SUGGESTIONS TO ADDRESS
SECURITY ISSUES IN
DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS

Preserving the integrity of the $528 billion direct mail sector of the U.S.economy is one way we can respond to the President's call to continue to work and live undaunted by the threat of terrorism. In response to inquiries from member companies, consumers and the press regarding direct mail as a possible vehicle for distributing anthrax or other agents of bioterrorism, The DMA suggests the following guidelines to promote security and integrity in the direct mail business, and to ensure consumers of the safety of professional direct mail campaigns.

1. Avoid using plain envelopes. Printed envelopes, especially those using color, are less likely to appear like the hand-prepared envelopes involved in the incidents so far.

2. Use a clear and identifiable return address. Consider including your company logo in the address.

3. Consider including a toll-free phone number and/or URL address on envelopes.

4. Utilize an e-mail and/or telemarketing campaign in conjunction with a letter drop to notify consumers that mail will be coming.

5. Consider temporarily delaying business-to-business mailings because of potential logjams in receiving mailrooms.

6. Utilize The DMA Member logo to demonstrate your company's credibility.

7. Contact your lettershop and other production services to stress the importance of security.

8. Consider performing a security audit throughout your operation.

9. Evaluate your campaign approach and consider that personalization is temporarily less likely to increase response rates.

10. If you are involved in production services, know who your customers are.

11. Reinforce your existing internal guidelines about forwarding press and consumer calls to appropriate internal channels.

12. Educate mailroom employees about identifying and dealing with possible threats.

13. Utilize The DMA as press resource. Feel free to forward press calls to 212-768-7277.

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TALKING TO AUTHORITIES
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In addition to issuing these suggestions, The DMA will continue to talk with government officials - including those at the U.S. Postal Service - as well as experts in bioterrorism, in order to keep you informed and prepared to respond appropriately as new developments arise. At present, we know that the USPS has confirmed that the mail was used to transport anthrax bacteria in no more than two instances. However, it is imperative to point out that those mailpieces were sent from individuals and were not related to any direct mail campaign.

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OTHER RESOURCES
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Other information sources regarding the U.S. mail and anthrax include:

** U.S. Postal Service at
http://www.usps.com/news/2001/
press/serviceupdates.htm

** Postal Inspection Service at http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect

** Center for Disease Control (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov

** Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at http://www.fbi.gov.

The FBI has issued a consumer advisory regarding suspicious packages and letters, which can be accessed at
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/
pressrel01/poster101201.pdf

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