Should marketers care about services? Readers respond to the October Gloves Off question.
Marketers and customer service leaders need to unite. The customer expects no less.
Is it time to rename direct marketing? Readers respond to the September Gloves Off question.
Does the term "direct marketing" need a makeover? Our experts weighed in and our readers responded with gusto.
Readers respond to the August Gloves Off question: Will "Do Not Track" destroy online ads?
Digital marketers are torn on the potential effect of "Do Not Track" legislation.
Readers respond to the July Gloves Off question.
With its recent IPO, Facebook ads are getting a lot of scrutiny.
Is Amazon an ally of the retail industry? Readers respond to the June Gloves Off question.
Is Pinterest just a passing fad? Readers respond to the May Gloves Off question.
It's a question that's burning through the minds of many marketers — and that's why we asked our readers to vent some steam and weigh in.
Will mobile drive more e-commerce revenue than PCs? Our readers respond to the April Gloves Off question.
In the next five years, will smartphones and tablets drive more annual e-commerce sales revenue than PCs or will PCs develop new capabilities to keep them in the lead?
What's the best channel for ad spend? Readers respond to March's Gloves Off question.
Mobile and social vs. email: Where should marketers spend their limited dollars this year? It's a question that's top-of-mind for many marketers out there — and that's why we asked you.
Demographic marketing has long been the industry standard, but does it have a future? Andrew Bailey, chairman at Proximity North America; Michael Benedek, president and CEO of Datonics; Gary Reisman, principal and founder of NewMediaMetrics; and Liz Deutch, EVP, global director, customer engagement at Draftfcb, weigh in.
Google's paid ads: What will the impact be for marketers? Dorothy Weaver, VP of digital marketing services at Acquirgy, and Tej Shah, VP of e-commerce and marketing at Blue Soda Promo, weigh in.
Two longtime marketers weigh in on whether or not brands should keep print catalogs in their marketing mix.
Jessica Randazza , manager of brand experience at Digitas, and AJ Khubani, president and CEO of TeleBrands Corp., discuss whether toll-free numbers are the best for DRTV.
David Erickson, director of e-strategy at Tunheim , and Arthur Papas, cofounder and CEO of Bullhorn, discuss whether Google+ will boost marketing campaigns.
Manu Mathew , cofounder and CEO of Visual IQ, and James Burrows, EVP of global sales at e-Miles, discuss whether the click-through rate is a dead metric.
Aseem Chandra , VP of marketing of the Omniture business unit at Adobe Systems, and Mathieu Hannouz , senior product marketing manager at Neolane, discuss whether social media measurement is necessary.
Chet Barnard, CEO of Exit41, and Steve Knapp, director of brand activation and senior partner at Carmichael Lynch, nearly 20 years of agency-side marketing experience, discuss whether Facebook "likes" indicate marketer ROI.
Dennis Dayman, chief privacy and security officer at Eloqua, and Eric Picard, chief product officer at Traffiq, discuss whether third-party data tracking is acceptable.
Tore Steen VP of marketing and business development at Janrain, and Semyon Dukach CEO and chairman of SMTP Inc., discuss whether brands should outsource all data storage.
Rod Witmond, SVP for production management and marketing at Cardlytics, and Oscar Padilla, director of interactive services at Vertis Communications discuss whether brands should abandon e-mail marketing for social media.
Vikram Sharma, CEO at ShopLocal, and Jon Brown Director of interactive services at Partners & Napier, discuss whether a Facebook e-commerce site is necessary.
Gregory Kim, head of marketing and strategy at Savings.com, and Suzie Brown, CMO at Valassis, discuss the future of couponing.
Susan Kelly, VP at Xerox, and Frank O'Brien, founder of Conversation, debate the pros and cons of quick response codes
John Shegerian, chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International, Inc., and Tim McLaughlin, president and founder of Siteworx, debate.
Hipcricket's Jeff Hasen and Gettington.com's Paula Drum discuss the pros and cons of retailer investment in m-commerce
Merkle's Tim Berry and Queensboro Shirt Company's Fred Myers weigh in on acquisition marketing.
The US Postal Service is encouraging e-retailers to turn to print catalogs to raise revenue. Our experts debate whether they should expand their reach to print or stay 'green'
Location-based marketing allows brands to target individual consumers when they're literally in the neighborhood. Our experts discuss whether it's a necessity for marketers
As marketing becomes more integrated and digitally focused, is the term 'direct marketing' too old school to describe the breadth of DMers' work? Our experts debate the topic
As consumers communicate more via e-mail, the US Postal Service is considering cutting Saturday home delivery altogether. Is direct mail dead? Our experts debate the topic
A number of traditional direct marketing companies have recently made top creative hires. Two experts discuss whether service providers should focus on creative talent, or on their strengths.
Mobile apps are all the rage, with technology companies boasting about which phones offer the widest selection. Have they replaced text messaging campaigns for marketers?
From beer to banking, celebrity endorsements are a major component of many marketing campaigns. Do they have the same weight in social media? Two experts make their cases
Like most Google products, the introduction of Gmail's social network Google Buzz is getting mixed reviews. Does it offer any opportunities for marketers? Two experts debate
Recent product releases from Google and Apple have led some observers to believe that mobile advertising is about to reach critical mass. Two experts debate the question
Consumers continue to voice concern about the privacy of their data. But should data privacy issues be at the top of a marketer's priority list? Two experts debate the topic.
E-commerce pros are always looking for ways to get customers to click all the way through to checkout. Two experts discuss whether behavioral targeting is a panacea or just one part
Social media is the "next big thing" and the medium of the moment. Experts debate whether the hype means marketers are unduly ignoring traditional media in the process.
Smartphones are everywhere — a trend marketers want to take advantage of. But what about mobile search advertising? Two experts debate whether this channel is worth a look.
Apple is actively promoting the wide range of applications available for its iPhone. Two experts take sides on whether to focus on that device or a number of smartphones.
Most consumers can name Google, Yahoo and Bing. But are vertical-specific search engines of the same value to marketers as the "big three?" Two experts take sides in the debate.
E-mail has matured and gained popularity among marketers, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it completely beats out postal mail. Two experts take sides in the debate
As the ability to dig deeper into data expands, there are several ways to segment your audience beyond demographics. Our experts debate on how ethnicity plays a role
Even businesses that buy and sell online often also have a presence in offline collateral. Our experts debate the value of trying to drive e-commerce in traditional channels
The rush to stand out in the mailbox, as well as advances in mail technology, has led some marketers to consider larger mailers. But are they worth it? Two experts examine options.
New media has changed the timing, the technology and the reach of campaigns. Agency creatives debate whether it has had a fundamental impact on the copywriting process.
E-mail affordability is receiving a lot of attention in today's tight economic environment. Two experts debate whether it's time to re-evaluate your ESP and invest in a system
An increasingly complex media mix means accurately predicting which consumers are most profitable is harder than ever. Experts debate how to approach the changing landscape.
You've devoted time and resources to Twitter, working to reach consumers in a relevant way in a place they are all the time. How do you know if it works? Our experts debate.
Whether retail or b-to-b, the economy and rising print and postal costs are crunching the catalog sector. Our experts assess what the future holds for the popular sales channel.
The debate over marketers paying bloggers covers a number of issues, ranging from search engine marketing practices to ethical concerns. Our experts weigh arguments on both sides.
With Twitter, YouTube and Flickr among the many user-generated content sites informing marketing, our experts debate whether agency-created content could fall by the wayside
Facebook is exploding and not just for individuals but companies as well. But how exactly to leverage it — and other emerging social media — is still up in the air. Our experts debate
Some searchers place more trust in the organic results from search engine optimization; while for others, paid search is more effective and measurable. Our experts assess both.
In today's economy, marketers must fully understand how every media channel that is used contributes to every sale. Our experts debate the most ideal focus for your measurement
Some say consumers' new thriftiness is purely a reaction to the current economy; to others, it is one of several behavioral shifts taking place that marketers must address. Our experts debate.
The rise of social networks offer unique marketing opportunities. However, some say search's quantifiable nature means it remains king of online marketing. Our experts each take a side
As companies scramble for new online lead-generation options, word-of-mouth and referral incentive programs are among those emerging ideas. Our experts assess strategies
Recently, Google backed away from a shared advertising agreement with Yahoo, which itselfis eyed by Microsoft. Our experts debate how consolidating engines affects search marketing
Loyalty programs can reward loyal customers and aid retention — important in this global economic recession. But should every customer be an equal member? Our experts weigh in
Search and display advertising each compete for dollars, eyes and results. Search can lead to a stronger ROI, while display can punch up online conversion. Our experts compare them.
Credit use is down, along with retail sales. Retailers have had to be creative in finding ways to get customers in the door. Our experts assess how to best appeal to consumers in this tough economy.
Text messaging is fast and simple, but the growing use of smart phones offers greater capabilities for mobile Web usage. Our experts gauge the effectiveness of text vs. mobile.
The viral forward-to-a-friend tactic might be a quick way to build up a list, but others argue the process falls short. Are these referral marketing campaigns effective? Our experts weigh in
With postal and production costs rising and more consumers looking to online, some say that direct mail may be nearing its end as an effective marketing tool — but others disagree.
The rough economy and tight budgets may force companies to streamline their marketing efforts — and digital becomes very tempting. Our experts prioritize strategies to maximize effectiveness.
Cutting mail delivery is often cited as a way to cut costs, but the postal industry counters that it would adversely affect consumers. Our experts assess the potential impact of a five-day postal week
With explosive growth of social media sites also has been a rise in intra-network communication, a growing alternative to personal e-mail. Our experts debate the effect on marketing.
In their quest to gather leads online, marketers have placed forms in myriad places on the Web — but their effectiveness is questionable at best. Our experts offer potential alternatives.
Agencies looking to build up their business cannot rely on dated approaches to attract new clients. Our experts explain how unconventional strategies can be put into play.
The green movement, rising paper production costs and the migration to online marketing pose major challenges for print and production. Our experts offer strategies and predictions.
Free shipping can add appeal to a retailer's overall offer; however, the incentive has become fairly common and more costly for retailers to deliver. Our experts offer different perspectives.
Direct marketers are always searching for ways to measure the success of campaigns, but open rates may not accurately measure e-mail ROI. Our experts differ on best alternatives.
A solid advertising campaign requires that marketers identify their target audience and develop an irresistible offer. Our experts discuss which element is more crucial to success.
As social media gains popularity, it seems logical for brand and direct marketers to reach consumers on their favorite Web sites. Our experts disagree as to whether the time is right.
Placement on established, branded Web sites may seem like a logical step for online marketers looking to reach qualified audiences and online revenue goals, but our experts debate the issue of whether that investment is always necessary for the desired results.
To sell ads online, publishers and marketers are faced with a choice between aggregate ad networks or direct dealings. Our experts weigh the pros and cons of each approach.
List selection is important to direct marketers, who often have to decide whether to send an offer to their existing customer file or a rented list. Experts weigh the benefits of each.
Color printing has become more affordable for direct marketers, but still adds to a campaign's bottom line. Our experts debate the value of investing to color your company's marketing.
As interactions become increasingly digital, will the agency world ever see online pitching replace the in-person, face-to-face conference room pitch meeting? Our experts debate.
Amid world events such as genocide, natural disasters, disease and poverty, nonprofits vie to maintain close ties and ongoing support from donor bases in a slow economy. Our experts debate defeating donor fatigue.
Now that advertisers can purchase online ads on a CPC, CPA or CPL basis, many small and midsize businesses can place ads next to larger corporate entities. Experts debate the strength of that advantage.
Professional marketers know it is difficult to get accurate, timely data from many sources. Two experts debate the best way to apply DM knowledge to collecting census data more efficiently.
The online industry is rife with associations and best practice groups. Our experts look at where the digital age is at in terms of collaboration across the industry, and with the government, when it comes to standards.
As an increasing number of widgets and ad banners appear on online social networks, understanding how the channel will work best for marketers in the future is still up for debate.
The demands of the direct marketing industry require both out-of-the-box thinking and the capacity to review results and adjust spend. Experts debate which to prioritize when recruiting new employees.
As media continue to fragment, two experts debate whether it is more important to achieve high response rates through targeted campaigns, or a large audience through a wide-reaching media buy.
This may finally be the year of mobile advertising, but debate rages as to whether display ads on mobile devices deserve more dollars than conventional online channels.
While experts are still debating if the US economy is officially in a downturn, many Americans — marketers included — are watching their discretionary spending.
With the onset of rising postage and paper costs, as well as a tremendous uptake in online commerce, some marketers have questioned print's power as an acquisition tool.
With an increase in consumers' awareness of eco-friendly business practices, the pressure is on for marketers to decrease the environment impact of their output.
Deciding how and where to house technology for an e-mail deployment engine often comes down to two choices: Work with a host ESP or use in-house or custom-built software.
Automated fulfillment is used by multichannel retailers to varying degrees, but some marketers question how much mechanism to add to an order and shipment process.
Peter Meyers, VP of marketing at ICOM Information & Communications LP, and Elizabeth Gordon, president of Flourishing Business, discuss the role coupons play in long-term customer acquisition and retention.
Company of the week R2C GroupR2C creates, produces, distributes and measures messages that inspire and compel consumers to do something with a brand to drive commercial advantage. The full-service advertising agency specializes in creative, production, media, analytics and performance. |
What's in our mailbox this month: fitness postcards from Retro Fitness, American Woman Fitness Centers, Union's United Taekwondo Academy, and Bally Total Fitness. (We're totally pumped.)
Social data can improve a brand's bottom line and customer relationships. Just ask brands Infiniti and Diamond Nexus.
Here are three must-have data sets that every marketer should include in his or her email strategy.
