In the July 13 issue of DMNews, we're focused on just one thing: CRM. Whether it be loyalty, engagement or customer relationships, CRM is at the forefront of the growth and innovation that the industry relies on during the downturn. This first-ever special issue of DMNews will take a closer look at every facet of the CRM and database space, including software, privacy, loyalty, retail, data collection, e-mail programs, social media and more.

Commercial and nonprofit mailers of US Postal Service Standard Mail high-density flats, mail pieces delivered to each address on a delivery route, will enjoy new minimum per-piece price decreases of 0.1 cent. The decreases kick in on July 19. In addition, mailers will see decreases to the pound price element that match the Standard Mail Saturation rate. The Postal Regulatory Commission approved the rate on July 1, potentially setting a new precedent on how to address a rate decrease in a period of deflation.

Global health marketing and communications group Euro RSCG Life acquired UK-based medical agency Medicom Group on July 1. The company will be renamed EuroRSCG Life Medicom. EuroRSCG Life's client roster includes Glaxosmithkline, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Schering-Plough and Wyeth. The merger with Medicom adds Eli Lilly to that list.

Investment bank Petsky Prunier released a trend report highlighting M&A and investment activity in the second quarter of 2009. It reveals continued slowdown for marketing, information and digital media investment volume and value. Bright spots in interactive and digital advertising were driven primarily by venture capital and corporate investments in social media, online video, mobile marketing and software-as-a-service e-mail marketing.

You've paid for the click and now you need to make the most of it. We asked three experts to share their secrets on how to design the best landing page so that every pay-per-click lead from a search engine turns into a buyer.

While overall click fraud dipped during Q1 2009, down 17% from Q4 2008 and 16% year-over-year, the fraud traffic from malicious scripted programs increased this year, according to Click Forensics. This type of malware exists as Javascript programs that execute upon a page view or site visit. Protection against this level of threat is often managed under the radar of advertisers using digital display ads. Networks and publishers working with third-party service providers often bear the brunt of ensuring traffic is legitimate and ads are correctly counted.

I had a bit of an "I told you so" moment earlier this month during my morning commute when the front page headline of New York's Metro proclaimed: "Study: Twitter's close to completely useless."
 As someone who's been skeptical of the merit of the medium, I'm feeling pretty smug. It's not that I haven't been watching the trends, Tweeting my whereabouts @DMNews or found it fun to see what our followers are thinking — but fun and function do not always go hand in hand.

Zumbox, a paperless mail delivery system that launched in February, has enlisted direct marketing veteran Donn Rappaport as its CEO. Rappaport, who has a 30-year history in the list and database marketing industry, will remain chairman of ALC. The two companies also announced a strategic partnership that will support Zumbox's national rollout planned to begin September 2009.

Draftfcb New York has merged its media, digital and CRM practices into a single unit called the Real-Time Marketing division. The change, which is in response to the industry-wide focus on CRM and digital, impacted 100 company employees, who were relocated within the building to be in closer proximity and under the same operating budget.

The Postal Regulatory Commission unanimously approved the US Postal Service's summer sale, formally known as the Standard Mail Volume Incentive Pricing Program, on June 4.