As we finally wind down after an eventful year in the world of direct marketing – though some may say that’s putting it mildly — we can look back and see that 2008 was clearly not a year for marketers to rest on their laurels. Instead, as a recession took hold and threatened companies in all sectors, it was a time to sit up straight and take notice about what worked, what didn’t work and how to make sure companies see even more measurable success in the coming year across all channels. Even traditional marketers took a fresh look at direct marketing, as ROI became a steady focus of CMOs everywhere.
At DMNews, we wanted a place to offer our take on the previous year’s highs, lows and everything in between. So, in this issue, you’ll witness the debut of our first annual special feature, “The Rundown,” which counts down the most talked about stories, issues and campaigns of the year (pg. 10).
It wasn’t hard to come up with what to cover in The Rundown: From retail bankruptcies and CAN-SPAM provisions to USPS changes, the Yahoo saga, list company consolidations and the TJX data scandal, no one could say that the direct marketing industry didn’t have enough to read about in 2008. Add to that all the fascinating ways the presidential campaign used direct marketing tactics; the endless stream of emerging media tactics; new buzzwords; the good and bad of green marketing tactics; as well as agency account shifts and executive comings and goings, and it was clearly an extremely eventful year — both good and bad — for anyone involved in our business.
If predictions prove right, 2009 will be just as memorable — so make sure to stay tuned in to DMNews‘ daily and weekly coverage of everything you need to know in the world of direct and digital marketing. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year. See you in 2009!
Contact me at [email protected]
