| The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is a U.S. trade organization which seeks to advance all forms of direct marketing.
The DMA was founded in 1917. It is based in the United States, but its members include companies from 53 other countries as well.
The purposes of the DMA are:
- Promoting direct marketing techniques and companies to consumers.
- Fighting negative images of the direct marketing industry.
- Providing training and professional development opportunities to marketers.
- Conducting industry research.
- Hosting networking conferences for marketers.
The DMA has attracted controversy, as its purpose includes defending and promoting junk mail and telemarketing, which many consumers find
irritating and intrusive. The DMA has a political
action committee that makes political contributions in order to further its causes. The DMA asserts that the mass-mailings
done by its members are both economically and environmentally beneficial (the latter because they supposedly reduce the number of
car trips taken by shoppers who would otherwise shop at conventional stores).
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