Chief Marketer Staff

• Live from Gartner CRM Summit: Create and Kill Points Programs Often

  Points-based programs have a place in marketing strategies. Their role is that of a promotion, and they should be treated as such. But they should not

• Letters to the Editor

  Your column and concept of withholding direct marketing services to politicians is pure brilliance.

• Short Cuts

  Pitney Bowes has named Michele Mayes senior vice president and general counsel. Mayes joins Stamford, CT, Pitney Bowes after nearly 11 years at the Colgate

• Live from the Gartner Summit: Banks Turn to Event Marketing

  For all their talk about CRM, banks are not as advanced as you might think. When asked to name their most important activity in driving marketing initiatives,,

• Turnarounds Are Nothing New for Spiegel

  One of my favorite old Chicago photos shows Wabash Ave. in the late 1890

• Spiegel CEO Steps Down and is Replaced by Turnaround Specialist

  The Spiegel Group suffered yet another convulsion last week when its CEO stepped down to be replaced by a turnaround expert. Martin Zaepfel, who was put

• Digital

  Sprinks Rolls Out Sponsored Links for Web Sites and E-Newsletters

  About.com has introduced two new sponsored-links products through its Sprinks division. ContentSprinks provides links to text-based ads on Web pages.

• USA Direct Merges with Starbright

  USA Direct Inc. has merged with rival direct mail services firm Starbright. The merger includes Direct-e, an e-commerce firm owned by New York-based Starbright.

• Agencies

  Bad Policy

  FTC Chairman Timothy Muris has introduced a new social program to the American people with the publication of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) that

• Agencies

  SCION OF THE TIMES

  For the launch of the new Scion, carmaker Toyota has gone against the grain. The company has run no TV ads, salesmen at its dealerships do not speak to