Nedma News September-October 2005

September/
October
2005

In this Issue:

Media Allocation Is at Odds with Media Consumption
The Essentials of Integrated Marketing
In Defense of Rubber Wristbands
NEDMA Membership News
     1. Member Promotions and Appointments
      2. Members in Print and On Stage
      3. Member Milestones
Upcoming Events
From NEDMA

This issue of NEDMA is sponsored by DMM, a leading provider of direct mail production services located in Portland, Maine. DMM offers extensive expertise in the areas of data, mailing, fulfillment, laser personalization via OCE Twin System roll to roll technology and Print On Demand via Xerox Docucolor 6060 technology. One-to-one services are supported by a team of top industry programmers dedicated to meeting the needs of today's leading direct marketers. For further information please contact Joe Cloutier, VP of Sales at 800-883-6930 x 224 - .

Media Allocation Is at Odds with Media Consumption

"Media allocation is not commensurate with media consumption," said Ron Belanger to a high turnout of NEDMA members. Belanger is Senior Director of Global Client Strategy for Yahoo! Search, and he spoke at the September 29 NEDMA meeting on the topic "The Power of Search."

Search is a rapidly growing ad medium in which the advertiser "buys" keywords from a search engine, resulting in the display of the advertiser's copy whenever a user performs a search with that word. Typically, the search engine does not charge the advertiser unless the user clicks on the advertiser's link. The cost of keywords can range from a few cents upward and advertisers are usually able to bid against each other for higher placement in ad listing.

Ad spending on television, newspapers, and magazines, Belanger said, outstrip consumption of those media. For radio and online advertising, however, ad consumption outstrips spending, making them advertising bargains. That's not to say the underused media aren't growing. Search advertising brought in close to $5 billion in the last year, and Belanger expects that figure to reach $7.3 billion within the next three years.

There are 4.9 billion searches a month performed by 133 million unique searchers. Of all Internet users, 99% report using search. More than half (56%) use it at least once a day. Over a fifth (21%) use it four or more times a day. Of the searches themselves, 38% are for research; 15% are to learn more about something a user has encounter through word-of-mouth; 14% are for business; 11% are to comparison shop; 10% are to make a purchase.

For an advertiser to get in on this and experiment with it costs about $50!

Belanger, who was named Top Search Strategist by B2B Magazine in 2004, says that direct marketers are uniquely suited to take advantage of search marketing. Direct marketers' segmentation and targeting expertise mean they could dominate an advertising medium that is still young, especially since search engines themselves are looking for ways to reduce the number of hits that result from searches.

He also said Yahoo! is actively training advertising agencies to make the most of search advertising.

Some new developments he mentioned were local search (useful for advertisers with locality-restricted businesses), the use of search as branding, and contextual advertising (in which ads appear next to relevant content). When he had finished his remarks, an entire roomful of people promised themselves to learn more about this booming but underused medium.

Everybody talks about integrated marketing, but few people are doing it, at least if you judge by the number of people who say in the NEDMA surveys that they want to know more about it. So NEDMA's November 8 meeting will address integrated marketing, and it features one of the leading lights of the field offering us insights from sought-after proprietary research.

Shar Van Boskirk is Consulting Analyst with Forrester Research, where she is on the Devices, Media, and Marketing Team and has advised clients such as Home Depot, British Airways, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

She promises to shed light on who is doing integrated marketing well and how advertisers determine which channels to use in the mix.

Make this the year you finally take steps to do integrated marketing. Don't miss this meeting. Reception and networking with your colleagues starts at 5:30 and dinner and the program starts at 6:30. That's November 8, and the meeting is being held at Hilton Gardens Inn in Waltham, MA, a facility known as Four Points Sheraton the last time NEDMA met there in 2004. You can get directions at NEDMA's website, nedma.com, if you don't remember how to get there.

In the latest issue of Details magazine (June/July 2005, p. 99), columnist Jonathan Sabin plays the devil's advocate and argues that rubber wristbands -- such as those ubiquitous yellow ones that have helped the Lance Armstrong Foundation raise so much money for such a good cause -- should be banned.

Who would have thought that one man's solution to cancer prevention and survivorship would be another man's problem with marketing and philanthropy?

"Today nearly 50 million are looped around self-righteous wrists as the cheesy trinkets metastasize like the cancers they're supposed to help cure," writes Sabin, taking an unseemly, cheap shot -- in my opinion -- at not just one of the most popular charitable organizations going right now, but at the business of direct response fundraising as a whole.

In the same article, Sabin claims "the problem is that we've become a nation of philanthropic exhibitionists."

I can think of worse things to show off than one's benevolence.

Indeed, with all due respect to Jonathan Sabin, I think the real problem is the fact that there is so much disease and poverty and injustice in the world.

I think the real problem is that there are not enough people who are willing to give selflessly of themselves on behalf of others less fortunate.

If Americans take pride in their generosity and are wearing these wristbands as status symbols, so be it.

If fundraisers have a way of bringing in more charitable gifts, good for them and their beneficiaries, good for those who are counting on them to provide as much financial assistance and emotional relief as possible.

Why rain on Lance Armstrong's seemingly endless parade of inspiration, courageousness, and goodwill?

Sure, many people, young and old alike, enjoy wearing these wristbands as much because they're a hip, new fashion statement as a way to help others. But that doesn't matter.

What matters is that by offering a cool tchotchke, nonprofit organizations of all kinds are able to amass more individual contributions (because the demand for wristbands is so strong), a higher average gift (because people are willing to give more when they're getting something extra in return) and a glut of free publicity and promotion (because such body ornaments are attracting so much attention).

What matters is that more money is being raised to help more people in need, people who really couldn't care less if donors want to wear silly rubber wristbands in their honor, as long as the reason for this jewelry gives them a reason to hope and believe in the future.

Editor's Note: Bob Cargill is Vice President/Creative Director at Newport Creative Communications in Duxbury, MA. "In Defense of Rubber Wristbands" was first published on August 4, 2005, in Bob's blog, A New Marketing Commentator, which you can read in its entirety -- and subscribe to -- at www.anewmarketingcommentator.com.

1. Member Promotions and Appointments
Newport Creative Communications has hired Christina Thai as an account manager covering the strategic fundraising needs for the agency's Humane Society Group. Her responsibilities also include all areas related to employee relations such as conducting staff interviews, troubleshooting employee concerns, employee handbook maintenance, and employee recruitment efforts. In the evenings, Christina teaches human resource courses at New England College of Finance in Boston.

Curt Bimschleger has joined Protocol Integrated Direct Marketing as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Prior to joining Protocol, Curt led the sales efforts for the retail group at Acxiom. Commenting on the hire, Charles Dall'Acqua, CEO/President, said, "Curt will focus on further building our national sales organization with top caliber integrated direct marketing sales executives. Curt will work closely with the division presidents and me in further developing our product offering."

Hill, Holliday has announced five new hires. Tina Morelli has been named Senior Art Director; Chris Plehal is Junior Copywriter; Karyn Dionisio is Assistant Account Executive; Rebecca Leach is Assistant Account Executive; and Paul Larrow is Interactive Art Director. HH has also promoted Tommy Fiorito to Copywriter.

2. Members in Print and On Stage
On Thursday, October 20, 2005, Katharine Barr, President of Katharine Barr & Associates, will be repeating her class "Heartstrings to Pursestrings -- The Fine Line in Fundraising Copy" at the Boston Center for Adult Education.

Susan O'Neil participated in the Get Found! Conference on September 8th in Rocky Hill, CT. The conference is the largest conference on search engine marketing in New England and O'Neil hosted the panel on Paid Search Marketing. She is also a featured speaker at the eComXpo, October 6-8, giving a workshop called "Using Keyword Research Tools Now." She is the founder and CEO of @Web Site Publicity, Inc. of Peterborough NH.

Jonathan Kranz of Kranz Communications has published two new articles for MarketingProfs.com, "How to Identify the Right Copywriter For You" (http://www.marketingprofs.com/5/kranz6.asp) and "Before You Write: Your 10-Point Checklist" (http://www.marketingprofs.com/preview.asp?file=/5/kranz7.asp). On September 15, he led a live virtual seminar titled, "B2B Web Power: How to Find, Create and Write the Content You Need, Fast" http://www.marketingprofs.com/premium/seminars/index.asp?semid=28). He is scheduled to speak at the Boston chapter of the BMA on November 17 with the program, "Collateral with Conviction: How to write sales support materials that really resonate with customers."

Nancy Harhut, a Past President of NEDMA, carried the NEDMA flag to the other side of the world and was the only American who spoke at the 5th International Direct Marketing Conference in Moscow! Her presentation was "50+ Ways Your Creative Can Get Your Message Opened, Read and Responded To." Conference participants hailed from Germany, Switzerland, France, and Russia, as well as other countries. Direct marketing is less than ten years old in Russia, and Nancy reports the main problem for direct marketing in that country is the availability and quality of databases. Some of the older population is afraid of appearing on any "lists." Nevertheless, Nancy reports the conference experience as "Awesome!"

ExactTarget's Global Conference on September 27 in Indianapolis featured an Agency Day, keynoted by Shar Van Boskirk of Forrester Research, who spoke on "Email Marketing Is Too Competitive for Marketers to Go It Alone." Agency Day provided an opportunity for nearly 150 interactive agency marketers to network and discuss best practices, case studies, and selling strategies. It was the second Agency Day sponsored by ExactTarget, which has 350 agency partners located throughout North America, Europe and Australia. This was the second annual ExactTarget Global Conference, and it featured nearly 500 marketers and sessions such as email deliverability, targeting and segmentation, email effectiveness, personalization and other topics.

Steve Tharler -- partner in Tharler/Opper Marketing Communications and Design, former NEDMA prez, and our 1998 Direct Marketer of the Year -- sure is getting around. In July, he presented the DMA's Advanced Copywriting seminar in Cambridge, and he published an article on creative staffing in Inside Direct Mail. In August, he presented the DMA's Secrets of Copywriting seminar in Chicago. In September, he was the lead speaker in the Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association's 2005-2006 season. And in October, he's delivering two presentations at the DMA annual conference.

Plan B's Creative Director and Queen B, Alex MacAaron, a past president of NEDMA, recently spoke at the Print Industries of New England September dinner meeting. Her topic was "Getting Personal ... Getting Results," demonstrating through case studies how to develop engaging creative for VDP. She is speaking at the 2005 DMA Annual Conference in Atlanta in October.

3. Member Milestones

Yellowfin Direct Marketing's client list in the higher education arena increased to 14 in July, with the addition of two Northeast universities. Montclair State University's (Montclair, NJ) Alumni Association contracted with Yellowfin to kick of its fiscal year 2006 with a new membership acquisition campaign, and will work with the agency to create, produce and fulfill its membership program. The University of Massachusetts Amherst will test one of Yellowfin's proven alumni fundraising programs to UMass's non-donor alumni in late summer.
Paperloop announced that it has sold the Converting Machinery and Materials (CMM) International conference and exposition business to PennWell Corporation. CMM is the premier trade show for the converting and package printing industry, and the recentCMM 2005 exposition in Chicago was the 15th edition of this biennial event. With the sale of CMM, Paperloop continues to execute on the strategy announced earlier this year to focus on providing information products and services to the global pulp and paper, wood products/timber, and tissue/nonwovens markets.

Paperloop announced that it has sold the Converting Machinery and Materials (CMM) International conference and exposition business to PennWell Corporation. CMM is the premier trade show for the converting and package printing industry, and the recentCMM 2005 exposition in Chicago was the 15th edition of this biennial event. With the sale of CMM, Paperloop continues to execute on the strategy announced earlier this year to focus on providing information products and services to the global pulp and paper, wood products/timber, and tissue/nonwovens markets. Paperloop also announced in September that it acquired Timber Market Report ("TMR") from Orlando, Florida-based Gemini Solutions, Inc. and the assets of C.C. Crow Publications, Inc., a provider of prices and news for the North American lumber and panel markets.

ExactTarget announced an agreement to provide permission-based, easy-to-use email marketing software to the International Franchise Association (IFA). The IFA plans to use the software to streamline delivery and improve list maintenance for its three electronic newsletters by adopting ExactTarget's email marketing system. ExactTarget also announced an agreement with Hot Banana Software, Inc., a provider of web content management, for Hot Banana to become an affiliate partner.

Newport Creative Communications' Mary Jane O'Brien, senior vice president and art director, recently helped support the JETT Foundation's 3rd annual Jett Golf Classic by designing the program book for the event.

Search marketing company @Web Site Publicity announced the signing of a new client, EF Educational Tours, the industry leader in educational tours and a pioneer in experiential learning. The search firm will assist EF Educational Tours to introduce and reinforce its brand online through a strategic Pay-for-Placement campaign at the major search engines.

Over the past couple of months, Sullivan Creative has created websites for a number of clients, many of which had already worked with the agency on printed materials. They include Home Hill Inn, the law firm Cooke Clancy Gruenthal, LLP, leather artisan Diane Louise Paul, the nonprofit Jett Foundation, educational consultants Leslie S. Goldberg & Associates, and mailing solutions provider IMS.

Plan B Marketing Communications won two new accounts over the summer. For online offset printer 48hourprint.com, Plan B has developed print ads, direct mail and email campaigns. For high tech start-up Bit9, Plan B will be developing an integrated media campaign to launch their endpoint security product Parity. Existing clients also kept the Plan B team busy. New projects included multimedia Medicare and Medicaid campaigns for Blue Cross Blue Shield, plus a variety of print and radio ads for Boston restaurants and retailers.

Newport Creative Communications announced that its "Cat Out of the Bag" animal welfare direct mail package tied for second runner up in the "Acquisition More Than 50,000 Pieces Mailed" category in last month's FundRaising Success Gold Awards for Direct-Mail Excellence. Newport was one of ten who submitted 33 entries in this newly created awards program sponsored by the industry publication, FundRaising Success.

Upcoming Events

2005 Fall Seminar Series

Did you know that you can have a Group discount for NEDMA's Fall Seminar Series?
Buy 3 seats for any of NEDMA's Fall 2005 seminars and the fourth seat is FREE. Mix and match, all seats do not have to be for the same seminar. Call 781-237-1366 for more information.

October 27 - "Integrated Strategies for B2B Lead Generation" with Dennis McGuire and Mike Carney of Protocol's B2B Solutions Group, Colorado Springs

November 2 - "Customer Acquisition & Retention Strategies" with nationally known speaker, Mary Ann Kleinfelter, Director of Marketing, Direct Mail, Sylvan Learning Center

November 30 - "Direct Marketing to the Hispanic Population" with Cesar Melgoza, President, Geoscape International and Lori Collins, Corporate Vice President, FocusUSA

December 6 - "Permission-based Email" with Joel Book, Director of eMarketing Strategy, ExactTarget, Inc.

All NEDMA seminars will be held at the Microsoft Seminar Facilities in Waltham, MA

Dinner Meetings

November 8 - "The Essentials of Integrated Marketing" with Shar Van Boskirk, Consulting Analyst, Forrester Research

December 7 - "Loyalty Marketing" with Ken Dec, PreVision Marketing

From NEDMA
Please keep sending news of your promotions, new clients, publications, new capabilities, or other events to . As always, we reserve the right edit information. Note that we don't ordinarily put clickable links or telephone numbers in the member news section. But links and phone numbers are always accepted in advertising!

Victims of Hurricane Katrina are in need of assistance, and NEDMA is asking members to help out in any way possible. Please visit www.ataconnect.org for information on how to make donations to the American Red Cross.

©2005 New England Direct Marketing Association
354 Washington Street, Ste 223 Wellesley Hills, MA, 02481-6220