Arab marketing association launched.

Byline: K.S. Ramkumar

JEDDAH: The launch of Arab Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) marked the opening day's session of the three-day Arab Direct Mail and Marketing Forum'09, which was opened by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday.

The forum has the support of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Gov. Amr Al-Dabbagh and Saudi Post as well in launching ADMA as a way to develop and grow direct marketing across the global Pan-Arab community. "In launching the ADMA today, we take an important step toward building a world marketing community, a community that shares common challenges and opportunities, and can work together for the benefit of all," New-York-based Direct Marketing Association (DMA) President & CEO John A. Greco, Jr., told a press conference on the sidelines of the forum at the Jeddah Hilton.

"DMA is delighted with our newest affiliate, ADMA," he said. "DMA is proud to be part of building what for most companies here will be a totally new approach to marketing," said Greco who shared the platform with Emaar CEO Fahd A. Al-Rasheed, ADMA CEO Yousef M. Hamidaddin and Saudi Post Vice President for postal operations Sami Al-Owedi. Hamidaddin is the founder of Direct Marketing Services (DMS) in this part of the world "and his appointment as CEO of ADMA portends great things for the future."

With new infrastructure just being built, marketers have a golden opportunity to "get on the ground floor" and share in a huge expansion of multichannel marketing, Greco said, adding that ADMA will assist members to explore growth opportunities and cost saving benefits in currently untapped markets from Bahrain to Rabat.

The establishment of the Direct Marketing Park (DMP) in the heart of King Abdullah Economic City was also announced at the forum. The DMP will serve as a center for the emerging direct marketing process in the Kingdom, attracting global players by offering distinct competitive advantages. These advantages include beneficial tax and energy efficiencies, both vital in today's global economy, Greco said.

ADMA will be setting up its headquarters in the DMP along with the Center for Direct Mail Development, sponsored by the Universal Postal Union of the United Nations.

As ADMA grows, and the direct marketing process becomes more accepted and established in this part of the world, Saudi Arabia can look forward to playing a key role in a growing, global marketing community - dedicated to creating value for business and consumers alike, he added.

Greco said DMA would bring its expertise and experience in marketing education, research and market making to this "timely mission" of creating a direct marketing industry in the Arab world. "DMA's vision is one of increasing the intelligence in all networks, online and offline - wire, wireless and postal networks. We want to strengthen every channel and improve the ability of marketers to integrate any and all in a one-to-one conversation with a customer. We very much look forward to working together to establish direct marketing here and extend its reach around the world," he earlier told the forum, which has US sponsors including Neilsen Claritas, the Buffkin Group and Pitney Bowes. Speakers at the forum's various sessions said there was a strong case to be made for the direct marketing process, both online and offline in today's digital multichannel universe. Direct marketing is the answer because it is effective and highly accountable for marketing expenditures.

- With input from Galal Fakkar

Copyright: Arab News 2009 All rights reserved.

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