June 16, 2008

Laura Smith's Memorial Tree

Last week at DM Days

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