The Direct Marketing Association yesterday said 82 percent of direct response advertising agencies surveyed in The 2000 Direct Marketing Association Direct Response Agency Billings Report cited increased billings last year over 1998.
Respondents stated the increases stem from a strong U.S. economy and the recent surge in interactive marketing opportunities.
Additional findings from the study included:
* More than 23 percent of agency respondents submitted direct response billings from offices located outside U.S. borders;
* Nearly one quarter of agencies provided figures that include revenue from inhouse operational services such as printing, database, telephone marketing or lettershop functions;
* 27 percent of agencies reported U.S. integrated communications billings such as sales promotion, public relations and general awareness advertising for 1999.
The study also found that there are now seven direct-response agencies reporting worldwide billings of more than $1 billion a year — a new record. The top 10 agencies in worldwide direct response billings in 1999 were:
1. Brann Worldwide
2. Draft Worldwide Inc.
3. Sales Machine Euro RSCG
4. OgilvyOne Worldwide
5. Impiric .
6. Rapp Collins Worldwide
7. Digitos
8. Carlson Marketing Group
9. Grey Direct Marketing Group Inc.
10. McCann Relationship Marketing Worldwide
Also, the DMA, in conjunction with its Association for Interactive Media subsidiary, announced it will offer Internet broadcasts for two DMA seminars — E-Mail Marketing 101 and E-Commerce 101.
The seminars mark the DMA’s first venture into “asynchronous learning,” the ability to conduct seminars online at a time set by the individual user.
“Bringing these seminars online will provide participants with the tools they need to succeed in e-mail and e-commerce marketing while allowing them to learn on their own time and at their own pace,” said Anne A. Schaeffer, vice president, professional development and training, the DMA. “The Internet provides the perfect learning environment where professionals can ask experts questions and share information with one another through seminar chat rooms and bulletin boards.”
The DMA's E-Mail Marketing 101 and E-Commerce 101 online seminars will each consist of a three-hour session and will remain accessible online to participants for a six-month period following activation. Cost of the seminar will be $195 for nonmembers and $175 for DMA and AIM members. For additional information on these and other DMA seminars, visit the DMA Web site at www.the-dma.org/seminars.
