Monday, November 5, 2007

More anti direct mail attacks

If you are a direct marketer and haven't realized our industry is under serious attack you've been on vacation too long. With 15 states having 18 "Do Not Mail" bills this year alone (and at last count at least 7 will be carry overs to next year) we need to get ahead of the issues. Not withstanding the all out assault by the environmental groups demonizing the use of direct mail, you've got a perfect storm to put big hurt on all of us. The DMA has identified about 13 organizations who would like it very much if commercial and non profit mail stops. Groups like GreenDimes, 41Pounds and CatalogChoice are well organized and have the backing of some very well healed foundations like Merck Family, Overbrook Foundation and Tudor Investment Corporation.

The DMA has put in motion several great initiatives which are geared towards self policing on issues like recycling and The Commitment to Consumer Choice(CCC) and Mail Moves America. However, these items never seem to make it to the major news outlets or your local news channel.

Get the facts from the DMA website and get involved.

Labels: DMA, legislation

posted by martin stein at 12:04 PM   2 comments

2 Comments:

At November 6, 2007 7:15 PM,  darryl ohrt said...

This should be an opportunity for the industry. But orgs like CCC and Mail Moves America will need to invest in this. Heavily.

A quick google search shows NOTHING for Mail Moves America, and only a lame uninviting page for CCC.

I wonder if a tool that allowed users to remove themselves could work just as easily for adding themselves. So, I remove myself from one list, but while doing so, discover three other lists that I never knew existed. But that I have genuine interest in.

If the industry is really going to empower consumers, it needs to start here. On the internets.

 

At November 7, 2007 1:29 PM,  martin stein said...

The DMA is requiring members to use wording on each of their mailing pieces that gives the recipient information as to how they can change the frequency by which they are mailed from that mailer or other mailers. The mailer must use either a web address or mail or phone number. But the public is as yet unaware of this.
Using the internet as a tool to get this message out is a great idea and they should defintely get on this right away. But also I believe a huge public awareness campaign must be made. This of couse take a lot of money which the DMA is just begining to amass from sponsorships etc.

 

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