January 2005

How Technology is Changing Branding
2005 Creative Excellence Reminder
10 Reasons Why Advertising, Marketing, and PR Pros Should Blog -- 1 through 5
The Butterworth Seminar Is Back
The Dynamic Brand
We're Talking, But the Customers Aren't Listening
NEDMA Membership News
1. Member Promotions and Appointments
2. Members in Print and On Stage
3. Member Milestones
4. Special Milestone
The Direct Marketing Renaissance
Getting "Ink" in NEDMA News

This issue of NEDMA News is sponsored by: Mail Computer Service, Inc.
Mail Computer Service, Inc., is a full-service direct mail production facility that offers such services as data processing, laser personalization, lettershop, database maintenance, fulfillment, and print-on-demand. MCS is pleased to announce a few new offerings: the recent purchase of a new Xerox DocuColor 6060 color laser will allow MCS to offer print-on-demand services and a new OCE Twin Lasering System will allow MCS to offer duplex continuous lasering services. Contact: Dan Menconi,

How
Technology Is Changing Branding

Grant Johnson, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Johnson Direct, dazzled members at the November meeting by synthesizing several disparate trends into a marketing imperative.

Online and interactive marketing are growing rapidly, he says, at the same time that marketing is shifting from a focus on the marketer to a focus on the customer or prospect. Consumers are increasingly in control of the marketing process. Among other arresting facts, he cited a Businessweek article that said although the Internet still takes in only 4.3% of U.S. advertising revenue, surveys indicate that it accounts for 14% of America's media time. Increasingly, consumers know how to find the marketing information they need and actively seek it when they need it.

Johnson says that since consumers are in control of the marketing process, we are less and less able to perform the branding and direct marketing functions independently. He has developed a concept he calls Direct Branding^TM: "The convergence of image based advertising strategies and tactics with those of direct marketing, utilizing both traditional and emerging media to capture market share and sales simultaneously."

Although he insists the basics still matter (getting the right list, making the right offer, crafting the right message, timing and testing the marketing, etc.), it's necessary now for marketers to take advantage of the customers' control of this process. He advises marketers to learn all about search engines and search engine optimization. He also advises the use of microsites -- temporary websites developed for single marketing campaigns. He offered the example of seewhathappens.com, a campaign developed by Mitsubishi. During the Superbowl, Mitsubishi ran a commercial that showed part of an action story and invited viewers to visit a specific URL to see how the story comes out. The ad boosted Mitsubishi's brand website traffic by 200% the day after the game and attracted 170,000 visitors for the story's finale.

His parting advice to the audience: build your brand while simultaneously selling your product/service, acknowledge the prospect is in control, use direct mail both up front and on the back end, and test in all media, including search engine optimization. "Begin," he said, "to practice individual marketing."

2005 Creative Excellence Reminder

Once again, New England direct marketers have the opportunity to submit their best work for judging by a panel of experts from all over the U.S. Awards will be made next April 14th, and every entry will be displayed in the Awards Gallery at NEDMA's annual Awards Show and Banquet at the Roxy.

Award categories include Print Ads, Direct Mail, Broadcast, Interactive, Integrated Multimedia Campaigns, DM on a Shoestring, Technique, "Great Concept But Maybe Next Time..." and more -- there are lots of chances to win.

The deadline for entries is January 18, 2005. For the first time this year, the competition entry process has been broken into two stages to make it more convenient for entrants. In the first stage, you submit samples and judging forms before the deadline. It is no longer necessary to mount pieces for display in the judging stage. In the second stage, you submit mounted versions of your samples for display in the Awards Hall. You can only submit the mounted versions between March 21 and April 1.

For a downloadable entry form (and information about entry fees), visit the NEDMA website: nedma.com. If you have questions not answered at the website, email Beth Drysdale at or call 781.237.1366.

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10 Reasons Why Advertising, Marketing, and PR Pros Should Blog -- 1 through 5
By Bob Cargill
Senior Creative Director, Yellowfin Direct Marketing

Most advertising, marketing, and public relations professionals know a blog when they see one, but when it comes to actually using this relatively new, self-publishing platform, there are still many skeptics and naysayers among us. But in 2005, I dare say you would have to be either misinformed or just plain obstinate to not at least consider adding a blog to your business plan. Here are ten reasons why:

1. Blogs are Interactive. In many cases, marketing is a monologue, a well-choreographed sales pitch to an audience of passive prospects. But one of the key attributes of a blog is that it allows readers to provide honest, public feedback that is posted below the author's spiel. It involves your audience. By granting the opportunity to respond almost instantly to any and all posts, a blogger is building a mutually-beneficial relationship with his or her constituency. As the level of confidence grows between a blog and its readers, so does the potential for lucrative, new business activity.

2. Blogs are Humanizing. A blog may be dependent on cold, web-based technology for hosting and distribution, but its success depends on the ability of its author to come across as honest, credible and down-to-earth. There is no spinning of the truth in the blogosphere. The idea is to break through the corporate-speak and to put a fresh, trustworthy face on your organization. Like a good newspaper column or editorial, most blogs are written in one strong, opinionated voice and don't shy away from controversy and difficult subjects. Some of the best business blogs in existence are some of the most candid.

3. Blogs are Inexpensive. In most cases, the only cost to the author of a blog is the value of the time and talent required to create and maintain it. Sure, some hosted services, like Typepad, charge a modest monthly fee. But there are plenty of free, ad-supported blogging services and tools available. My blog, A Fine Kettle of Fish (written under the aegis of Yellowfin Direct Marketing), uses perhaps the most popular one of them all, Blogger. It doesn't matter which service and tools you use to publish yours, however -- the financial barriers to entry are so few and far between, you almost can't afford not to establish a presence in the blogosphere.

4. Blogs are Immediate. A blog makes it possible for the everyday communications professional to distribute newsworthy, thematic content to a large, like-minded audience -- without many, if any, layers of approval -- almost instantaneously. If timeliness is a critical element of your publishing plan, it's an irresistible platform. A blog allows you to draw out invaluable feedback, too, without having to lollygag through the traditional rites of business courtship. Comments from readers are akin to free market research. If your goal is to establish an open, online dialogue with prospects and influential people who might otherwise not give you the time of day, a blog just may be your entrée -- it certainly is a unique ice-breaker.

5. Blogs are Infectious. Like any good viral marketing campaign, the content of the best blogs is passed from reader to reader, extending the author's reach -- and influence -- exponentially. Bloggers are notorious for linking to other blogs that they recommend and respect. And other related sources of news, information and opinion -- even offline, traditional publications -- won't hesitate to pick up an interesting post and republish it. So, in effect, a blog gives you the power of a syndicated columnist. What's more, search engines such as Google are all over blogs, especially when they're updated regularly. Blogging results in more top placements than you ever could have imagined for you and your organization.

Editor's Note: "Why Advertising, Marketing and PR Pros Should Blog" was first published December, 2004, in Bob Cargill's blog, A Fine Kettle of Fish, which you can read in its entirety -- and subscribe to -- at http://www.afinekettleoffish.blogspot.com. Subscriptions are free. Reasons 6 through 10 will appear next month in NEDMA News.

The Butterworth Seminar Is Back

The Paul Butterworth Direct Response Copy Seminar returns to its roots -- great, practical tips from New England's best pros -- and FREE (but you must pre-register)! It's Thursday evening, March 24, 2005, 7 - 9PM, at the John Hancock Hotel & Conference Center, 40 Trinity Place, Boston. Speakers are some of the best of the best: Steve Tharler, Tharler/Opper; Nancy Harhut, Hill, Holiday Relationship Marketing; and Tracy Emerick, Taurus Direct Marketing. All three are former Direct Marketers of the Year, so it will be a fabulous evening! More details will follow. Please register by emailing now -- space is limited!

The Dynamic Brand
By Michael Atwood
Director, Business Development, Arrow Direct, Inc.

Why do marketers assume that a static brand will always appeal to the target audience in the same way? Whether a company is advertising in the business-to-consumer markets or business-to-business markets, the fact remains that its target's moods, thoughts, and desires are always changing. The target does not go through life in the same frame of mind at all times -- morning, noon, and night. Rather, we must aim at a moving target, whose buying preferences and decision-making processes vary over time and space. The thought processes of one moment may give way to entirely different way of thinking a moment later. Therefore, it may be necessary to create a campaign that has a consistent base -- with core graphics and positioning in place -- but that varies and evolves by situation and media.

Let's take a B2B campaign, for example, where we use television to create some sizzle and play off of a brand's emotional appeal. Let's reach decision-makers when they're at home, relaxing, and most prone to respond with their gut to a quick, 30-second sales proposition. In contrast, in the same campaign, let's use direct mail to deliver a logical, step-by-step sales proposition that lays out a business case for a product or service -- and appeals to a decision-maker's rational abilities. Let's send this package to recipients when they're at work -- and most likely to be in an analytical, business frame of mind (and let's be clear on one point: all media are branding touch-points, even direct media that have traditionally not been considered part of the branding arsenal). Let's use outdoor, too, to reach these very same decision-makers when they're sitting impatiently in traffic -- making them all the more receptive to any business solution that will make their workdays easier, faster moving, and psychologically more agreeable. In these three instances -- when watching television at home, opening a direct mail package at work, and sitting in traffic at the end of the workday -- the prospect is in a different situation and different frame of mind. As such, rather than using a lock-step brand monotone to approach the target in these variable situations -- we would create a brand that was multi-faceted. This brand would have the flexibility and malleability to achieve maximum marketing effectiveness with customers and prospects whose lives and thought processes are constantly changing. Just as the targets' lives are never static, so too does the brand adapt to new situations and the transitory nature of what resides in our consciousness.

However, having said this, we should hasten to point out that in creating a brand, it is still necessary to adhere to standard branding conventions -- with consistent use of the logo, layout grid, photographic styles, and messaging platform. All marketing materials must be instantly recognizable as emanating from a single source. However, it is also necessary to exploit each media to its fullest and manipulate the brand essence to deliver maximum impact. The result is a brand that is dynamic, adaptable, and agile -- a brand that evolves with the market, makes opportunistic use of media opportunities, and keeps apace and outstrips the competition. This type of marketing solution goes beyond the parameters of integrated marketing -- and instead, defines itself as Holistic Marketing.

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from the white paper, "Holistic Marketing: A Top-Line Perspective." For a free copy of the entire paper, contact its author, Michael Atwood: .

As the experts have become more insistent in reminding us of how important it is to maintain the direct marketing conversation, our customers have found newer and more effective ways to tune us out. They time-shift television and zap the commercials. They use sophisticated spam filters. They sign up for do-not-call registries... the list of DM avoidance tools is long and growing.

Time and again, a handful of top marketers -- AOL, American Express, Celebrity Cruises, Gillette, FedEx, to name a few -- manage to penetrate customer cocoons and get their message across, and they do it almost entirely with creative messaging -- by crafting marketing pitches the customers want to hear.

These marketers couldn't get through the way they do if it weren't for the great agencies they work with. And one of those is Digitas, whose award-winning EVP and Executive Creative Director, Steve Lynch, will explain how it's done at NEDMA's January 20 dinner meeting. He will draw from his stellar portfolio to show how breakthrough creative can keep the conversation going in an age of customer resistance. His topic: "Active Branding: How to Connect with Customers Who've Stopped Listening."

The January 20 meeting is at the Sheraton Lexington Hotel (note the new location) and dinner starts at 6:30.

But you should plan on coming at 4:30 and take in the Direct Marketing Forum, which features Jerry Kelley, Mailpiece Design Analyst for the Massachusetts District of the United States Postal Service. His presentation, "The Strangest Things Put Through the Mail," will have you laughing. He will also take serious questions and even look at your samples. You can't miss this one.

The Direct Marketing Forum on January 20 runs 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. There is a networking/reception hour 5:30 to 6:30, then dinner and the program are 6:30 to 9:00. The fee is $40 for NEDMA members and $50 for nonmembers, but only until January 17. After January 17, the fees go up to $50 and $60, respectively. For more information, or to register, go to the NEDMA website (nedma.com) or call 781.237.1366.

1. Member Promotions and Appointments
International Mailing Solutions, LLC (IMS) has promoted Bill Childs to the position of Client Services Manager. In addition to managing the Client Services team, Childs will be responsible for developing and implementing systems for the department to further support IMS customers. Prior to joining IMS, Childs held many positions with the Christian Science Publishing Society.

Hill Holliday Relationship Marketing recently hired Brian Whipple as EVP, Director of Relationship Marketing; Greg Sedgwick as VP/Associate Creative Director; Ben Hall as Senior Copywriter; Tommy Fiorito as Junior Copywriter; Marcie Judges as Assistant Account Executive; and Laurie Gillis as Senior Account Executive. And the agency recently promoted Matt Kaiser to Copywriter; Chris Geraghty to Art Director; and Sarah McCarthy to Account Executive.

CreativeOne Direct, Inc. has hired Will Swan as Director of Account Services. He joins CreativeOne from his previous position as Director of Account Services at Dragon Direct and Thompson Habib Denison of Arlington, Massachusetts.

Yellowfin Direct Marketing has hired Traci Cacioppo as Account Supervisor. In this role, Traci will help ensure that the development, execution and production of all Yellowfin deliverables flows seamlessly, working closely with all internal departments to meet both agency and client expectations. Prior to joining Yellowfin, Traci was the COO/VP of Production and second in command at Dragon Direct Marketing.

Amergent, a leading full service direct marketing firm located in Peabody, Massachusetts, announces the addition of Karen Brennan to their Account Services team. As Senior Account Executive, Brennan will deliver project management and fund-raising services to various hunger relief and religious clients. Prior to joining Amergent, she was employed with L.W. Robbins Associates, where she managed the American Cancer Society direct mail acquisition program. The firm also announced it has hired Garrett Whittemore as Account Manager. He will deliver project management and fund-raising services to clients such as Inner-City Scholarship Fund, St. Francis Mission, The Passionists, The Passionist Monastery, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners. He comes to Amergent from Digitas, LLC.

Jodi Scheib has been hired as Vice President of Fundraising for DMW. In this role she is responsible for strategic planning and account management of the agency's key public broadcasting accounts. She comes to DMW by way of Tucson, Arizona, where she served as Membership Manager at KUAT Television and Radio. Hilary Hunt joins DMW as Account Executive. Her responsibilities include project management for a variety of nonprofit fund raising campaigns. Before joining DMW, Hunt was Senior Associate of Marketing Operations for Boston-based Digitas, LLC.

2. Members in Print and On Stage
Paul Weiss, Vice-President of Strategic Marketing Services for BeNOW was a guest speaker at two recent conferences. He spoke at the 35th annual meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute held in Boston at the Marriott Copley Place on "Bottom Line Results Through Strategic Database Marketing Delivery & Analytics: Perspectives from Practitioners." And he also spoke at Quadstone's annual user group conference held at Bentley College, where he presented a Customer Segmentation & Clustering Case Study.

Hill Holliday Relationship Marketing Senior Art Director Greg Ng contributed to the newly published book, iPod and iTunes Hacks: Tips & Tools for Ripping, Mixing and Burning. Greg is also speaking at Mac World this month.

Robert Whitworth, owner of FrontRunner, will have an article on fashion in early America published in the 35th anniversary issue of Early American Life magazine (Jan./Feb. 2005 cover date). He is also writing an article on cycling in Early America, to be published in a summer issue of Early American Life.

CreativeOne Direct, Inc., a leading full-service provider of direct response fundraising services for nonprofit organizations, has announced the prerelease (find it on the Creativeone website now and at Amazon.com in a few weeks) of Mary Hutchinson's book The 21 Best Ways to Raise Less Money, an exposé of the most treacherous pitfalls in fundraising. In 25 years on the front lines of fundraising, Hutchinson says she has encountered these pitfalls -- or "ways to raise less money" -- time and again.

Margie Gallo Dana of Dana Consulting, has been selected to be a regular columnist for the newly launched PrintBuyer UK, a bimonthly publication that targets professional print buyers. She has also been asked to be a regular contributor to www.printondemand.com, the Digital Printers' Resource. Her column will appear in the site's new "Buyers' Corner" section every month.

An ad crafted by Mullen Advertising's Relationship Marketing Team for client Centra Software was published in the most recent issue of US Ad Review. The publication features the best in American print advertising. Mitch Lunsford, Creative Director; Chris Lee, ACD/Copywriter; and Sean Cunningham, Senior Art Director, produce a host of direct response work for the Lexington, Massachusetts-based Centra Software.

3. Member Milestones
Hill Holliday Relationship Marketing Executive Creative Director Nancy Harhut is serving as the East Coast Judging Chair for the John Caples International Awards.

Robert Whitworth, owner of FrontRunner, has been awarded a series of new customer-generating DM projects for client Riverside Technologies, International.

EU Services has opened its first online store. The EU Envelopes site (www.euenvelopes.com) is something of a return to the company's roots as Envelopes Unlimited. The new site promises easy ordering, online proofing, and delivery of custom-printed enveloped within 48 hours. It also features "Bargain Buys."

Sullivan Creative is providing creative and marketing services to five new clients: Boston University Medical Campus/Boston Medical Center (a patient satisfaction improvement program), Concord Litho (developing a new corporate identity), Foy Insurance (corporate identity), New Hampshire Stories (design and layout of annual directories) and the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ (a conference promotion campaign, both print and online).

Sullivan Creative has also been retained by Massachusetts Bay Community College (MassBay) to create a viewbook and prospecting brochure, and to manage and implement a web-based, print-on-demand fulfillment program. The unique aspect of this project is that each viewbook will be personalized to reflect the course(s) of study requested by the prospective student.

Scott Dorsey, president of ExactTarget (an email marketing services firm, which distributes NEDMA News), took top honors for technology sector in Junior Achievement of Central Indiana's annual recognition of the Best and the Brightest. Dorsey co-founded ExactTarget in 2001, and under his leadership the company has grown to over 100 employees serving nearly 2,800 customers nationwide, including The Scotts Company, The Home Depot, General Mills, Churchill Downs and others.

Rick Buck, director of privacy and ISP relations for e-Dialog, has been appointed to The DMA Ethics Policy Committee. The group is responsible for keeping the association's self-regulatory industry guidelines timely, specific and meaningful in relation to technology and industry changes, new federal rules and regulations, and The DMA's stated ethics objectives.

ExactTarget continues its rapid growth with the signing of more than 140 new customers in October and November, including Vera Bradley, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, The Franklin Mint, and Glovia International.

James Tremblay, Vice President of Financial Services Division for Direct Mail of Maine, has announced the opening of a new facility in Dover, New Hampshire. The new letter shop facility is designed to mirror production capabilities at the company's Scarborough, Maine corporate headquarters and is designed to assist Massachusetts, and central and southern New Hampshire customers. Questions regarding their capabilities may be directed to J. Tremblay at 781-289-9233.

Plan B Marketing Communications' CD and Queen B Alex MacAaron reports that the agency didn't get much of a break over the holidays -- in fact, they celebrated the new year with several new projects and a handful of new clients. Plan B is currently wrapping up a custom 3-D direct mail package for client Forrester Research, and a "Welcome Kit" for a major automotive manufacturer. Other projects include new print campaigns for local restaurants, a home equity package for a regional retail bank, a credit card solicitation for a major retailer, and several B2B high technology programs.

MCS has announced the purchase of a new Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press. MCS plans to use the iGen initially for its core business of direct mail marketing by offering personalized 1-to-1 communications but has already begun to branch out into other areas. A couple of the areas targeted at this point are web-based fulfillment and statement and financial reporting. A number of applications are already in the works.

4. Special Milestone
NEDMA would like to thank Past President Pam Sullivan for hosting this year's Holiday Party in the festive offices of Sullivan Creative. Thanks also to Board Members Gary Lubarsky, Lynn Edmonds, Craig Blake, and Current President Tom Tringale for co-sponsoring. About 50 direct marketers attended, enjoying good food and good company throughout the evening. Each guest brought a toy (or several) to donate to needy kids. And we're happy to report that the toys (all four super, industrial-size bags full) were gratefully accepted by the Lynn Firefighters to be distributed to local families in time for Christmas.

Save the Date: NEDMA's Annual Conference: June 16, 2005
The Direct Marketing Renaissance

Something very interesting is happening in direct marketing. Despite all the obstacles -- do-not-call, CAN-SPAM, postal rate hikes, increasing competition for the marketing dollar and for the attention of those being marketed to -- we're seeing a surge of interest in direct, including a revival of direct mail.

Contrary to all the predictions of our industry's demise, we're actually witnessing a renaissance -- a rebirth of the art and science of direct marketing. Who's leading this renaissance? What are they doing to make it happen? What can you do -- now and in the future -- to profit from it?

At the NEDMA 2005 Annual Conference, you'll get answers to these questions, and more.

Join NEDMA on June 16 and you'll gain insights from some of the most influential thought leaders in marketing today. Here's a sampling of what's in store for you:

Morning Keynote Address:
J. Walker Smith, President of Yankelovich Partners, will speak on "Coming to Concurrence: Addressable Attitudes and the New Model for Marketing Productivity."

Afternoon Keynote Address:
Jon Roska, Founding Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Roska Direct, will educate and entertain with "Ducks in The Henhouse, Part II: Integrating Direct and Brand Advertising."

Plus, you'll choose from a dozen sessions in four tracks: Creative, Integrated Marketing, Business Issues, and New Customers/New Markets. Visit three sold-out Exhibit Halls throughout the day, participate in technique-focused roundtable discussions at lunch; network with your peers, and make the valuable business connections you're looking for.

The Renaissance is coming! Save the Date: June 16.

And...
If you're looking to make the most out of Search Engine Marketing, look no further. Harry Gold, Managing Partner of Overdrive Marketing Communications, will offer his highly acclaimed Search Engine Marketing seminar on June 15th at Bentley College. This "interactive intensive" will take place the day before the 2005 Annual Conference. Why not plan to attend both days? Watch for details coming soon. Or visit Harry's website for more information: www.ovrdrv.com.

Getting "Ink" in NEDMA News
If you've gotten a promotion, signed a new client, written a book, had a baby, introduced a new product, or otherwise distinguished yourself, tell your colleagues! "NEDMA Membership News" is a free service for and on behalf of NEDMA members so we can all keep up with each others' professional (and sometimes extracurricular) lives. Members can also use this space to advertise items of particular interest to NEDMA members, such as office space or used equipment.

We must reserve the right to edit any submissions. And the free advertising feature is not intended to promote your business (you can buy an ad for that). It's limited to the kind of things you might ordinarily find in a classified section. Send your information via email to . Be sure to provide as much information as you can, including the URL for your company's website. If you want to send your information as an attachment, please use Microsoft Word or any text editor and save the editor the trouble of retyping PDFs, since he doesn't have any software for extracting text from such files.

Submit your information by the 15th of the month for publication sometime in the first week of the following month. We are striving for more precision in the publication schedule.