Death and the Mailing
It’s often said there are two things in life that can’t be avoided: death and taxes. But a third inevitable item also should be added to that list: direct mail. Mailing to deceased targets is an issue that’s long plagued the DM industry.
The launch of the first commercial deceased suppression file in the United Kingdom promises to bring consumers some relief. The REaD Group, a U.K. leader in suppression files, has introduced a listing called the Bereavement Register that’s already attracted 758,000 names.
“It’s something the industry has been screaming out for,” says managing director Mark Roy. “Mailing to [the deceased] is the single largest source of complaints made by consumers to the Data Protection Registrar. Receiving direct mail for someone who is deceased is upsetting.”
The REaD Group’s register offers consumers a questionnaire on which they note the name and address of the deceased, plus their own information. Registration also can be done by phone. The company then matches data from both records against the voter register to eliminate false information.
The suppression file is distributed by license. Roy claims 125 of the United Kingdom’s top 200 mailers have signed up. Computer bureaus have also taken out licenses. As a bureau service, file charges run 20 pence (U.S. 33 cents) per match. The entry price for an in-house license is 5,000 Pounds (U.S. $8,250), rising to a top rate of 40,000 Pounds (U.S. $66,000) for unlimited use.
Relying as it does on voluntary registration, the Bereavement Register is the best current hope for the DM industry, but highlights the problem of how to deal with names of the deceased. Around 700,000 deaths occur in the United Kingdom annually. A Registrar is notified of each death, and the deceased’s name is placed on an official list that’s used only for legal and government purposes. The only other way these names can be acquired for suppression is through law firms that capture details of wills on which probate has been granted.
The U.K. Direct Marketing Association has for some years intended to allow DMers access to the official register of deaths for suppression purposes. Its plans have stalled due to the constant stream of bills being presented to the U.K. parliament. With a reorganization of the registration process under way, its attempt may be foiled once again.
“Our hands are tied, so I expect it’s still a couple of years off,” says Peter Huey, legal affairs manager at the U.K. DMA. “In the meantime, we can’t go ahead with our own scheme, as it would antagonize them.”
