DM industry criticises changes to mail price.(Driect Marketing Association and agencies back opposition to rate hikes)(Brief Article)

The Direct Marketing Association and leading agencies have attacked Royal Mail for proposed changes to the pricing system for business mail postal rates.

WWAV Rapp Collins, the UK's largest direct agency, has written to Gillian Wilmot, Royal Mail's managing director of business and consumer marketing, accusing it of proposing structures that would 'stifle creativity and seriously damage the direct mail medium'.

Royal Mail is currently in a consultation period over the proposed changes that would see new charges being based on the size of mailings rather than weight. It is considering basing price on three different size categories.

WWAV and other agencies are worried this will stifle creativity.

Chris Gordon, WWAV's chairman and group chief executive, said: 'Royal Mail has sought to position itself as a responsible media owner, making significant efforts to promote the direct mail medium and creativity within the medium. Clients and agencies are striving to improve the quality of direct mail and to achieve standout by using innovative formats. Yet these pricing proposals, if adopted, would simply incentivise standardisation, penalise innovation and, as such, increase consumer apathy and produce a less effective medium.'

The consultation process on the proposals, which WWAV said could more than double the cost of some mailings, ends on 28 June. Postcomm, the mail regulator, will then review ...