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DM should be leading digital revolution, says marketing chief

The chief executive of an integrated marketing company has slammed the direct marketing industry for its "conservatism".

Ian Millner, chief executive of Iris, said that the industry "should be leading the evolution of digital", but that the attitude of practitioners was preventing them from needed innovation, reports mad.co.uk.

"If practitioners could just apply some of their skills to more areas and be more entrepreneurial then direct marketing would be the key player in making integration work. But their attitude doesn't allow that to happen," he said.

"The best talent is no longer in direct agencies. The industry has lost its confidence and lost its ability to think for the future. The best DM agencies were the ones that were able to be both scientific and creative. But because of budgetary pressures the opportunities for elaborate and expensive and highly creative direct mail have now gone."

The Royal Mail recently revealed that there was a drop in direct marketing last year, with 7.4 per cent fewer items being delivered. This was the lowest level since 1999. ADNFCR-1536-ID-18501325-ADNFCR