LAS VEGAS, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Direct Marketing Association (DMA),
the trusted consumer preference service leader in America for the past 36
years, today announced the launch of its newly expanded consumer choice portal
site, DMAchoice.org. The announcement was made today by DMA President & CEO,
John A. Greco, Jr., at the DMA08 Conference and Exhibition, the Global Event
for Integrated Marketing, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
DMAchoice is one of the most powerful consumer preference service tools
ever made available. It empowers consumers to choose what commercial
communications they receive in their mail and email boxes, all from a single
Web-based account. Online registration is free and easy and a consumer's
preference information is used only to honor consumer choice.
Consumers can opt-out of mailings that they would prefer not to receive,
and have the added benefit of opting-in to get commercial mail they do not
currently receive. Consumers can choose by business name or entire categories,
like credit card offers, catalogs, or magazines -- a service that no other
consumer preference service provides. Additionally, DMAchoice puts consumers
in control of their mail frequency options by connecting them directly with
the merchant. The goal is to build a community where consumers can interact
with marketers, learn about one time opportunities, special offers,
promotions, and coupons -- all vital information during these uncertain
economic times.
And because DMAchoice has been developed by DMA, the leading global trade
association of business and nonprofit organizations, with more than 3,400
members, both consumers and marketers can depend on the breadth and depth of
DMAchoice's reach and trustworthiness.
"The future of 'Business-to-Consumer' communications is here," Greco said.
"DMAchoice is a revolutionary and scalable consumer empowerment tool that will
change the way people view and manage their mail, both physical and
electronic. It will increase efficiency in the direct marketing community in a
way never before possible, and provide superior responsiveness to the wishes
of the consumer."
DMAchoice already serves more than four million registered consumers and
does not share consumer information with third parties. It uses consumer
preferences only for list suppression or addition. With DMAchoice, consumers
can do a complete "mailbox makeover" from any Internet terminal, with the
confidence that they are working with a trusted partner.
"We are pleased with the enhancements DMA has made to their preference
service, DMAchoice," said Steve Fuller, chief marketing officer, L.L. Bean.
"It is a greatly improved site offering consumers a good vehicle for choice,
while strengthening the community's goal of supporting consumer preferences
and actively managing their mailing lists. Responding to and honoring customer
catalog preferences is just good business."
"'Know your audience' is an axiom of winning American marketing
campaigns," said Gary Imig, chief financial officer, Sierra Trading Post.
"With DMAchoice, Sierra Trading Post will be able to do that in ways never
before possible. We will be able to communicate with the exact audience we
wish to reach -- those who already have indicated interest in our products."
Opt-outs are valid for a three-year period, after which consumers will be
contacted to ascertain continued preferences. Since DMAchoice gives consumers
complete control of their mail and email boxes, they can come back to the
site, as often as they would like, and update their preferences according to
their immediate needs.
"DMA is proud to expand on its 36-year history of empowering the
consumer," Greco continued. "As the leading direct marketing trade association
in the nation, we take great pride in knowing that our newly designed and
simplified DMAchoice site demonstrates our continued commitment to consumer
choice. This makes sense for the consumer and marketing community alike."
About Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
The Direct Marketing Association (http://www.the-dma.org) is the leading
global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations using and
supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates
standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching
consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research,
education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the
end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents
more than 3,400 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 48
other nations, including half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as
nonprofit organizations.
In 2008, marketers -- commercial and nonprofit -- will spend
$176.9 billion on direct marketing, which accounts for 52.1 percent of all ad
expenditures in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these
advertising expenditures will generate approximately $2.057 trillion in
incremental sales. In 2008, direct marketing accounted for approximately 10
percent of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2008, there were 1.6
million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts
directly support 9.3 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 10.9
million US jobs.
The Power of Direct: Relevance. Responsibility. Results.
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