The Direct Marketing Association of Southern California, formerly the Los Angeles Direct Marketing Association, is now an affiliate of the Direct Marketing Association. The group follows the Direct Marketing Club of New York, which voted to become an affiliate in mid-October.
Before becoming an affiliate, the Los Angeles club merged with the DMA Southern California chapter. The new group now operates independently with 550 members, said president Steve Stallman, who is chief brander of Stallman Marketing.
“The new program makes sense,” he said of the merger and affiliate status. “Our objectives were identical.”
The board voted for the move in November, and all but one of the former chapter’s board members joined the board of the DMASC, he said.
The DMCNY was revealed to be the first club to become a DMA affiliate at DMA*05. At that time, the DMA said it hoped to discuss the program with the larger marketing clubs including Los Angeles.
Under that arrangement, any individual who joins or renews their membership to DMCNY and whose company is not already a DMA member can join the DMA for the first year at a 50 percent discount. Club members also will get discounts on DMA products and services and receive access to some of the restricted content on the DMA’s Web site. They also will be eligible to submit entries to the DMA’s Echo Awards and be eligible for nomination to serve as an Echo judge.
Stallman said the California club had a similar arrangement.
Kristen Bremner covers list news, insert media, privacy and fundraising for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
