Direct Marketing articles from November 1999

Direct Marketing archives from November 1999

I'm gonna vent!(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 1999... What's got me upset? An article in Direct called "Industry Image." Rarely do I make a negative comment on someone else's stuff, but this has to be said. Industry image, huh. Is there any small relation between direct mail and direct...

Reader's Digest Reorganizes, Buys Bookseller and Launches Gift Web Site.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Reorganization under the new leadership of Thomas O. Ryder, chairman & CEO of The Reader's Digest Association (RDA) is in full motion to bring back one of the worlds most recognizable titles, Reader's Digest. As revenue has fallen 10 percent...

NRF STORES Magazine Introduces Top 100 Retail Web Sites.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... STORES Magazine, the official publication of the National Retail Federation (NRF), released a new survey that lists the top 200 largest e-tailers and their impact on total retail business. The survey and list, sponsored by VeriFone and compiled...

Insurance Direct Marketing 1999 Now Available.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Insurance Direct Marketing 1999: A Special Report on the Companies, the Practices, the Standards and the Benchmarks names names, pinpoints trends and makes forecasts to help readers make sense of a rapidly changing industry. Don Jackson, a...

Publishers Clearing House Settles Lawsuit.
November 1, 1999... Publishers Clearing House will revise its sweepstakes mailings and offer millions of dollars in refunds to settle a class-action lawsuit concerning its advertising and marketing practices. Under terms of the agreement, the direct marketing firm...

Eighty-Five Percent of Catalogers Are on Internet, Says DMA Study.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Eighty-five percent of all catalogs have a presence on the Internet, according to The DMA State of the Catalog Industry Report: 1999, conducted by the DMA in cooperation with W.A. Dean & Associates Inc. The second annual edition of the report...

53 PBS Stations Swapped Lists.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The practice of swapping member and donor lists with political organizations was more widespread at public television and radio stations than first thought, according to an investigative report. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's...

Panel Recommends Overhaul of Internet Tax-Collecting Methods.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Advisory on Electronic Commerce, a panel of executives and politicians appointed by Congress, voted to push ahead to develop a system that would make it easy for Internet-based businesses to collect state and local taxes on Internet...

The Right Start Surpasses $1 Million In Online Sales.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Right Start, Inc. announced that its online subsidiary, Rightstart.com, has achieved the important early milestone of $1 million in e-commerce revenues in less than 90 days from its launch on June 29, 1999. "Few Web retailers can claim...

Spiegel Launches E-Commerce Joint Venture With Otto Versand And Harrods.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Spiegel, Inc. announced that it will support the launch of an e-commerce joint venture between direct marketer Otto Versand and department store Harrods. Harrods and Otto Versand have entered into a joint venture that will establish Harrods as...

Web Shoppers Turn Concept Of Permission Marketing Into Reality.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... There is a new marketing trend taking hold in the realm of e-commerce. Heralded as the future of business since the early 1990s as relationship marketing, the Internet is now enabling a view of the flip side of those forecasts -- relationship...

E-Commerce Without E-Privacy Is E-Theft, Says Advocate.
November 1, 1999... Jason Catlett, president of Junkbusters Corp., which helps consumers defend themselves against intrusive marketing and protect their privacy online, harshly criticized proposals presented at a meeting of the Global Business Dialogue on...

B-To-B Boom Fuels Direct Mail Growth in U.K.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... A surge in business-to-business mailings helped push second quarter volume over the 1 billion mark for the first time, according to statistics released by the London-based Direct Marketing Information Service (DMIS). The figures show that...

Chicago Telemarketer Settles FTC Charges.
November 1, 1999... A suburban Chicago-area telemarketing company charged with sending unordered merchandise to small businesses around the country and then billing them for it has agreed to settle FTC charges that it was violating federal law. The settlement bars...

DMCNY Luncheon Focuses On List Marketing & the Internet.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Direct Marketing Club of New York (DMCNY) held its September luncheon at the Yale Club in New York City. The focus of the luncheon was on list brokers and their e-commerce activities. The luncheon consisted of a panel session of list...

Marketers Debate Direct Mail at CMA Soapbox Event.(Canadian Marketing Association)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... A group of experts from a variety of marketing disciplines debated the issues surrounding direct mail as a marketing medium at the first event of the Canadian Marketing Association's Direct Mail Council. "We know that direct mail is a...

Nextcard Announces the Nextcard E-Commerce Index.(ranking of online purchasing activity)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... NextCard, creator of the First True Internet Visa, has introduced the NextCard eCommerce Index, the first list to reflect the success of merchants online. Compiled from the monthly activity of approximately 100,000 NextCard Internet Visa...

Spam Is a Four-Lettered Word.(polling results show consumers loathe e-mail spam)(Brief Article)(Polling Data)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Spain is a four-lettered word. Like most other tour-lettered words, spam is used with great abandon despite being offensive and counterproductive. Each day, huge volumes of unsolicited e-mail are deposited in the inboxes of unsuspecting...

DMCNY Announces Silver Apple Winners.(Direct Marketing Club of New York)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... The Direct Marketing Club of New York (DMCNY) has announced the recipients of its prestigious Silver Apple Awards. The Silver Apple Awards are given in recognition of 25 years of distinguished services to the New York direct marketing...

Sears Canada To Get Eaton's For C$ 30 Million.(T. Eaton Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Sears Canada Inc. snapped up the most famous name in Canadian retailing for $30 million in cash recently, saying it might keep the T. Eaton Co. banner alive through the Internet and catalog business but not likely in a store format. ...

Lands' End Introduces New Collaborative Shopping Aids.(24 hour customer service on e-commerce site)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Lands' End an online retailing pioneer since 1995, introduced two new innovative customer service features. The two new shopping aids -- Lands' End [Live.sup.TM] and Shop With a [Friend.sup.TM] -- humanize the Internet by addressing customers'...

141 Interactive Launches New Web Site.(Lanac.com)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... 141 Interactive has launched lanac.com, Lanac Sales' new e-commerce Web site as part of the company's effort to expand its offerings and move into the world of e-commerce. The Web site represents only one leg of 141 Interactive's $10...

Service With a : ).(TheStreet.com utilizes e-mail service to keep customers happy)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... E-mail is starting to change the way Marketers are running their businesses, acquiring leads, and relating to customers. This second article in our series on e-mail marketing focuses on how one company is redefining customer service by using...

Draftworldwide Launches Redesigned Loyalty Kits For Bass Hotels & Resorts Priority Club(r) Worldwide Members.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Bass Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new loyalty kit and redesigned hotel materials for its frequent guest program, Priority Club(r) Worldwide. The company, which has more than 2,700 hotels worldwide, is also launching a print advertising...

Organization Dedicated To Solution For Direct Mailers.(Pitney Bowes Inc. acquires Automated Mailing Office Systems in move to meet demand in direct marketing industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Production Mail and Document Factory Solutions Division of Pitney Bowes Inc. announced changes that will enable it to meet virtually every mail processing need of the multibillion dollar direct mail industry. Central to the effort is...

A Copy Secret Rarely Discussed (Or Used)......But What Magic It Will Give Your Mailer!
November 1, 1999... Come close because this is between you and me. I know of a copywriting secret that's easy to apply and effective in all types of advertising and across all industries. And best of all, it's so simple. I can't believe more advertisers...

What David Ogilvy Meant to Me.
November 1, 1999... On September 15th, I went to New York to attend a special eulogy for David Ogilvy, who passed away July 21st at the age of 88. It was a tremendously moving tribute, attended by over 1,000 people including some of the heads of the largest...

Spinning Data Into Gold.
November 1, 1999... In our previous columns, we established what Data Mining and Modeling really is, illustrated its important role as an integral part of marketing activities and, profiled techniques used by excellent marketing analysts. In this column, we'll...

Edgar Grossman Passes Away.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Edgar Grossman of Newton Centre MA a businessman, philanthropist and community leader, died recently at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center after a battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 80. Born and raised in Boston, he graduated from...

Bulk Parcel Return Service Offers Option of Absorbing Return Postage Costs.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... In a move to make it easier to conduct business with the mail order industry, the U.S. Postal Service's Board of Governors approved a service enhancement that will provide some merchants the option of absorbing return merchandise postage costs...

PMG Cites Decade of Progress and Continued High Quality in the Next Century.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Postmaster General William J. Henderson said in congressional testimony that the U.S. Postal Service will continue to provide the American people with high-quality, low-cost mail service as it concludes a decade of progress and moves into the...

Why Do They Do That?(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... An every-so-often continuing series wondering why businesses do some of the things they do. You should write a book." This came from a colleague who, having read several of these "Why Do They Do That?" columns in the past, felt the...

Whither Database Marketing, Telemarketing, Political Fund Raising, J. Peterman, and E-Mail?(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Is what the author witnesses database marketing or just a fancy version of some tried-and-true marketing formulas? It's not exactly like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, but I'm having lots of problems believing in database marketing. ...

Sweepstakes: Where We Are Today.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Direct marketers have found that sweepstakes promotions draw attention to their product, help sell it, create testimonials, and help build mailing lists. They have also found that the public demands strict compliance with the literal wording of...

AER LINGUS.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: A Sparkling Opportunity Product/Service: Launch of Aer Lingus' service between Cork and Amsterdam Agency: Dialogue Marketing Communications, Dublin, Ireland Business Gold Echo Award When Aer Lingus wanted to...

3M.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: 3M Advanced Meeting Solutions New Product Launch Product/Service: 3M Advanced Meeting Solutions Agency: Rosen/Brown Direct, Portland, Oregon Business Silver Echo Award 3M Advanced Meeting Solutions are new tools...

AT&T.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: AT&T World Traveler Product/Service: AT&T Direct Service Agency: ModemMedia.Poppe Tyson, Norwalk, CT Consumer Gold Echo Award AT&T Direct is a transactional service that allows U.S. based international travelers...

AMERICAN ISUZU MOTORS INC.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: Isuzu VehiCROSS Launch Product/Service: 1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS Agency: M/S Database Marketing, Los Angeles, CA Consumer Silver Echo Award The 1999 lsuzu VehiCROSS is priced at $30,000 and described as an...

AMWAY.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: Quixtar Countdown Web Site Product/Service: E-Commerce Business Opportunity Agency: C-E Communications, tdah! Digital Solutions Group (Warren, MI) Consumer/Business-to-Business Silver Echo Award and Recipient of the...

BANK OF NEW ZEALAND.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: Bank of New Zealand "Fence Post" Campaign Product/Service: Rural Financial Services Agency: Aim Direct Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. Gold Mailbox Award The market challenge facing the Bank of New Zealand last...

GEICO DIRECT AUTO INSURANCE.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Campaign Name: The Sensible Alternative: TV Campaign Product/Service: GEICO Automobile Insurance Agency: The Martin Agency, Richmond, VA. Diamond Echo Award GEICO's key distinction in the auto insurance industry is its method...

The Bottom Line: The Economics of Channel Selection.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Many companies assume that adding more selling channels means more sales. But if new channels are added without a clear business purpose, the results are not necessarily successful. Ever wonder why most U.S. retail banks are open for...

Cataloging for Entrepreneurs: 10 Seductive Myths That Threaten New Catalogers' Success.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Of the 10,000 to 11,000 catalogs in the U.S., an estimated 90 percent are run by entrepreneurs. These articles explore cataloging from their unique standpoint...this month, 10 dangerous myths that every new cataloger must learn to UNbelieve...

BLAZE MAGAZINE.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The BLAZE Magazine list of 100,000 subscribers is now available for $85/M. This publication features rap and hip-hop music reviews, artists, culture, apparel and fashion accessories. These teens and young adults, ages 12 through 24, are...

Gear Magazine.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Gear Magazine list of 81,338 subscribers is now available for $100/M. This magazine targets young men interested in technology, high finance, sports, music, fashion and travel. These men are college educated, single and employed with...

Oxmoor House Scrapbooking.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Oxmoor House Scrapbooking list of 645,131 book buyers is available for $95/M. These primarily female, family-oriented buyers are interested in preserving and organizing their photographs into personalized albums. They are crafting enthusiasts...

Rounder Records Catalog.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Rounder Records Catalog list of 201,614 mail order buyers is available for $80/M. Rounder Records offers compact discs and cassette tapes that are outside the mainstream--such as bluegrass, old-time traditional country, roots rock and folk....

Dog Owners.
November 1, 1999... The Dog Owners list of 2,659,037 names is now available for $80/M. Through a household questionnaire, the individuals on this database have indicated that they own a dog. Demographic criteria present on the file includes age, income, gender,...

Mutual Funds Magazine.
November 1, 1999... The Mutual Funds Magazine list of 567,540 subscribers is now available for $155/M. This publication is devoted exclusively to mutual funds and targets upscale subscribers. This file is recommended for offers involving finance, consumer...

Woman's World Magazine.
November 1, 1999... The Woman's World Magazine list of 58,580 subscribers is now available for $75/M. Published weekly, this magazine provides practical advice to help women manage their lives more efficiently. Coverage is given to food and nutrition, health, home...

Sports Industry.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... The Sports Industry list of 24,878 executives is now available for $150/M. This list includes sports agents and lawyers, professional sports teams, major sporting goods retailers, corporate sports sponsors, college teams and semi-professional...

Prolist Automotive Businesses.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... Prolist Automotive Businesses file of 247,277 buyers is now available for $65/M. Prolist is a database of top level executives who have made direct mail purchases of state labor law compliance posters. Sixty percent of business executives on...

Agency Action.(Brief Article)
November 1, 1999... MARKETING.COM PROMOTES IRISH AND MORRIS Marketing.com has appointed John Irish president and CEO. His duties will include managing working-vehicle business teams and serving as a chief marketing strategist. Also, the agency has named...

People.
November 1, 1999... Connie F. LaMotta, senior vice president of The DMA (New York, NY), has resigned from the association to enter a new venture as a strategic communications consultant. She was responsible for all aspects of communication for the association. ...

Session Five: AH HA! Running a Productive Brainstorming Session.
November 1, 1999... If you've had bad luck with brainstorming, you're just not doing it right. A brainstorming session should be like throwing a match into a room full of firecrackers! Alas, where does the time go? This is the fifth and final session in...