UK DMA Census: Industry Grows 14.8%

The Direct Marketing Association UK Ltd.’s annual census of direct marketing for 2003 placed the industry’s worth at 13.66 billion pounds, up 14.8 percent over the prior year. The total remains dominated by direct mail and telemarketing, which account for nearly half of the expenditure. Television and newspaper inserts represent the third- and fourth-largest sectors, respectively, according to the census, released this week. “This year’s census sees a strong return to growth for the direct marketing industry,” said Mike Barnes, the DMA UK director of marketing and business development. In 2002 the industry reported 6 percent growth. While telemarketing reversed its relative decline and grew 14 percent in 2003, direct mail showed an overall expenditure increase of only 2 percent. This was largely due to the decline in use of direct mail in business to business, which increasingly is favoring e-mail and online marketing. New media continues to show strong year-over-year growth with a spending increase of 29 percent compared with 2002. Radio, however, showed a decline, confirming that it has not yet established itself as a prime DM medium.