Metamorphics Media, a broker of gay and lesbian lists, will start its own mail preference service by the middle of this month using a special Web site, www.mailpreference.com.
According to Mark de Solla Price, president, the more than 100,000 people on Metamorphics’ lists will be able to opt in or opt out of lists depending on media or type of solicitation.
“Someone might feel fundraising is fine, but adult entertainment might make them crazy,” Price said, adding that consumers could, say, opt in for direct mail, but opt out for telemarketing as well.
Price pointed out that with such traditional opt in/opt out programs as the Direct Marketing Association’s, consumers are given a choice of all or nothing.
“It’s a disservice to the end consumer,” he explained.” It’s a disserve to the list owner. And it’s a disservice to the direct marketer who would like to get to those consumers.”
Confirmation of the opt in/opt out choices will be made by regular mail. The choice of confirmation was made to assuage fears of list owners who asked what is to stop someone from posting 10,000 names and suppressing an entire list.
The service will be announced in the next mailing of Metamorphics’ card pack. There are no plans as yet to link the Web site to other sites, or to place banner ads.
Privacy protection is a particularly hot issue among gay and lesbian consumers who fear specific kinds of solicitations will expose their sexual preference or HIV status.
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