Chief Marketer Staff

• Agencies

  Financial Institutions Upping Direct Marketing: Survey

  American financial services institutions are increasingly their use of direct marketing, according to a Direct Marketing Association report which found that the $13.4 billion that U.S. banks and credit institutions spent last year on direct marketing advertising generated $178.8 billion in sales.

• Email

  Goodmail Launches E-mail Proof-of-Delivery Service

  E-mail certification firm Goodmail Systems yesterday announced a new service that allows businesses such as insurance firms, financial institutions and healthcare companies to have proof electronic messages were delivered.

• Agencies

  Harte-Hanks Direct Certified as Federal GSA Provider

  The federal General Services Administration has certified Harte-Hanks Direct as a provider of advertising and integrated marketing services.

• Letters to the Editor

  As a former mail order marketing and advertising manager, I read the news of the Sharper Image problems with a feeling of nostalgia.

• Agencies

  Miller Ties Rewards to Ad Campaign

  Miller High Life has created a loyalty program offering fans a chance to own a Miller shirt like the one worn by its discerning deliveryman in the popular ad campaign.

• Agencies

  Hershey’s Adds Rewards to Earnhardt-Branded Bars

  Hershey’s is paying homage to NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt with collector’s edition Hershey’s and Kit Kat candy bars, and is incenting fans to buy them with a rewards overlay.

• Got Milk? Taps MySpace with New Campaign

  The company behind the Got Milk? tagline is rolling out a new campaign targeting teenagers to get them thinking about milk and music. Only this time, it’s using a social networking site to do it.

• Agencies

  Harrah’s Expands Total Rewards Program

  Harrah’s St. Louis has launched a new extension to its national loyalty program, the Total Rewards Around Town Program.

• Sports Sites Score with NCAA Tourney Contests

  Picking the winners has become a big promotional ploy for online sports sites, with significantly bigger prizes than office pools may offer.

• Burger King to Develop Greeting Cards

  Burger King has signed a licensing agreement with Andrew McMell Publishing to develop a line of branded Burger King greeting cards featuring the company’s icon, the King.