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Multichannel Retail/E-commerce

Staples to open e-commerce innovation center

Melissa Hoffmann January 27, 2012

Staples will open an e-commerce innovation center in Massachusetts in May that will house teams "responsible for designing and implementing innovative new e-commerce solutions" for Staples' business customers, the company said in a Jan. 26 statement.

Digital

Google's new privacy policy will share user data across products

Alex Palmer January 27, 2012

Google's new overarching privacy policy will allow the company to share user data gathered from services including YouTube, Gmail, Picasa and the Google search engine, the company said in a new privacy statement.

Direct Classic

USPS offers commercial mailers a free ounce for promo inserts

Melissa Hoffmann January 26, 2012

In response to feedback from the mailing industry, businesses mailing automated or presort letters first-class can now mail letters weighing up to two ounces at the one-ounce postage rate, said U.S. Postal Service (USPS) spokesperson Patricia Licata on Jan. 26. The "2nd Ounce Free" initiative became effective this week.

Agency

Mindshare CEO named president of GroupM

Allison Schiff January 26, 2012

Dominic Proctor has been named president of GroupM, parent company of Mindshare Worldwide, GroupM confirmed on Jan. 26.

Org Chart

Sectors

Law firm Collins & Lacy seeks to build on statewide expansion with 'marketing passion'

Melissa Hoffmann

South Carolina-based business law firm Collins & Lacy went from a boutique firm to having a statewide presence. The key to this expansion was management's decision to invest in a marketing department, which had previously left communications to its attorneys.

Opinions

Digital

Beyond Badges: The Power of Customer Engagement Through Quests

Carrie Peters, VP of marketing, BigDoor

Online quests have proven to be tremendously popular. The trick is: how do you harness that level of engagement for something that's not a game?

A call for email dtente efficient marketing

Email Marketing

A call for email détente: efficient marketing

Rob Price, Eleven

Almost every time I wind up on some company's email database, I get punished for it.

Digital

Socially educated patients: pharma-friendly social

Ben Weisman, SVP and director of creative innovations, MRM

The rise of the socially-educated patient is here.

Who's talking to your clients?

Tony Quin, CEO, IQ

With 2011 in the rear view mirror, it's time to take stock and look ahead. If your company has been sitting on the sidelines unconvinced of the need for a social media strategy, then 2012 brings you the gift of clarity.

App developers enable marketers to gamify

Direct drives donations to nonprofits

Battle of the Brands: Sears vs. Walmart

Call for Submissions: Database Marketing

Direct Marketing News is seeking submissions for the 2012 Essential Guide to Database Marketing, which will be published April 1. Learn more.

The End (USER)

Twitter-ready insights on marketing follies

Scott Donaton, CEO, Ensemble

A picture is worth a thousand words, but not every one of my observations is worth a full column. Or so my editors tell me. Most, however, are worth at least 140 characters. With that in mind, and to help ring in 2012, I proudly present my Twitter-ready views, insights, unsolicited tidbits of advice and meaningless random thoughts on the absurdities of modern marketing.

On the Beat: Direct Classic

Direct Classic

Glean customer data pool for marketing intelligence

Joe Cordo, CMO, Extraprise January 01, 2012

With 2012 approaching, there is a single, inescapable trend that we are seeing, no matter the marketing channel: big data.

Direct Line Blog

Targeting gone wrong: part three

Juan Martinez January 26, 2012

Route 22 Toyota kicks off a promotion with a horrible football-themed email.

Direct Line Blog

As if Bratz dolls aren't bad enough ... pink Lego

Allison Schiff January 24, 2012

I wouldn't go so far as to say that everything should be gender neutral (for example, I think gender neutral childrearing is a little extreme), but there's something a little off-putting about "Lego Friends," Lego's new line of girly toys — and it's not because I'm opposed to gender-specific marketing.

The Work

McDonald's prompts parents to spend more time with kids

Allison Schiff

Striking a good work/life balance can be tough, which is why McDonald's Arabia enlisted Leo Burnett Dubai to spearhead "Family Time Forever." The campaign positions the chain as a family restaurant and aims to remind parents about the importance of spending quality time with their children.