DM p12-17 Consumer Data Dec08.qxp 02/12/2008 11:10 Page 12
Consumer Data
Despite the various global and UK measures to stimulate consumer spending and get the
economy back on track, the credit crunch shows little sign of slowing up, but is this
necessarily a problem for the DM industry? Or does it simply present database marketers
with a fresh and rare opportunity, asks Rob McLuhan?
Is direct marketing
recession-proof?
I
t’s a cliché to say that direct marketing’s account- ty and cheapness.
ability makes it recession proof, but the last time On the other hand, most of the decline is in the
there was real evidence of this was in the early higher income bracket, suggesting that more affluent
1990s. The anticipated drop in above-the-line adver- groups are either being targeted less, or more intelli-
tising has duly occurred, and layoffs by big media gently. Probably the latter, according to EuroDirect’s
companies and publishers are gathering pace. But as managing director John Dobson. “We’re not seeing
yet there seems to have been no big upswing to direct any reduction in marketing spend, which suggests
We’re not seeing approaches. that organisations are taking a more targeted
any reduction in
On the contrary, in a recent survey by EuroDirect approach,” he says.
marketing spend,
nearly a third of consumers said they have been get- In the longer term the data industry still expects to
which suggests
ting fewer direct communications over the past year. benefit from the recession, as it did in 1992, with the
That especially applies to direct mail, where 19% said difference this time around that relevance will be a
better targeting.
they saw a drop, but also to telemarketing (17%) and key factor, as organisations strive to ensure that offers
John Dobson,
somewhat surprisingly also email (10%), which had fall on fertile ground. For the moment, agencies are
Eurodirect Managing Director.
been expected to attract new users for its measurabili- watching anxiously to see how the deteriorating con-
12 Database Marketing December 2008 www.dmarket.co.uk
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