Direct Marketing Industry Shows 10% Growth In 2001
The UK Direct Marketing industry is “outperforming” its advertising counterparts with expenditure increasing by 10% year on year during 2001 to over £11 billion, according to figures released by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).
Mike Barnes, director of marketing at the DMA, said: “To see a growth in direct marketing at a time when total advertising expenditure is showing a decline is an amazing coup for the industry. It really is proof that when times are tough, direct marketing is the most effective and accountable way of communicating with consumers.”
The DMA’s Annual Census Of The Direct Marketing Industry 2001-2002 shows that the more traditional direct marketing sectors of telemarketing (£2.9bn) and direct mail (£2.4bn) continued to dominate the spend, accounting for nearly half of the industry’s total during 2001. This was achieved despite predictions of their decline due to the introduction of new electronic marketing tools such as email and SMS.
Expenditure on new media increased by 185% year on year during 2001 to be valued at £450m. 60% of direct marketers were found to be already using email as part of an integrated campaign strategy and 87% said that they plan to do so in the future. However, direct response ads in print and broadcast media experienced a drop in expenditure last year due to the general downturn in television and print advertising.
According to the DMA, the findings of the Census have reinforced the need for ensuring that there are enough experienced practitioners working within the industry to keep up with demand.
The latest figures compiled for the Advertising Association’s Advertising Statistics Yearbook 2002 show that total UK advertising expenditure fell by 2.6% year on year during 2001 to just over £16bn (see 2001 Decline In UK Adpsend Led By TV).
DMA: 020 7321 2525 www.dma.org.uk
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