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You're not alone: Six months ago, I took my Ford Focus for a simple repair. I was on my way to vacation in Petoskey last June when a warning message flashed across my Ford Focus dashboard and the car came to a halt on northbound U.S. 131. Chip shortage holding up your auto repair?. [Extracted from the article]

Explains the value of direct mailings and seasonality studies, even though they are not exact sciences. What one such study reports on; Advertisers being interested in learning the best time to mail; The most popular months for mailings in the `entertainment' category; Why book clubs do campaigns in June.

The Detroit Institute of Arts is working to raise its profile with less than two months to go before voters decide the museum's early millage renewal. Those agreements set the DIA apart from the handful of other museums in the country receiving millage support, Salort-Pons said. [Extracted from the article]

Focuses on direct-to-consumer drug advertising in the United States. Pharmaceutical companies' use of celebrities, humor and other marketing techniques to help their advertisements stand out from the clutter; Drug companies' use of prime-time television to promote allergy drugs; Advertising campaigns for Glaxo's Wellbutrin.

New York City announced a three-month business tax amnesty with a blizzard of advertising and mass-mailings designed to net $20 million in back taxes and to get thousands of mostly small businesses on its tax rolls. Despite the critics, the city is pushing ahead with its amnesty on two fronts. It has launched a $1 million print and radio advertisements. At the same time, the city has begun mailing letters to more than 500,000 delinquent taxpayers that it is targeting for collection. The amnesty does not apply to real estate, personal income or sales and use taxes. Mark Stone, a tax manager at Manhattan, New York City-based accounting firm Marcum & Kliegman LLP feels that it is a great opportunity for people who have not been paying their tax regularly. A 1994 amnesty in the smaller tax categories of real property transfer, hotel, commercial rent and utility generated $11 million.

Deals with how to get consumers to open and respond to direct mail. Challenges in direct marketing; Importance of understanding which consumers are most receptive to mailings; Identification of demographic groups most likely to be receptive to specific types of offers.

Business Improvement District (BID), worried that many in the garment area don't understand the impact of the coming Republican National Convention, will begin a series of weekly mailings to tenants in the neighborhood this week. The first postcard will alert office managers, retailers and restaurants to street closings and identification rules, and provide other tips for surviving the convention from August 30 to September 2 in New York City. While Mayor Michael Bloomberg maintains that the week is usually slow-paced, with many people on vacation, the BID notes that it is an intense period for the garment business, as designers prepare for the annual fall fashion shows in Bryant Park the following week.

Focuses on how companies can get they direct mail opened and read instead of being rejected. How the envelope determines whether the mail is read or not; Suggestions on how the envelope should be structure; Description of various techniques to use. INSET: Make alist, check it twice..

Reports that New York-based Citicorp company is preparing a direct-mail campaign to extend unsecured credit lines to small businesses. Detailed information on the CitiCorp plan; Size of loans available from Citicorp.

Offers advice in marketing direct mails. Includes formulating teasers; Use of blind mailing; Use of personalized mails.

The article focuses on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The service's advertising aimed at direct marketers to promote mailing of catalogs and other forms of direct mail advertising is considered. USPS believes that revenue from those forms of mail can compensate for sharp declines in first-class and business mailings.

The article discusses direct marketing and consumer attitudes towards it. Some direct mail marketing can be off target such as in the case of a 27-year-old woman who receives a Pottery Barn Kids catalog but has no children and a 49-year-old woman who receives the Limited Too catalog for children. A study by Forrester found that 62% of consumer participants felt they received too much direct mail and 7% felt the direct marketing they received was relevant. INSETS: How to maximize your retail database;Who's doing it right?.

The article discusses U.S. states considering instituting do-not-mail lists that would allow residents to be free of "junk mail." The effect of this potential ban on junk mail on marketers who use direct mail is discussed. It is stated that some advertising companies are listening to consumers to decide how best to market their products.

Reports on the traditional direct-to-consumer advertising launched by pharmaceutical marketer Pfizer in 2005. Budget allocated by the company for advertising; Value of Pfizer's Lipitor business; Agency responsible for the marketing effort of Pfizer.

Presents an update on the advertising industry in the U.S. as of July 4, 2005. Billboard campaign for music downloading launched by the Music United for Strong Internet Copyright Coalition; Support of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on direct-to-consumer advertising; Decision of Procter & Gamble to select marketing and production company Red for its Prilosec over-the-counter drug.

Reports on the decision of Bristol-Myers Squibb to self-impose a ban on Direct-to-Consumer advertising of drugs in the U.S. Impact of the decision on pharmaceutical marketing; Disagreement of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America with the decision of the company; Amount spent by the company on drug advertising.

Reports on the effect of the withdrawal of over-the-counter and prescription drugs advertisement on television advertising in the U.S. Reasons behind the decision of drug companies to withdraw their ads; Cancellation of an ad for the painkiller drug Celebrex by Pfizer; Views of television ad executives on direct-to-consumer advertising and over-the-counter brands.

Focuses on the efforts of pharmaceutical marketers towards e-mail advertising. Advantages of e-detailing in leading physicians to product information, according to Ted Nugent, marketing director for Medical Marketing Service; Comparison of the costs of acquiring customers through print campaign and e-mail; Initiative devised by Pfizer for its drug Lipitor.

The article reports that some of the $28.4 billion spent on telemarketing to consumers will flow into advertising, direct mail and sales promotion following the implementation of the national do-not-call rules in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission formally released its version of the rule on July 3, 2003, setting the stage for do-not-call to take effect October 1, 2003 for all consumer marketers.

This article reports on the direct-mail tests for Flash magazine initiated by publishing company Gruner &amp JAHR USA in December 2002. About 500,000 direct-mail solicitations for Flash will hit mailboxes this month. Emili Listfield, the editor in chief of Fitness, is spearheading the project and is expected to have that title at both magazines should Flash launch. Results of the direct-mail test will not be known for a few months, but Gruner &amp JAHR chief marketing officer Cindy Spengler, cautioned more tests could follow and thus it was hard to foresee a potential launch date. Should the title launch, its rate base would be around 500,000, although the company's expectation for Flash would be that its circulation would end up significantly higher. Hence, the direct-mail come-on promises a title significantly steamier than the rest of Gruner &amp JAHR's stable, which includes venerable women's titles like Family Circle. In a Maxim-esque touch, the top of the letter to subscribers is emblazoned with repetitions of the phrase stars style shopping sex.

This article focuses on the restriction imposed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration on direct-to-consumer advertising on September 30, 2002. A discussion over whether the restrictions on DTC advertising should be loosened has kicked up a fight between consumer groups, print media and drug manufacturers. Hence, drug makers, advertising and media groups are urging easing of current DTC restrictions, contending there is no evidence that direct-to-consumer advertising causes overmedication. As well, they see as too cumbersome the requirement that drug makers run long lists of side effects in newspaper and magazine advertisements.

The article reports that major publishers and direct marketers signed on to a settlement offered by Postmaster General John E. Potter which would allow an 8.7% postal rate hike to take effect on June 30, 1992. The agreement to the rate hike was part of publishers and mailer groups' bid to delay other increases into mid-2003. The U.S. Postal Service earlier threatened to seek immediate recovery of losses resulting from the economic downturn and the fallout after the anthrax scare. Alliance of Non Profit Mailers executive director Neal Denton said the increase seemed an appropriate response in light of the double whammy of recession and anthrax facing the Postal Service.

The article examines how marketers and direct groups are addressing security issues and reassuring customers in light of the anthrax scare in the United States. Industry executives stressed their concern on the negative effects of the scare on the direct-mail industry. In view of the anthrax scare, companies still continue their direct mailing efforts including H&R Block and Kimberly Clark Corp.

The article reports on the shift in focus of Congress away from advertising issues following the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001. Key issues discussed include the likelihood that direct-to-consumer advertising and new privacy legislation will be put off and expectations that the calendar for Congress will be revised to avoid any issues that could be divisive.

Reports on the direct-mail campaign of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for electric power services marketing to California companies. Focus on information-technology businesses reliant on a steady stream of power; Schedule for the mailing roll out; Preparations for the launching of the advertising and worker-recruitment campaign.

The article discusses the results of the sixth annual survey of interactive media in the U.S. conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). The DMA found out that despite the real-time benefits of Internet advertising, marketers prefer the use of traditional direct mail to drive transactions to the Web. Direct mail generated the most Internet sales compared to Internet, television and radio advertising.

This article reports that American Family Publishers has decided to stop selling magazine subscriptions via sweepstakes in the U.S. The abruptness of the move is a blow to the direct mail industry, which had once counted on sweepstakes to generate as much as 1.4 million subscriptions a year at low cost.

This article reports on the decision of Gap Inc. to embark on an advertising direction that takes its cue from the Broadway musical, West Side Story in 2000. Gone is the signature all-white background in the new Gap campaign breaking on ABC network's Academy Awards broadcast. The effort is focusing on mainstream faces and a diverse mixture of clothing in a bid to draw in consumers who may have been turned off by Gap's earlier approach. One of the reasons behind the more colorful advertisements is a change in fashion. The strategy shift comes as Gap struggles with flat same-store sales at its core Gap stores for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2000. Gap is trying to lift sales with several approaches. It has increased its use of direct mail and even as its overall advertising outlay increases, executives at The Gap have indicated its television spending will decline. The Gap also continues to look for new audiences. Currently, the company is launching GapBody stores and testing maternity clothing sales on its Web site. Some Gap-watchers expect the chain to introduce a furniture and lifestyle chain as well. INSET: Dockers take fashion angle.

The article discusses issues related to growing prevalence of social media and individualized direct advertising for advertisements of health care industry which includes pharmaceutical, insurance and hospitals. Topics discussed include decline in television and radio advertising in the health care industry due to growth in Internet media advertising, expenditure by the heath care industry on digital medial platform for advertising and reasons for enhanced personalized direct advertising.

This article talks about direct marketing to African-Americans and Hispanics in the U.S. As marketers seek additional ways to tap the African-American and Hispanic markets, they turn to marketing services agencies that tailor direct mail offers to ethnic consumers. These services not only have a handle on cultural nuances and say they can educate clients in spending habits but also wield a value-added asset: a database of consumers that is often complicated for a marketer to develop. However, services such as Nia Direct, need to understand clients as well as the consumers if they want to realize a worthwhile response in the Hispanic community, says Cristina Benitez, president of Lazos Latinos, a Hispanic marketing consultancy. According to Hispanic consumer data collected by Benitez, 72% of Hispanics always read their direct mail and 66% respond.

This article looks at the program of weekly mailings being implemented by sportswear retailer S&S Activewear in the U.S. in September 1999. The company's key customers are advertising specialty companies and others that buy sports apparel and either screen-print or embroider corporate logos or other marketing images on it. The main goal of a direct response program that S&S started earlier in 1999 was to get those customers to order from the catalog on a weekly basis, instead of a few times a year. Weekly mailings have been sent to 25,000 customers. Mailings consisted either of a reminder postcard or a four- to eight-page booklet that featured a special promotional offering from one of the suppliers represented by S&S.

This article reports on a five-part mailing campaign launched by Hershey Direct, a division of Hershey Foods Corp., as of May 10, 1999 to promote its line of limited-edition collectible elf figurines. The wee series was produced on a similarly sized budget but generated a giant response. The first mailing produced a whopping 14% response rate of customers who ordered the first 5-inch knickknack in the series. Chris Albe, direct marketing manager at the direct division of Hershey Foods Corp., believes the new mailer increased awareness and compelled consumers to open up the package.

This article reports on the plan of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to reduce its marketing budget and to review its advertising account in 1999. The USPS is reducing its marketing budget by $50 million and readying a review of its advertising account. The five-year contract for all media buying and creative work on Global Priority Mail ends on September 10, 1999. The other three five-year postal service contracts are held by Foote, Cone & Belding for U.S. Priority Mail and stamps, Draft Worldwide for direct mail and Frankel for employee communications and for running stamp-collecting programs. Those contracts end September 10, 1999. This all follows an internal review of advertising and an order from Postmaster General William J. Henderson to reduce $800 million in service spending because of a revenue shortfall.

This article reports on the adoption by the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) on the first-ever guidelines on how to manage sweepstakes promotions. Such promotions typically help sell one-third of all new magazine subscriptions. The MPA soon will send ethics guidelines for selling subscriptions through sweepstakes to its members. It declined to release the guidelines because it is still fine-tuning the exact language. The industry is particularly concerned because early estimates indicate responses to direct-mail offers could be off by as much as 80%, partially due to the bad publicity. The MPA plans to hold a meeting to develop a strategy on how best to pitch its stance to consumers and legislators as well as members.

The article reports that Johnson and Johnson's Confide, facing legal challenges in its effort to turn anonymous HIV testing into a home market, is moving ahead in the wake of competitive pressure. After rival Home Access Health won Food and Drug Administration approval for a competing product, Johnson and Johnson decided to move Confide into national direct mail sales immediately and broad national retail availability in September 1996.

The article reports on Publishers Clearing House and American Family Publishers' launch of advertising campaigns to counteract poor financial performance for the year 1995. The magazine publishers are hoping that the campaigns will boost response rates to their sweepstakes offers. Responses for the midyear-1995 mailings for both companies decline by 20 percent.

The article discusses the growing popularity of marketing with video among the consumers. The high penetration of video-cassette recorders in U.S. homes has created a potent direct-marketing option. The number of tapes distributed by marketers has grown from 5 million in 1988 to 60 million in 1994 and predicted 85 million in 1995. Unlike with traditional direct-mail packages, video is seen as a novelty by consumers. As a result, even though marketing with video is growing, consumers are less apt to throw out cassettes than direct-mail printed pieces. Video represents a way to combine target marketing with moving images.

Reports on the growing use of videos by direct-mail advertisers to reach relocating consumers. Video projects on Welcome Wagon and other cooperative mailing programs that distribute coupons; Expansion of Cox Video Marketing's visual guided tour of a mover's new town called Newcomer Video; Teamup between marketing companies and real estate brokers to offer advice on buying and selling homes.

Reports on the increase in the number of direct marketers to the gay and lesbian community in the U.S. Top direct-mail companies targeting the gay community; Types of services offered.

Reports on Bell Atlantic Corp.'s efforts to make connections with its residential customers through its direct marketing programs. Features of its promotional mailers; Reactions from its customers; Marketing of Call Waiting, Caller ID and Three-way Calling; Airing of its comedy-style infomercial.

This article reports on the efforts of U.S. President Bill Clinton to sell his national healthcare plan with the use of the same hardball tactics he employed to win the elections. The president's address to a joint session of U.S. Congress will formally kick off the National Healthcare Campaign, a Democratic National Committee (DNC) effort to generate grass-roots support for the plan. Long-term healthcare will be the focus. Healthcare that is always there is the theme. The DNC also kicked off a direct mail campaign, and it plans to create a video selling the program. INSET: Clinton-style healthcare is blow to..., by Jeff Jensen..

This article focuses on the failure of advertisers to learn that not all 50-plus people are equal. For marketers, the idea is to engage older consumers in advertising without telling them they're old. Or, at least, without being crude about it. That means an advertiser probably shouldn't try to sell adult briefs for incontinence with a line-drawing and copy explaining mechanics of the bladder condition, as Procter & Gamble Co. once did for its Attends brand. The U.S. marketplace is maturing and marketers of everything from hotels to walking shoes to cereals to restaurants are retooling their marketing programs to tap into the riches. Yet it's still largely a hit-or-miss proposition, with marketers to the mature often acting more like confused adolescents, searching for skills and guidance. A key belief among mature-market experts is that targeting older consumers largely on the basis of age and related demographics is simplistic and inadequate. Seniors can range from sedentary retirees to fresh retirees eager for new experiences to people still very much concerned with their careers. Direct mailers targeting retirement communities and thinking they're thinking the 65-and-over market may be surprised to find the average age of people first moving into such places is about 78. The upshot for marketers is they shouldn't dwell on the age and presumed limitations of older consumers, but on experiences, interests and potential. Special-events marketing also can be effective in reaching seniors.

This article forecasts the performance of the newspaper media in the U.S. for 1993. Newspapers hope to post 3% to 4% advertising revenue gains in 1993, according to the Newspaper Association of America. Even though advertising revenues are weak, newspaper profits are holding because of implemented cost-cutting efforts and lower newsprint prices. Newspaper operating margins should be about 20% in 1992 and 1993, according to Ken Berents, vice president of research at Alex, Brown & Sons. Moreover, Gannett and Knight-Rider papers are also selling themselves as part of a marketing media mix to meet advertiser objectives. The advertising position of newspapers is being eroded by competing media, especially direct mail. Newspapers had a 24.1% share of the $125.4 billion advertising market in 1991. INSET: What's hot (in newspapers).;What's not (in newspapers)..

This article reports on the use of promotional direct mail business to launch "Turner Sample Pack" from Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) in August 1991. The packs will be priced to compete with free standing inserts and promoted with Turner's four national cable networks--Cable News Network, Headline News, TBS and Turner Network Television. TBS will start shopping the package to marketers and advertising agencies. The program will be positioned to marketers and agencies as a targeted, promotional alternative to cooperative direct mail vehicles like Carol Wright and in-store product sampling programs, such as those conducted by Actmedia.

The article reports on Sears Roebuck and Co.'s direct mailing campaign to introduce its Prime Option Visa credit card that offers an interest rate option. The major feature of the card is the choice of a flat interest rate or one tied to the prime rate with no annual fee. The campaign includes direct marketing pitch, sport TV and print advertisements. However, Visa USA is challenging a U.S. District Court ruling giving Sears permission to proceed with Prime Option.

This article reports that U.S. publishers and direct mail advertisers may face postal service rate increase in 1992, after the February 1991 hike of 25 percent. Federal budget calls for the U.S. Postal Service to repay one billion dollars during a five-year period starting in fiscal 1992, which represents interest costs on unpaid health and retirement benefits for 1972 to 1990.

Reports on the decision of the U.S. Postal Rate Commission to recommend a postal rate increase for most advertising mail in 1991. Reaction of the board of governors of the U.S. Postal Service to the recommendations; Level of increase in rates for the second and third-class mail; Action taken by mailers in response to the increase.

Reports on the direct mailing programs of Kraft General Foods and Quaker Oats Co. in the U.S. Features of the Super Choices program of Kraft; Details of the Quaker Direct program; Remarks from Quaker manager Dan Strunk on the program.

Reports on the growth of commercial catalog sales despite tough economic conditions in the U.S., according to a survey by Gallup Organization Inc. for "Advertising Age." Expectation that catalog sale will outpace retail sales during the 1990 Christmas season; Impact of increased competition on the slow growth of specialty catalogs; Factors that influence the increase in sales of catalogs.

Looks at the overseas expansion of U.S.-based catalog marketers Austad's and Inmac Corp. Golf supplier Austad's expansion in Japan; Number of catalogs sent by Austad's to prospective customers in Japan; Business-to-business computer firm Inmac's reason for expanding offshore; International sales performance of Inmac.