Stanford Alpine Chalet uses e-mail to keep a full house; Pioneer Electronics sounds off on forums; Karmaloop adds video

Database giant Infogroup amended company CEO Bill Fairfield's employment agreement on December 24, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing dated December 30. Under the new terms, Fairfield's agreement will renew on a quarterly basis.

Direct and digital mergers and acquisitions increased in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with the third quarter in terms of deal value and number of deals, according to investment banker Petsky Prunier, which released its quarterly "Deal Notes" on December 31. Petsky Prunier specializes in the direct and digital sector.

Expect to see search marketers increase personalization efforts this year. "Personalization of search results is the next thing," says Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of Searchengineland.com. Google and Microsoft both launched their own versions of personalized results in December.

E-commerce sales jumped 5% to $27 billion for the 2009 holiday shopping season compared with a year ago, according to ComScore. The online measurement firm released the data on Dec. 30 based on online sales tallied November 1 through Christmas Eve.

We asked marketers to share their best advice for successful e-mail marketing. The common element of the four? No surprise: A focus on the customer.

Chris Paradysz, CEO, PM Digital, discusses direct marketing trends with DMNews as we turn the calendar page.

I am like a kid at Christmastime, decking the halls and making merry. However, when it comes to e-mail holiday wishes, I'm the Grinch. My heart is two sizes too small.

Ardath Harter Rodale, former chairman and CEO of health publisher Rodale, died at 81. She was the wife of the late Bob Rodale, former CEO, and the mother of Maria Rodale, who currently holds the chairman and CEO title at the media company. Ardath Rodale served as co-chairman of The Rodale Institute, a nonprofit institution dedicated to research and education focused on organic food and agriculture. The company built its magazine and book businesses through direct response marketing.

Data giant InfoGroup is rebranding its various companies with a common name and logo designed to eliminate confusion in the marketplace over its many direct marketing businesses, according to an internal video message from Bill Fairfield, company CEO. The official rollout occurs January 4, but InfoGroup is introducing the new logo to employees across its businesses and geographies over the next several days.