Direct marketing: Options for the future
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ords: consumerism, integration, consolidation, mobile, future
Opinion Piece Direct marketing: Options for the future Peter Simpson Received: 4 January 2007
Abstract Direct marketers have a choice to make. We have come a long way over the last 30 years and achieved much. The volume and value of the industry is an unquestionable testament to its success. But we are now faced with a real dilemma. We are like graduates, fresh from the university with a good degree — the world is our oyster, but which direction do we take? Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice (2007) 8, 289–293. doi:10.1057/palgrave.dddmp.4350062
The three big ifs Why do I say we have a choice right now? Because, right now, we face three big ifs: do we go one way or the other? If we say yes in each case we follow the high road to further success, a no and we are on the low road to failure. So what are the issues we need to face? Consumerism We, the 60 million plus people living and working in the UK are becoming more sophisticated. We know what we like and what we are prepared to accept. Increasingly, we like time and space and are alive to green issues. Therefore, we do not like interruptions, and neither are we prepared to put up with waste. Direct marketers must agree that the days of junk and spam in all their guises are gone; being out of touch is the road to nowhere.
Peter Simpson Data Lateral Ltd. Aldersgate House 135–137 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4JA, UK Tel: + 44 0845 859 0000 E-mail: [email protected]
Integration It is now obvious that we are moving towards a digital world. We talk so much of media fragmentation as if it is a threat. Obviously, it is a tremendous opportunity to direct marketers prepared to accept the new world. As one industry declines, others grow — I watched the decline of textiles, steel and coal in Yorkshire in the last half of the last century. Wonderful case studies in attitudes to structural change — compare Leeds with a reinvention philosophy with Sheffield’s retrenchment mentality.
© 2 0 0 7 PA LG R AV E MAC MILLAN LTD 1746- 0166 $30.00 VO L.8 NO.4 PP 289– 293.
Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice
www.palgrave-journals.com/dddmp
289
Simpson We have the same issue. Volume direct marketing will be no more. Integrated multichannel, digital communications are the world of the future, including digital design and delivery.
The communications market is growing rapidly and becoming more competitive
The three challenges are closely linked
Consolidation Our market, the communications market, is clearly growing rapidly. It is also becoming more competitive. In this environment, the current direct marketing structure — myriads of relatively small firms focusing on direct mail are bound for nowhere. To meet the challenges of consumerism and integration, we must consolidate. That means we must stop thinking of ourselves as data houses, production outfits, creative units, but as marketers — marketers more than equal to compete with the big names in advertising and (credit)
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