The Direct Marketer's View.

DIRECT marketing; RIGHT of privacy; ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc.; SPAM email; DIRECT selling

This article reports that the Australian Direct Marketing Association believes privacy can be protected without intrusive government regulation. The ADMA supports appropriate codes of practice for direct marketers. In March 2005 ADMA welcomed the registration of the Australian eMarketing Code of Practice with the Australian Communications Authority (ACA). Likewise ADMA supported the introduction of the Spam Act in 2004 as it sent a strong message to email spammers that the Australian government, through the ACA, was taking the issue of email spam seriously. A study into consumer attitudes to direct marketing and privacy released in March 2005 shows that the key to successful direct customer contact is relevance, trust and control. Seventy-four percent of Australians are happy to receive relevant and beneficial direct contact from organizations they know and trust. Meanwhile, age and technological experience greatly impacts on a consumer's acceptance of direct marketing. Young adults understand that they have the power to interact with, and impact on, brands and businesses, and are more likely to respond to direct contact as a result.