In recognition of the expanding remit of online direct marketing, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Email Marketing Council is being renamed the “E-Communications Council”.
The group, chaired by Marcel Cowan of the Cowan Group, complements the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Email Marketing Council. It will still have email as its core activity, but will also encompass further direct online communications tools, such as Instant Messaging on social media websites.
To ensure that membership reflects the diversity of emerging platforms the council is launching a recruitment drive, targeting marketers in the email sector, plus other professionals with e-communication experience such as digital creative agencies and email service providers.
A new online Email Marketing Resource – free for anyone in the industry – will launch on the IAB website to coincide with the repositioning. It offers opinion pieces, white papers and thought leadership articles about subjects as diverse as data protection, deliverability and spam.
All materials – including strategic guidance and advice on various e-communication topics – can be accessed via www.iabuk.net/emailmarketing.
The IAB resource uses the DMA’s Best Practice Guidelines as a basis to explain email marketing in practical, everyday terms. It is the first time the IAB and the DMA have collaborated on Best Practice Guidelines and the full document can be downloaded by anyone in the industry via the IAB website or the DMA homepage (www.DMA.org.uk).
Dan Redfearn, membership manager of the IAB, said: “This is a great example of the IAB and DMA collaborating on a common marketing cause. The partnership has produced a comprehensive and practical online resource, accessible to anyone in the industry. The re-positioned council emphasises the IAB’s commitment to supporting online direct marketing.”
“With the emergence of web 2.0 platforms and technologies, email messaging strategies are no longer confined to just an Outlook inbox. Online messaging can now be found on sites such as Facebook walls and inboxes, Myspace, and Flickr. As a council we felt it vital to ensure these messaging channels are also being considered.” Marcel Cowan, Chairman
About the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB)
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) is the trade association for online advertising. With around 400 member companies, it’s run for the leading media owners and agencies in the UK internet industry. Online is an exciting and fast-growing medium and our job at the IAB is to work with members to ensure marketers can identify the best role for online, helping them engage their customers and build their brands. Through the dissemination of research and the organisation of regular events, we aim to put online on the agenda of every marketer in the UK, acting as an authoritative and objective source for all internet advertising issues.
