News Munchies

Direct Marketing Assn. Slips on a Pile of Spam

Originally Posted Friday, 15 November 2002 at 12:00 AM
Updated Monday, 20 October 2014 at 10:38 AM

The Direct Marketing Assn. has received one too many spam emails.

Apparently the consumer marketing lobbying organization has stumbled onto what all other computer users have known for many, many months -- that Unsolicited Commercial Email, or spam, has clogged Internet pipelines and user e-mailboxes and is about to overwhelm any remaining usefulness the medium has for marketing.

We've written quite a bit about the subject here at CornerBarPR.com^SM. See:

In an abrupt turnaround, the DMA has come to the conclusion that government regulation is needed. Not, of course, to protect consumers, but to protect their members.

"We need legislation," says DMA vice president Jerry Cerasale. "We believe the sheer volume will just swamp the medium and the medium will no longer be useful for marketing."

For marketing. Get it?

Well, whatever the reason, the DMA used to oppose federal anti-spam legislation and now plans to lobby for laws controlling it.

'bout time.

About The Author

Richard B. Barger, ABC, APR

Richard B. Barger, ABC, APR, is well-positioned as CornerBarPR's Chief Curmudgeon; he's our version of Andy Rooney -- loves words, particularly loves to complain about idiocy.

In his spare time, Rich runs the inventively named Barger Consulting, where he conducts strategic communications planning and research, and gives people advice whether they want it or not.

Through the years, Rich has tricked unsuspecting folks into giving him positions as managing editor of the public relations division of a 180-person agency, and as a wire service editor, an economic analyst, a federal investigator, and, bless his little muddy boots, a farmer. Really. He fancies himself a pretty fair country editor and at one time was famous among about half a dozen people as "The Voice of IABC."

At various points in what passes for a career, he's done time as a member of IABC, PRSA, and NSPRA, as well as the Gifted Association of Missouri, the University of Missouri Alumni Association, the Council of Better Business Bureaus (as a Senior Arbitrator), and a handful of church choirs.

Known as "Boom-Boom Barger" in Marching Mizzou, Rich refuses to answer the phone during University of Missouri football or basketball games, plays a hard-edged game of bridge, and is married to a woman he doesn't like to talk about much, because she's smarter and much nicer than he is.

Barger's motto: "Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once."