Direct Group, a direct marketing services company, has signed an agreement with Swedish data company Par to offer European data directly to its current clients and prospects, while opening a fully regulated gateway to 14 European countries for U.S.-based businesses and list brokers who represent them.

President Obama’s name graced more spam subject lines than any other celebrity in 2009, according to a recently released report from Internet security vendor McAfee. Also, Obama was the only male to beat Angelina Jolie in terms of spam-subject-line popularity, according to McAfee.

At first, I thought it was the stupidest PR pitch I had ever received. The rep wanted me to write about string. Yes, string.

OK guys, fess up. Is it you? Or is it me? Where is all the wonderful hate that was once directed my way? It wasn

I have contended for years that sales-and-marketing executives are arguably the most under-appreciated professionals there are. Want to insult someone? Call him a used-car salesman. But sales reps and marketers are what make capitalism work. Countries that do away with sales and marketing tend to start work camps and gulags. So I defend the sales…