Database marketing

• Millennials Slower To Take Advantage Of Retail Loyalty Programs

  Millennials—consumers born roughly between 1982 and 2000, depending on which definition is used—sign up for fewer such schemes, and are more likely to be dissatisfied with them, according to research from ACI Worldwide.

• Agencies

  California’s No-ZIP Ruling Breeds Lawsuits, List Concerns

  Last month’s ruling by the California Supreme Court bars retailers from asking for ZIP codes from credit-card store shoppers

• Agencies

  Older Baby Boomers May Hold Surprises For Marketers

  Age is an essential data point when targeting consumers. But advertisers who have pre-fixed ideas about what a baby boomer looks like may be in for a rude awakening as younger-thinking citizens age into this cohort.

  Take the oldest boomers, those born between 1946 and 1954. They’re a lot more active—and a lot more computer-savvy—than previous generations of consumers in their mid-50s and mid-60s. Linda Armstrong, an executive vice president and practice leader at DMW Direct who specializes in health and age-targeted product launches, spoke with Chief Marketer about specific considerations marketers should mull when appealing to this group.

• Open Access: What Tunisia, Egypt, WikiLeaks and the Age of Modern Communication

  As marketing communication leaders, chief marketers can improve their organization’s odds for success by not only accepting this reality but also by better planning and preparing for it. Here are four guidelines for living in the age of Internet democracy (some might call it anarchy) and transparency.

• Agencies

  Crabtree & Evelyn Revamps Loyalty Program, Boosts Direct Mail Use

  Bath and body products retailer Crabtree & Evelyn is hoping an aggressive customer contact strategy and an updated loyalty program will result in the sweet smell of success.

  At the heart of its re-energized customer focus is “Platinum,” a loyalty program the company launched just over a year ago to replace its “Preferred” scheme. For a five dollar entry fee, members received 20% discounts on merchandise during the first week of each month.

• Lead Gen Gears Up: Chief Marketer Annual Survey

  Every lead-gen channel will see increased use over last year, according to the 2011 survey response. But the largest growth will come among the web tools

• Acquisition

  New Credit Card Holder Lists Still a Good Bet

  A few years ago, when there were 7 billion credit card solicitations being mailed, one of the core types of lists being used was recent credit card issues.

• Agencies

  Coffee Seller Keurig Tests Mail In Consumer-Focused Effort

  If a new direct mail campaign from Keurig is successful, 2011 will see consumers moving at a slightly peppier pace

• Agencies

  Plan for the Future With Basic Direct Mail Analysis

  Where are you going next year? What direction do you want to take your business? Before you sit down to put together next year’s direct marketing plan, take a look at where you have been and what you have done.

• Agencies

  First Step in Monetizing Social Media: Listening

  As marketers grapple with how to make money from social media, they may be overlooking one simple tactic: listening to what people are saying about the brand on social networks, and reacting accordingly.