It doesn’t have to, says Trish Dominy.
Sometimes, research tells us what we already know. A recent US study by Pitney Bowes Business Insight into mailing address quality concludes that direct marketers are still not paying enough attention to dealing with returned mail. 
The USPS has tried to improve the position with a financial incentive for customers [...]

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Reporting from Germany, Stephan Merz wonders if we will prosper with the season.
After a stressful 2009, a year dominated by the global recession, we endured a long and snowy winter. Now, we have left the cold behind us and can enjoy rising temperatures. But which economic climate can we expect for the year 2010? What [...]

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French marketers are recognising that changes in their own country are imminent, says Arnaud Le Lann.
Last month, the largest summit meeting organised by the SNCD (the French direct marketing association) was held. Why was it 
the biggest, why did almost every member attend and why, exceptionally, were non-members also asked to go along? 
Because France is now [...]

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But they are still scarce internationally, says Trish Dominy. 

In the UK we have seen a massive growth in usage of email lists over the past eight years, with many mailers – despite being hesitant initially – embracing the channel in abundance.  
This did arguably lead to a period where the online channel was overused, but alarm [...]

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Rupert Tomalin (pictured below) says quality data are the diamonds of DM and should be treated with extra care.
Around the world, more and more consumers are becoming concerned about data quality and security. The feeling of mass paranoia over how personal information is being handled by government and private sector organisations turns out to be [...]

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Steve Cox (pictured below) shows how to enhance your brand’s image and the bottom line, despite the chilly sales climate.
With brand marketing becoming increasingly global, a question that CEOs and boards are increasingly asking below-the-line marketers is: ‘Can we support our brand activity through integrated marcoms activity?’ Given the current economic climate, I think [...]

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Stephan Merz brings an update on the new German privacy law.
In my last report (DMI July), the decision had been made about the new German privacy law – it was only a question of the details.
And it happened as predicted: In the final session of the last election period, the ‘old’ German Bundestag passed [...]

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It isn’t, says Arnaud Le Lann.
This morning, I have been reading an interview with Joseph Stiglitz (Nobel Prize for economics in 2001), published in one of the most renowned French business newspapers. This is the first article I have read for months which seems to speak the truth – one which is not claiming that [...]

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Trish Dominy (pictured below) compares B2C spend with B2B and finds consumer clients are the most cautious.
Walking through my local shopping centre at the weekend, I observed the huge amount of sales on, with many stores offering significant discounts on clothing and luxury goods. 
Though the shops still seemed exceptionally busy, there did not seem to [...]

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Stephan Merz is aiming to keep us up-to-date with ever-changing regulations.
Over the past nine months, the German direct marketing industry has been monitoring the arguments concerning changes to our privacy law, and lobbying over potential increased enforcement of sanctions which are already in place for any violations of the rules.
When I last reported in this [...]

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