MeritDirect has renamed its List Management & Interactive Services operations as Data and Media Services. Rob Sanchez, president of List Management & Interactive Services, retains his title within the new unit.
The new name reflects the company's growing focus on data and database services as well as lead generation, says Sanchez. "It has been a natural progression," he adds. "As our clients have made more demands for database resources, we have developed more tools. It is re-defining to the marketplace what MeritDirect does. We do a lot more than list management."
According to Sanchez, the new name allows the company to better showcase a variety of offerings, such as its OmniChannelBase business-to-business file, as well as the work it does with agencies, its e-mail and online advertising services, and co-registration, data licensing and consumer data files.
MeritDirect's database work includes analyzing who a client's current customers are as well as cleaning, sorting and enhancing their customer files. "What had been buying and selling lists has gotten more sophisticated and has led us to be a lot bigger marketing partner" of its clients, Sanchez adds.
"A lot of companies we sell to don't know what a list manager or broker is. We have seen a huge increase in business outside of the broker market from agencies, in data licensing and information sales and lead generation. We are trying to really customize the branding of the company based on what we see the market doing. Online data world and more channels have made the world a lot more complicated. [The unit's new name] makes a lot more sense rather than defining it as managers and brokers."
The rebranding represents the culmination of a gradual shift in MeritDirect's operations. The company will not do any hiring or shifts in personnel or titles beyond those done in the normal course of business, according to Sanchez.
The unit operates parallel to MeritDirect's Strategic Services Group, which was launched in October 2010. That unit provides consulting work, circulation planning and other online marketing services.
MeritDirect manages the files of Penton Media Inc., the parent company of Chief Marketer.
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