New York, NY – The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) said it had launched a restructuring plan brought on by the same economic turmoil that has trade show organizers concerned about shrinking marketing budgets.
The organization, which sponsors more than 20 conferences per year, did not comment on the possibility of layoffs or operational changes but stated it wanted the restructuring to be as seamless as possible for its members.
“Like so many prudent businesses, DMA is restructuring to ride out the current economic situation ensuring we remain strong and capable of continuing to provide outstanding service to our members and customers well into the future,” the DMA said in a statement provided to Trade Show Executive.
The statement added, “It would be inappropriate to discuss individuals affected by this restructuring.”
The Penton website, www.Directmag.com, which covers the marketing industry, said its sources reported that between 18 and 21 DMA employees had been let go, including some senior staff members. While calls to members of the events department were not answered, their voice mails were still operative.
The reorganization came less than a week after the DMA warned that the industry could expect revenues to slump in the near future. “Overall, findings reveal that weak economic conditions experienced in the Third Quarter of 2008 are continuing to cause direct marketers to face softer revenues compared with the same quarter in 2007,” said Anne Frankel, senior research manager for the DMA.
Reach John Greco, president and CEO, at (212) 768-7277 or jgreco@the-dma.org
