Direct Marketing 2006, the region's only dedicated conference for the direct marketing industry, opens today Sunday 25 June, at the Dusit Hotel in Dubai. The opening keynote speeches will focus on the emerging global trends in direct marketing and developing relationship strategies to drive direct marketing campaigns.
The opening address which will be made by Charles Prescott, VP, International Business Development and Government Affairs, The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), will stress the need for industry professionals to respond proactively to global trends. According to Prescott, current global trends will dictate the shape of the industry in five years time and regional marketers should react positively rather than adopting a passive approach. In some parts of the world, direct marketing is already the preferred marketing tool. This is in sharp contrast to the Middle East where less than ten per cent of regional marketing budgets are spent on direct marketing, conventional advertising still consumes the lion’s share of traditional marketing budgets.
Jennie Bishop, Conference Manager, Direct Marketing 2006 said, “Budget allocation for direct marketing in the region is not keeping pace with global trends and marketing here is still seen as too one dimensional. It’s time for the marketing pioneers in the Middle East to stand up and be counted.”
Paul Gostick, International Chairman, The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) will examine relationship strategies as the key battleground for direct marketing messages. Understanding customers and communicating with them on a personal level will be integral to effective one-on-one marketing. He will also urge delegates to embrace new technology and re-invent the direct marketing industry. With the rate of Internet users in the Middle East projected to increase to 52 million within the next three years and mobile phone subscriptions in the region set to grow to about 110 million, regional marketers must take advantage of these unique demographics by utilising the latest technological advances.
“Right across the region mobile phone and computing technology is accelerating at pace, as witnessed recently with the introduction of Blueberry. Subscriptions are multiplying, rates are falling steadily and new network operators such as Du will keep pricing competitive. Direct marketing will be the most cost-effective way of reaching certain market segments, such as teenagers, that more traditional methods regularly fail to access,” added Bishop.
Other eagerly awaited sessions will be delivered on effective database management, creating direct mail campaigns that work, building consumer trust, adding measurable brand value, leveraging Real Simple Syndication (RSS) and blogs and creating data streams from scratch.
In total, over 20 presentations will be made over the two-day conference including round table discussions and a speed networking round table, a novel idea where all delegates get to meet each other during a high-speed networking session. In addition dedicated half-day workshops covering creative writing, loyalty strategies and performance drivers will be held separately on Tuesday 27 June.
Other world-class organisations represented at Direct Marketing 2006 will include, Xerox International, Air Miles, DHL, Emirates Bank, ICLP, Wunderman, Promoseven, Nestle and OgilvyOne.
“Direct Marketing 2006 will provide an ideal platform for regional and international industry players to come together and determine the future of direct marketing throughout the region,” concluded Bishop.
Direct Marketing 2006 is organised by the Institute for International Research (IIR) and is supported by, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing (FEDMA).
Sponsors for the event include key industry specialists such as, Xerox, AIG MEMSA and Air Miles.
