Direct concern

25 January 2006

New research from the ASA shows that consumers generally believe that regulation of traditional media is improving.

In a survey of 1,000 adults last year carried out by Paul Winstone Research, at least half felt that the supervision of cinema, TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, posters and on-pack advertising was “about right”.

However, less than a third of respondents believed that the same was true of direct mail. The Direct Marketing Association (the DMA) is well aware of the need for more consumer education. Often direct mail suffers from an association with badly targeted “junk” mail and the popularity of the medium can be underestimated. After all, the average consumer spent nearly £595 as a result of direct mail over the last year according to the DMA.

There is also a misconception that companies can pass personal data without permission. “They can’t. Whenever you give your details, you have an option to say that you don’t want your details passed on,” says Tessa Kelly, director of compliance operations at the DMA.

The DMA launched a campaign in November fronted by consumer affairs journalist Alice Beer to raise awareness of the many ways consumers can control the amount of direct mail they receive. “There’s a vast array of legislation that protects consumers, like the data protection act. Direct mail is also covered by the CAP code. One of the reasons we did the ‘Ask Alice’ campaign is to give consumers that reassurance that actually direct mail is extremely well regulated and you are in control of what happens to your data,” she adds.

The campaign also unveiled a Consumer Charter that outlines the direct marketing industry’s commitment to good practise by, for example, investigating bad case examples and taking appropriate action.

Winstone’s survey also reveals that consumers perceive new media such as spam emails and pop-up banners as being regulated than other media. The number of consumers who believe spam is not regulated at all has risen from 24% in 2003, to 34% in 2005, and from 24% to 32% for pop-ups.
 
Click here for more information on the DMA’s ‘Ask Alice’ campaign and advice on handling your direct mail.