Opinion: Is the world digital's Whitstable's?(direct marketers are using digital services)(Column)

True story. A former colleague visiting Sydney, Australia had just polished off some local oysters in an Italian restaurant when the waiter came over. 'How you like your oysters?' asked the waiter. 'Very good,' my friend replied, 'but, to be honest, I would rather have had Whitstable's.' 'Vistables?' the puzzled waiter queried. 'Why you no say? We got spinach, we got broccoli, we got beans ... '

Which is a way of illustrating the fact that, right now, the world is a plate of the best Whitstable's to digital agencies, however baffled the rest of us may be by their business. And it's because we're baffled, while they have the expertise, that they're enjoying such rapid …