July was a rough month for trade publishers that report their sales to the AAP’s StatShot program. Sales of adult trade titles dropped 13.6% in July compared to a year…

The Institute for Advertising Ethics (IAE) is expanding its role with a new program focused on the ethical use of environmental claims in advertising. The initiative, which expands on seminal discussions and webinars the IAE has hosted on potential ad industry liabilities related to greenwashing, is part of a new institute charter for greenwash prevention. The move expands on a variety of ethical education, training and certification programs related to advertising ethics, including the use of data, consumer targeting and messaging, and comes as the ad industry has been confronting liabilities for harmful marketing in other categories, including the opioid crisis.

For years, direct mail has been surrounded by myths. Some came from outdated marketing assumptions. Others came from marketers who tried direct mail once, executed it poorly, and decided the entire channel didn’t work. Meanwhile, the brands quietly getting exceptional results from direct mail never stopped using it. In fact, many are investing more heavily into it because physical marketing has become more valuable in a world overloaded with digital noise. The reality is, direct mail has evolved. The strategies are smarter. The targeting is better. The tracking capabilities are stronger. And when done correctly, direct mail remains one of the most effective ways to capture attention and drive response. Click on the read more link to discover the "myths"