Parent company InfoGroup has combined its Direct Media and Millard brands to form Direct Media Millard Inc. (DMM), a new direct marketing company that officially launches July 1. The two firms will combine their client rosters and work together to serve them.
Larry May, CEO of Direct Media will serve as the president of Direct Media Millard, while Jeff Kelley, president of Millard, will serve as president of consumer management for DMM.
When asked about possible layoffs at the new group, InfoGroup Services Group president Ed Mallin said, “This is not about layoffs or headcount. We have made decisions about running the business in the most efficient way because that’s how business is run, but there’s no big layoff scenario here. This is about growing the business and securing the business and delivering the best service.” Kelley noted in a statement that DMM staff will include 65 brokerage experts, 45 media management specialists, the AM/Direct alt media group, a full-service creative and production agency, comprehensive primary market research services and an international team.
DMM will offer targeted prospecting media to both the consumer and business-to-business markets, as well as alternative media, fundraising and international media services. DMM’s media services include postal, e-mail, social networking, co-reg, space advertising, inserts and loyalty programs. The new group will count on parent company InfoGroup to provide data delivery and processing and market research capabilities.
“Direct Media and Millard obviously work in many common areas together; they have common customers, and they have talent that we need to cross-pollinate,” said Mallin. “This was part of a natural evolution of bringing these two organizations together, which has been in our plan for some time. Looking at where the market is today and what customers need, we are in the best position to grow our business by having organized a single entity that goes after the market.”
Just last month, InfoGroup combined the insert media arms of Millard and Direct Media to form AM/Direct. Mallin emphasized the efficiencies created by the combination, as well as the strengths.
“We are looking to 2010 and 2011 and saying as the economy improves and clients’ needs increase, we want to support them,” he said, “and the best way is having these organizations together.”
