I just listened to the Email Experience Council (EEC) and DMA’s joint conference call announcing that the DMA has acquired the EEC. This is exciting news on one front, but also causes concern. Perhaps it is finally DMA’s recognition that email is really an important component of the marketing mix. Many DMA members have been using email for some time, but DMA’s reputation in the area of supporting the community and focusing on the critical issues to the industry has been disappointing.
The concern is that DMA is an organization that has traditionally focused on non-electronic communications. Their lobbying efforts are focused on postage rates and legislation related to the sending of catalogs and envelopes. The question is can they change this to address this new group, or is this going to be an acquisition that sours like the Association of Interactive Marketing (AIM) that was a disaster for the interactive community. Back then, the DMA just did not get it. With the DMA under new leadership, perhaps now they will.
So kudos to Jeanniey Mullen and her team at the EEC for building a great organization in a very short amount of time. Those of us in the community are looking for great things in the future.
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