Epsilon! Latest Press Releases

12/29/09 - The Forrester Wave Names Epsilon as a Leader

DALLAS, TX — December 29, 2009 — Epsilon today announced that the December 2009 report “The Forrester Wave: Email Marketing Service Providers, Q4 2009” named Epsilon as a leader. The company received a perfect score in 36 of the evaluation criteria.

The evaluation of email marketing services providers (ESPs) included a review of 15 vendors against 69 criteria. Epsilon was among eight leaders who were cited for “innovation and a commitment to advancing client education and sophistication.”

The report concluded that Epsilon’s DREAM platform is “comprehensive offering all of the necessary functionality to manage and execute mailings.” The report also cited that “most clients are satisfied with the overall account service.”

Among the evaluation criteria in which Epsilon received a perfect score were: campaign automation; transactional messaging; interface; testing; scalability; flexibility; execution; data; mobile; data storage and security; integration; initiation; systems; authentication/reputation services; access control; workflow; reliability; volume; technology services; campaign management services; analytic services; executive vision; and more.

According to Andrew Frawley, President of Marketing Technology at Epsilon, "We are pleased with these results which highlight many of our core capabilities and competitive advantages. As the world’s largest global permission-based email provider, sending over 40 billion emails per year on behalf of clients, we continue to innovate and evolve our technologies and services to remain an industry leader.”

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03/01/10 - Jan Aggerbeck Joins Epsilon

Dallas, Texas – March 1, 2010 - Epsilon, a leading multichannel marketing services firm, today announced that Jan Aggerbeck has joined as Senior Vice President of Digital Solutions, reporting to Chris Harrison, Chief Technology Officer.

"Epsilon’s unique technology and comprehensive solutions are a critical differentiator and enable our clients to take advantage of the various marketing channels available today," said Chris Harrison, Chief Technology Officer. “As technologies change and evolve, talented industry veterans like Jan will influence how Epsilon integrates channels and capabilities to create a vehicle for one-to-one communications across all touch points."

Mr. Aggerbeck and his team will work to create offerings and technical delivery models around Epsilon’s current and future digital solutions. These offerings will include multiple digital channels such as web, email, social media and mobile. He will be based in Wakefield, MA.

According to Mr. Aggerbeck, “Marketers around the globe are leveraging digital platforms to get their message out to their core audiences. Epsilon is a leader and innovator in this space with the ability to bridge technology and creativity. Epsilon is positioned to stay ahead of the curve and recognize the next generation of digital marketing opportunities.”

Mr. Aggerbeck joins Epsilon from Xyratex International where he served as Vice President of Integrated Storage Systems. Prior to Xyratex, he worked at EMC as Director of Global Database and Relationship Marketing. Mr. Aggerbeck has held leadership positions at Acirro and ELSA Inc.

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02/25/10 - Epsilon to Now Provide Permission-Based Email Marketing Services to La Quinta Inns & Suites

Dallas, Texas – February 25, 2010 - Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon subsidiary has signed a new multi-year agreement with Dallas-based La Quinta to provide permission-based email marketing services. In addition, La Quinta has also agreed to renew its existing agreement for Epsilon’s ongoing support and management of La Quinta Returns^®, its frequent guest program.

An Epsilon client since 2002, La Quinta is one of the largest operators of mid-scale hotels in the United States, with over 80,000 rooms. La Quinta operates and provides franchise services to more than 790 hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico under La Quinta Inn^® and La Quinta Inn& Suites^® brands. The La Quinta Returns^® program allows its members to earn points redeemable for future reservations at La Quinta hotels as well as airline miles or credits, gift cards and more.

The loyalty marketing database platform Epsilon provides supports La Quinta’s frequent guest program, La Quinta Returns^®. This program is geared toward increasing repeat customers, increasing the number of La Quinta Returns^® program members and enhancing customer service to existing La Quinta Returns^® members. Epsilon’s state-of-the-art email marketing platform will enable La Quinta to create and deploy permission based targeted emails leveraging customer data that is collected through the various customer touchpoints. In addition, La Quinta will leverage Epsilon’s analytics services which help them better target customers, resulting in incremental stays. In addition, these services will help identify potential attrition risks and opportunities to better communicate to those individuals.

“Over the course of our relationship with Epsilon, we’ve experienced significant growth and return on our marketing investment. The addition of email marketing services represents the next phase in our growing partnership,” said Mike Case, vice president of loyalty marketing at La Quinta. “As our network expands and we build our brand, Epsilon provides unique and relevant opportunities to connect with our customer base.”

According to Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, “We are excited to expand our partnership with a long-standing client like La Quinta. With vast travel and hospitality experience, Epsilon is well-positioned to provide the services and functionality needed by La Quinta to support the accelerated growth of the Returns^® program.”

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12/10/09 - Epsilon Q3 2009 North America Email Trend Results

DALLAS, TX — December 10, 2009 — Epsilon today released its Q3 2009 North America Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which show an increase from Q3 2008 in both open and click rates.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from over 6 billion emails sent by Epsilon in July, August and September 2009, across multiple industries and approximately 200 clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

Report Highlights:

Open rates increased from 19.8% in Q3 2008 to 22.0% in Q3 2009. Twelve of the sixteen industries had an increase in open rates over Q3 2008.
Click rates were 6.2%, an increase of 5.1% from the same time last year (5.9%).
Average volume per client increased 7.5% from Q3 2008.
Six of the sixteen industries measured saw an increase in all three metrics – opens, clicks and non-bounce rate – compared to last year.
The Retail landscape improved greatly compared to Q3 2008. Of the four Retail subcategories, eleven of the twelve metrics increased compared to the third quarter of last year.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic & Analytic Consulting at Epsilon, "As we enter the holiday season, a time when email volumes increase substantially, it is extremely important that email marketers incorporate best practices to break through the clutter. Timely, relevant offers that reflect customer preferences and behavior will drive the most opens, clicks and conversions. In addition, marketers should consider strategies that incorporate triggers and transactional messaging as part of the purchase cycle. Our clients who are focused on a data-driven email marketing strategy continue to outperform the rest of the pack.”

In addition, a study from Return Path, a leader in email reputation services, showed that 84% of permission-based emails sent in the US and Canada during the first half of 2009 reached inboxes. Epsilon’s client base had significantly higher deliverability than the industry benchmark with 91% in Q3 2009.

Epsilon’s Q3 2009 Email Trends and Benchmark report is available at www.epsilon.com/pr/Q309emailbenchmarks.

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12/09/09 - Epsilon's First-of-its-Kind Partnership with Bentley University for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

DALLAS, TX — December 9, 2009 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, announced today a unique partnership with Waltham, MA-based Bentley University. Epsilon will provide Bentley University’s Center for Marketing Technology (CMT) with its DREAM email platform.

Unlike similar programs used at other schools, Bentley graduate and undergraduate students will now have access to an active version of the DREAM platform, as opposed to a demo application. Students and faculty will be trained and have the ability to deploy live permission-based email campaigns. Bentley’s Center for Marketing Technology will utilize the tool to deliver market research surveys and email campaigns to opt-in participants. These campaigns will focus on supporting faculty, students and corporate clients engaged in Bentley’s corporate immersion programs and other business classes taking place at the CMT.

According to Andrew Frawley, President of Marketing Technology at Epsilon, “We are thrilled to provide this capability to the next generation of digital and email marketers. Our DREAM platform is used to support many leading global brands and it is extremely exciting to extend this technology further as an educational tool.”

In addition, Epsilon guest speakers will address Bentley University students and faculty on a variety of topics including The Evolution of Email Marketing. The DREAM tool will be used to promote these events and communicate with attendees. Bentley University students will also have internship and other opportunities to work with Epsilon executives in support of special projects and research efforts including the development of user guides, training programs and platform testing.

“As an academic institution we take great pride in providing experiential learning opportunities for our students that mirror what they will face in the workplace. Epsilon is enabling us to do that and more by providing the critical tools for an email marketer and allowing students to deploy permission-based emails,” said Ian Cross, Marketing Professor and Director of the Center for Marketing Technology.

Epsilon is the world’s largest global permission-based email provider, sending over 40 billion emails per year on behalf of clients. For more information and the latest email marketing research, please visit Epsilon’s email marketing best practices destination, the Email Institute www.emailinstitute.com.

The CMT at Bentley is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to teaching and research at the intersection of marketing and information technology. It is an integral part of the university’s marketing curriculum, serving as a “best practices” lab for exploring and using the high-tech tools and techniques that are used today in the marketing and advertising industry. Students gain exposure to software for creating surveys, analyzing market research data, familiarity with the collaborative environment, and knowledge of the new frameworks and tools for improved decision-making in marketing. Collaborative team projects with students and corporate partners are integral to the CMT experience, in addition to corporate research, executive education and faculty research.

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02/11/10 - Epsilon Q4 2009 North America Email Trend Results:

Dallas, Texas – February 11, 2010 - Epsilon today released its Q4 2009 North America Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which show an increase from Q4 2008 in both open and click rates.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from over 7 billion emails sent by Epsilon in October, November and December 2009, across multiple industries and approximately 170 participating clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

Report Highlights:

Open rates remain strong at 22.0%, increasing 5.3% from Q4 2008. Nine of the thirteen industries had an increase in open rates over Q4 2008.

The average click rate is 5.9%, up slightly from this same time last year (5.8%).

During the high-volume holiday season, the average volume per client increased 25.8% from last quarter and was up 9.8% from last year.

Epsilon’s client base had 94.1% inbox deliverability for Q4, higher than Return Path’s average reported deliverability of 84.0% across a sample of US and Canada commercial email.

Two of the thirteen industries tracked, Consumer Products CPG and Consumer Services Telecom, saw an increase in all three metrics – opens, clicks and non-bounce rate – compared to last year.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic & Analytic Consulting at Epsilon, "Email has matured over the last decade to become a critical tool in the multichannel marketing mix. 2009 closed out strong with holiday mailings from retailers beating numbers from 2008. The benefits vary by industry but our research consistently shows that marketers who use triggers to drive timely campaigns, segmentation to identify and target key audiences, and dynamic content to deliver relevant content are having the greatest success. Pharma in particular has been adopting best practices in list growth and hygiene. Both Pharma and Consumer Packaged Goods companies have increased email sophistication, as these sectors shift towards targeted, direct-response oriented campaigns. Over the next year, we expect to see a growing trend towards more service or transactional-oriented messaging to deliver real-time communications over email.”

A study from Return Path, a leader in email reputation services, showed that 84% of permission-based emails sent in the US and Canada during Q4 2009 reached inboxes. Epsilon’s client base had significantly higher deliverability than the industry benchmark with 94% in Q4 2009.

For more information and industry-specific benchmarks, Epsilon’s Q4 2009 Email Trends and Benchmark report is available at www.epsilon.com/pr/Q409emailbenchmarks.

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02/09/10 - Epsilon to Provide Services to Kraft Foods

DALLAS, TX — February 9, 2010 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, is supporting Kraft Foods in developing an enhanced, innovative consumer relationship marketing program . An Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) business, Epsilon announced today that it will provide a comprehensive direct-to-consumer marketing solution, including database and data management, consumer data integration, permission-based email marketing services, multi-channel campaign management and interactive web services to Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT). Kraft Foods is the world’s second-largest food company with annual revenues of $42 billion.

The multi-year agreements Epsilon signed with Kraft Foods support the company’s largest North American consumer web brands, including KraftFoods.com, KraftCanada.com and ComidaKraft.com. Epsilon’s full-service marketing and technology teams will provide a wide range of marketing services to Kraft Foods, including a consolidated database and consumer data management environment; consumer address management including change of address processing; marketing campaign management; business intelligence, reporting and analytics capabilities; permission-based email marketing services; and secure application and web services access to Kraft Foods’ consumer database.

Epsilon’s marketing technology, analytics and modeling expertise will enable Kraft Foods to achieve a holistic view of their consumers, enabling them to better understand consumer preferences and to develop customized and innovative communication strategies across multiple consumer touch points, including print, web, call center and other channels.

“We are thrilled to be working with Kraft Foods and supporting their iconic brands. With a history of providing premium food and beverages to consumers worldwide, the company will benefit from Epsilon’s technology and resources to nurture their consumer relationships and grow their business,” said Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon. “As a leader in the marketing technology space, we have experience developing strategic marketing and database solutions for our clients that measurably drive sales, enhance brand affinity and strengthen consumer relationships.”

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12/03/09 - Keybank Renews with Epsilon

DALLAS, TX — December 3, 2009 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon subsidiary has signed an extension agreement with Cleveland-based KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) to continue providing direct marketing services to KeyCorp’s KeyBank, through Epsilon’s agency, Purple@Epsilon.

An Epsilon client for over 15 years, KeyCorp is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, providing investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies.

Under the terms of the extension agreement, Purple@Epsilon will remain KeyBank’s direct marketing agency-of-record, providing services that include integrated direct marketing strategy, direct mail production and analytic support. Epsilon’s team will focus on approximately 14 KeyBank lines of business, including consumer, small business, large corporate, wealth management, and more. The goals of the direct marketing efforts are to retain and cross-sell existing KeyBank customers, as well as acquire new KeyBank customers.

In addition to assisting KeyBank with strategic planning and development of its direct marketing programs, Epsilon will design the direct mailers that promote KeyBank’s products and services, which range from checking accounts and lines of credit to treasury management products and investment services. Beyond creative design, Epsilon will print and personalize the mail kits. Epsilon will also provide data and analytic services, such as data modeling, prospect list procurement and data file cleansing to help KeyBank target the right audience, maximize postal discounts, reduce the amount of undeliverable direct mail, and optimize overall marketing spend on campaigns.

"The expertise and strategic guidance we receive from Epsilon are tremendous. The team is truly an extension of our marketing team, and their flawless execution enables KeyBank to achieve our marketing goals year after year," said Karen Haefling, chief marketing officer at KeyBank. "We are pleased to see our relationship with Epsilon evolve as both of our organizations also grow and thrive."

According to Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, "The tenure of our relationship with KeyBank is a testament to the work we do and our commitment to provide fresh thinking for each and every campaign we send on our client’s behalf. KeyBank is committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience and Epsilon helps reinforce and enhance that commitment through multiple customer touchpoints. For 40 years Epsilon has achieved marketing results for clients in virtually every industry by executing highly targeted, data-driven campaigns that appeal to consumers, and drive sales and growth."

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12/01/09 - Epsilon Targeting Launches iInfluencer Program

DALLAS, TX — December 1, 2009 — ICOM, a division of Epsilon Targeting – the marketing industry’s most advanced provider of consumer information for targeted solutions - today announced the Canadian launch of their new program, iInfluencer^TM. This word-of-mouth marketing program leverages the power of a category’s most influential consumers to deliver measurable results for leading brands.

ICOM’s iInfluencer program identifies and engages proven category influencers to create brand awareness and increase and improve consumer impressions. This program is the only one of its kind that combines the ability to find and reach these unique consumers, on a large scale, with an effective and efficient message strategy that is tailored to the distinctive requirements of this segment, to provide superior performance and ROI. The strategy can be easily leveraged to meet a number of brand objectives including social media.

Brian Rainey, Epsilon Targeting President said, "During our forty years in business, Epsilon has been a direct marketing leader and now, this program demonstrates a new approach to consumer engagement. We are uniquely positioned to identify these lucrative "influencers" and effectively engage them with a tailored message strategy, across multiple channels, thus driving measurable results. With unparalleled data assets powering this offering, our pilot program demonstrates the opportunities and success that brands can achieve with the iInfluencer program."

Contrary to current thinking, consumers are influencers within a category, not across categories, according to research conducted by ICOM. In addition, there are no commonalities in terms of demographics but rather, influencers are people who like to talk to others and make recommendations.

According to Gillian MacPherson, Director, Product Marketing, "For the greatest return on marketing investment our clients can now directly interact with individuals who will become brand ambassadors. Our pilot program showed greater performance than any other word of mouth marketing program available. The opportunities are substantial and cross over a number of channels and marketing strategies incorporating the latest technology and touch points such as social media."

Reckitt Benkiser, the first iInfluencer^TM client, participated in the pilot program for their Air Wick FreshMatic Mini. In two test markets, the program targeted 12,500 air care product influencers. The strategy incorporated direct mail, email, and the web. Cynthia Arnold, AIR WICK® Brand Manager at Reckitt Benckiser said, "We are thrilled with the results from our AIR WICK® FRESHMATIC® campaign. ICOM’s iInfluencer ^TM program is unlike anything else in the market right now. It offers brands mass targeted reach yet still provides the consumer with a personalized engagement. Best of all, it delivers results. iInfluencer ^TM provides a strong ROI when compared to other in-store and out-of-home promotional mechanics."

The iInfluencer^TM pilot program results showed a significant 46% lift in sales during the test period, as measured by AC Nielsen in a match panel. The results also showed a concentration of activity in locations near influencers, demonstrating success of the pass along component. In addition, there was an increase in purchases of other AirWick products, thus the iInfluencer^TM program had a halo effect on AirWick sales.

iInfluencer^TM will expand to the US following current pilot programs in that region.

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02/08/10 - Quinn Jalli Joins Epsilon

DALLAS, TX — February 8, 2010 — Epsilon, a leading multichannel marketing services firm, today announced that Quinn Jalli has joined as Vice President, Deliverability and ISP Relations.

"As the world’s largest permission-based email marketer sending over forty billion emails per year on behalf of clients, Epsilon takes great pride in high deliverability rates, strong overall performance and exceptional client service," said Andrew Frawley, President of Marketing Technology. “For over four decades Epsilon has supported the biggest global brands and connected marketers with customers around the world. Talented and experienced industry leaders like Quinn will enable Epsilon to continue to innovate and lead the digital marketing industry for the next forty years."

Mr. Jalli and his team will work to establish and refine processes that ensure optimal delivery of clients’ email marketing programs to their customers. He will represent Epsilon and continue to play an active role in deliverability industry groups and email coalitions. Mr. Jalli will also be involved in privacy and compliance matters.

According to Mr. Jalli, “The challenges facing email marketers are complex and today’s marketer may not fully grasp the implications of regulations and privacy requirements. My goal is to ensure that Epsilon’s vast client base enjoys the unparalleled ability to directly reach their consumers, while maintaining the utmost level of privacy and respect.”

Mr. Jalli joins Epsilon from Datran Media where he served as Chief Privacy Officer and SVP of List Management. Prior to that, he worked at Digital Impact (now Acxiom Digital) as the head of both privacy and ISP relations, where he spearheaded efforts to establish industry-leading deliverability rates. Mr. Jalli has played a key role in the formative process of CAN-SPAM, working with Congressional members and the FTC on the law and regulations. In 2004 he organized a cross-industry anti-phishing conference that brought brand name companies together with ISPs to address what was then a new threat to online enterprises and financial institutions.

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01/21/10 - New York & Company

DALLAS, TX — January 21, 2010 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon subsidiary has signed a multi-year expansion agreement with New York & Company (NYSE: NWY), a specialty retail apparel chain with 592 stores nationwide.

Founded in 1918, New York & Company is a leading specialty retailer of women’s fashion and accessories, offering the latest NY Style at Great Deals. In 2008, New York & Company revenue totaled $1.14 billion.

Since 2006, Epsilon has been providing highly targeted, permission-based email marketing services to New York & Company to increase repeat purchase rates. New York & Company has also been a long-tenured private label credit card client of Alliance Data. Under the terms of the newly expanded agreement, Epsilon will now provide New York & Company with a comprehensive database marketing solution that includes customer data management, campaign management, reporting, and strategic consulting and analytics services.

Epsilon’s solution will integrate marketing activities across all channels to help New York & Company optimize its marketing investment and maximize the profitability of its direct–to-consumer efforts. Epsilon will enable New York & Company to have a 360-degree view of its customers across all channels and platforms and will also provide New York & Company a comprehensive suite of data services that include demographic data overlay and prospecting data. In addition, Epsilon will leverage its consulting expertise to identify marketing opportunities based on data including: customer purchase history, promotion response history, and demographic profiles. This will enable New York & Company to effectively target customers using relevant messages and offers to drive sales and encourage repeat visits and purchases.

“We are excited about building upon an already successful partnership with Epsilon and its parent company, Alliance Data. Epsilon has successfully demonstrated its ability to integrate its comprehensive suite of services, both strategically and operationally, across the entire marketing value chain – including technology, digital, analytics and strategy,” said Sheamus Toal, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of New York & Company. “At New York & Company, we recognize the importance of effectively targeting our customers and prospects with messages tailored specifically to their needs and behaviors. With Epsilon’s expertise, technology and comprehensive solution, we are able to deliver an even more positive shopping experience for our customers.”

According to Bryan Kennedy, President of Epsilon, “This relationship truly represents the value of integrating the full spectrum of capabilities that Epsilon and Alliance Data have assembled under one roof. We are pleased that New York & Company recognizes our expertise and ability to maximize the return on their marketing investment. We’re excited to provide a complete marketing solution that drives sales, brand affinity, and customer loyalty for New York & Company.”

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12/01/09 - Epsilon Targeting lance le programme iInfluencer

DALLAS, TX — Décembre 1, 2009 — ICOM, une division de Epsilon Targeting – dans l’industrie du marketing, plus important fournisseur de pointe de données sur les consommateurs pour des solutions ciblées – a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement au Canada de son nouveau programme, iInfluencer^TM. Ce programme marketing de bouche à oreille mise sur la force des consommateurs les plus influents, au sein d’une catégorie, afin que les principales marques nationales puissent atteindre des résultats mesurables.

Le programme iInfluencer^TM ICOM identifie et encourage les consommateurs influenceurs d’une catégorie donnée à rehausser la notoriété de la marque, ainsi qu’à augmenter le nombre d’impressions auprès des consommateurs. Ce programme, absolument unique dans l’industrie, allie la possibilité de trouver et de toucher, sur une grande échelle, ce groupe précis de consommateurs. Il diffuse en effet un message stratégique conçu selon les demandes précises de ce segment, pour atteindre des résultats et un retour sur investissement de taille. La stratégie peut facilement être développée de façon à atteindre les objectifs de la marque, dont l’intégration du média social.

« Tout au long de ces 40 dernières années, Epsilon a été un chef de file direct dans l’industrie du marketing. Aujourd’hui, ce programme dévoile une nouvelle approche de l’engagement du consommateur. En raison de notre position unique, nous pouvons identifier ces ‘influenceurs’ lucratifs, les encourager avec efficacité, grâce à un message stratégique taillé sur mesure, au sein de plusieurs segments, pour en fin de compte atteindre des résultats mesurables. Grâce à des données sans pareil qui renforcent cette offre, notre programme pilote démontre les possibilités et succès que les marques peuvent atteindre avec le programme influenceur », explique Brian Rainey, Président Epsilon Targeting.

Une étude ICOM a démontré que contrairement aux idées reçues, les consommateurs sont des influenceurs au sein d’une catégorie, et non de plusieurs catégories. Qui plus est, il n’y a pas de standardisation en matière de répartition démographique : les influenceurs sont des consommateurs qui aiment partager avec d’autres et faire des suggestions.

Selon Gillian MacPherson, Directrice – Marketing de produits, « pour un meilleur retour sur l’investissement en programmes marketing, nos clients peuvent désormais interagir directement avec des personnes qui sont devenues les ambassadrices de la marque. Notre programme pilote a donné de bien meilleurs résultats que n’importe quel autre programme marketing de bouche à oreille offert sur le marché. Les possibilités sont considérables et recoupent un nombre de réseaux et de stratégies marketing, incluant les dernières technologies et moyens de communication, dont le média social. »

Reckitt Benckiser, premier client iInfluencer^TM, a participé au programme pilote pour leur produit AirWick FreshMatic Mini. Au sein des deux marchés tests, le programme a ciblé 12 500 influenceurs de produits désodorisants. La stratégie se composait de courrier direct, de courriels et de campagne sur le web.

« Nous sommes extrêmement satisfaits des résultats de la campagne AIRWICK® FRESHMATIC®. Il n’existe, aujourd’hui, aucun autre programme dans l’industrie que nous puissions comparer au programme iInfluenceur^TM d’ICOM. Celui-ci offre en effet aux marques des cibles de masse, tout en apportant aux consommateurs un engagement personnalisé. Et surtout, ce programme donne des résultats : un retour sur investissement tangible en comparaison avec les autres campagnes promotionnelles extérieures et en magasin », souligne Cynthia Arnold, chef de produits AIRWICK® chez Reckitt Benckiser.

Selon une étude comparée établie par AC Nielsen, les résultats du programme pilote iInfluenceur^TM ont démontré une hausse sensible du volume de ventes de l’ordre de 46 % au cours de la période test. Les résultats ont également démontré une concentration des activités dans des points de vente situés dans le voisinage des influenceurs, ce qui démontre le succès de la composante recommandation. De plus, une hausse du volume de ventes des autres produits AirWick révèle l’effet de halo du programme sur les ventes AirWick. Le programme ilnfluencer^TM sera implanté aux États-Unis dès la conclusion des programmes pilote qui sont en cours dans cette région.

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11/12/09 - Epsilon Announces that Robert Reger was Appointed to DMA Ethics Operating Committee

DALLAS, TX — November 12, 2009 — Epsilon announced today that Robert Reger, Vice President of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) group within Epsilon Targeting, was appointed to the DMA Ethics Operating Committee.

Reger was among four new members appointed to the committee and will serve a three-year term. The members of the DMA Ethics Operating Committee strive to ensure that DMA members have the necessary tools and resources to implement responsible and sustainable marketing practices in all media. In addition to an Annual Joint Ethics Meeting in Washington, DC next month, he will participate in monthly meetings in an effort to promote ethical marketing behavior including acceptable offer terms, proper use of marketing data and data collection techniques, claims around sweepstakes and fulfillment, marketing to children, best practices in business and more.

According to Reger, "I’m excited to be a part of the DMA Ethics Operating Committee and give back to an industry that I’ve been a part of for over twenty years. Epsilon’s long history of involvement with the DMA and my passion for business ethics led me to this opportunity and I hope to make an impact in developing industry standards, and case decision making on consumer and FTC compliance.”

Reger is an industry veteran who began his career as a copywriter in direct marketing and his background includes a variety of marketing functions such as creative and data. He currently leads the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) group of Epsilon Targeting and focuses on developing innovative marketing solutions for clients. DTC is made up of clients who market solo, continuity and club, non-pharmaceutical health, warranty, and sweepstakes offers.

“The DMA prides itself on developing and enforcing strong ethical business practices throughout the direct marketing community. As the Ethics Operating Committee works to guide marketers in the increasingly complicated, multichannel marketing space, individuals like Robert will be a huge asset and driving force in making progress,” said Senny Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate & Social Responsibility for the Direct Marketing Association.

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01/06/10 - Eric Stein, Former Google Executive to Help Enhance Epsilon’s Digital Marketing Solutions

DALLAS, TX — January 6, 2010 — Epsilon, a leading multichannel marketing services firm, today announced that Eric Stein has joined as Executive Vice President, Digital Strategy, reporting to President and CEO Bryan Kennedy.

"Eric’s extensive expertise in the digital arena, ability to identify and integrate offerings and solid track record as a leader and innovator will help Epsilon to continue evolving and meeting the complex needs of our clients," said Kennedy. “As we enter 2010 with strong momentum and a roster of global marketing leaders, Epsilon’s rich talent and forty years of marketing experience will enable us to grow and continue to lead the marketplace with data-driven, advanced marketing solutions."

Stein will play a critical role in evaluating Epsilon’s client offerings and strategies across business units to identify and incorporate new opportunities in the digital marketing space to better serve clients and build brands.

According to Stein, “The marketing industry is at a crossroads as new channels emerge and overlap creating a number of opportunities as well as complexities. An organization like Epsilon is well-equipped to meet the needs of today’s global marketer with not only the best technology available but the creative, strategic thinking required to deliver return on marketing investment. I’m excited to delve deeply into the strategies and solutions and help accommodate the needs of our clients.”

Mr. Stein joins Epsilon from Google where he led two key integration projects on the DoubleClick business following Google’s acquisition. Prior to that, he managed the Local Markets program. He was an early employee at DoubleClick and led several key areas of operations leveraging data with online solutions.

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11/04/09 - Epsilon Partners with Alterian

CHICAGO, IL — November 4, 2009 — Alterian (LSE: ALN) the leading international integrated marketing platform provider today announced that full-service marketing firm Epsilon has expanded a long standing partnership with Alterian by selecting the SM2 software solution to help deliver social media monitoring and analysis to Epsilon clients. Under a new multiyear agreement, SM2 will enable Epsilon to monitor communications and attitudes across the social media spectrum quicker and in a more structured fashion with richer data.

Epsilon is a leading full-service marketing firm providing integrated, data-driven multichannel marketing strategies for clients across a number of industries. With forty years of rich experience, over two thousand employees and twenty offices around the globe, Epsilon works with the leading global brands enriching marketing strategies across a number of channels including email and digital, direct mail, social media, mobile and more.

“Epsilon has a long history of working with clients to measure all aspects of marketing activity and determine the best marketing strategies,” said Michael Penney, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Analytic Consulting at Epsilon. “Social media has become increasingly important to marketers as consumers adopt new forums and technologies at a rapid pace. Epsilon helps clients understand what is being said in new channels and the implications of those comments and conversations. SM2 allows us to help improve not just clients’ social media marketing strategies, but enhance their overall multichannel marketing efforts, with the best and most timely information. We are delighted to be expanding on our already successful partnership with Alterian.”

SM2 is a software-as-a-service solution designed specifically for Brands and Agencies to monitor, measure, analyze and respond to social media activity. SM2 offers comprehensive coverage of social media, automated in-depth measurement and analytics and the immediate delivery of results.

“The volume and value of conversations on social media are exploding. Marketers need to move from considering social media as an experimental channel, and start considering its impact on the entire marketing mix,” said Michael Fisher, Alterian’s Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing, The Americas. “Epsilon has four decades of expertise and significant experience supporting their clients with multi-channel marketing strategies. We are delighted that they have selected SM2 to deliver insight and analysis of social media to help refine and further improve the communication strategies that they recommend and deliver for their clients. We have seen a great deal of interest amongst our partners and customers in our SM2 offering, and we look forward to building on the success of our partnership with Epsilon to-date with this new offering.”

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10/27/09 - Epsilon Wins DMA Analytic Challenge

DALLAS, TX — October 27, 2009 — Marketing Services Leader Epsilon announced today that the firm won the 2009 DMA Analytic Challenge. This year’s challenge, sponsored by CAC Group and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Analytics Council, was to apply primary research segments to a customer database.

According to Bryan Kennedy, President and CEO, Epsilon, "Best-in-class analytic discipline and expertise have been a cornerstone of Epsilon’s offering for decades. As new marketing channels emerge and the complexity of marketing multiplies, the importance of sound, scientific analytic techniques for understanding and predicting consumer behavior is paramount. This win validates the leadership position Epsilon maintains and reflects the challenges our team solves for clients every day.”

Competing against 13 other teams, Epsilon’s team of six used software tools, variable creation, and advanced modeling techniques to outperform their competition. The judges cited Epsilon’s team approach to discussion and debate, which spurred and refined new ideas and decisions. As the top-performer, Epsilon’s team ranked highest on both model-building and validation among the three finalists.

“I am proud of our team and their accomplishment. The team developed a great solution for a thorny problem -- one that many marketers face. They leveraged our core assets for this challenge including great tools and techniques, tremendous depth and breadth of capabilities, and a team-based approach for developing the best solution,” said Michael Penney, Executive Vice President of Strategic and Analytic Consulting at Epsilon.

Brad Rukstales, President of CAC Group and moderator of the Analytic Challenge said “Epsilon had a unique analytic approach to managing the challenges of this year’s competition, and it led to the winning entry. We appreciate the time and effort that goes into the challenge every year and congratulate Epsilon on their ingenuity and creativity.”

The Analytic Challenge presented a case study client with five well-established, primary research segments. The task was to apply the segment definitions into a direct marketing strategy. Challenge participants were provided with data to build a classification algorithm for assigning the segments to the customer database. There were four steps of analysis: Sample Selection, Variable Creation, Modeling and Assignment. The participants were evaluated based on the percentage of observations classified into the correct segment among a blind sample of respondents.

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10/19/09 - Epsilon Celebrates 40 Years of Marketing Excellence

DALLAS, TX — October 13, 2009 — Today Epsilon celebrated four decades of targeted marketing for the world’s leading global brands. The firm has led the way in data-driven, measurable marketing services and innovation.

According to Bryan Kennedy, President and CEO, Epsilon, "As consumer behavior and the media and marketing landscapes change, technology and strategies must evolve. The success of Epsilon is a strong testament to the firm’s ability to innovate and stay ahead of the curve. Our history truly parallels the evolution of digital and direct marketing and the transition to multichannel strategies that are data-driven, targeted and highly measurable.”

Founded in 1969, Epsilon has established itself as a preeminent provider of prospect and customer marketing solutions and the most integrated, data-driven multichannel marketing firm in the industry. Continued growth has catapulted Epsilon to over two thousand employees and over twenty offices around the globe including a substantial presence in Europe and Asia Pacific. Today, Epsilon is an innovator and an industry leader working with marketing giants in industries such as financial services, travel, retail, pharmaceuticals and consumer packaged goods. Epsilon’s reach includes a comprehensive set of offerings spanning Strategy & Analytic consulting services, Marketing Technology solutions, Agency services and rich Data assets and services.

Recent announcements from the firm highlight continued expansion of these offerings:

Mobile Marketing
- Enhanced offering for global mobile marketing services through a new partnership with Air2Web. Services can be easily integrated with current marketing initiatives for Epsilon’s over 80 database and loyalty clients
Epsilon Targeting
- Launched a new partnership with AccuData Integrated Marketing
- Announced that FastPath, a comprehensive prospecting solution, hit the 100 brand mark, adding new clients such as Johnston & Murphy, America’s Gardening Resource and Linen Source. Abacus FastPath integrates list ordering, campaign analysis, data integration, enhancement and execution, as well as brokerage interaction and payment
Email Marketing
- Launching Epsilon’s Email Institute (www.emailinstitute.com), a new resource that provides valuable studies, industry commentary and case studies, drawing from Epsilon’s experience as a global provider of over 40 billion permission-based emails per year and recognized leadership in unique and forward-thinking research such as our quarterly Email Trends and Benchmarks reports
Industry Accolades
- Announced this week, Epsilon’s Sonar, an integrated communications tool for loyalty programs, received a DMA Future Innovators Award for outstanding achievement. Earlier this year, Epsilon’s agency Purple@Epsilon received a number of awards including four New England Direct Marketing Awards, three DMAW Maxi Awards, and the #1 Direct Marketing Agency ranking from Advertising Age

“In the challenging economy and the years ahead, our ability to meet the complex needs of our clients will allow Epsilon to continue to grow and adapt to serve the world’s biggest brands. In order to maintain our high level of client satisfaction and lead our industry, we rely on our people, our technology and forty solid years of marketing experience,” said Kennedy.

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10/19/09 - Epsilon Targeting’s Abacus FastPath Hits 100 Brand Mark

DALLAS, TX — October 13, 2009 — Today Epsilon Targeting announced that Abacus FastPath has reached the 100 brand mark, just three years after its launch. The latest momentum is a testament to the solution’s focus on comprehensive prospecting capabilities with strong performance and value.

According to Brian Rainey, President of Epsilon Targeting, "Now more than ever, multichannel marketers require a solution that is high performing and a strong value. Abacus FathPath is that and more. Our latest milestone is proof that this is the future of direct marketing, as more of the leading national catalogers and multichannel marketers rely on Abacus FastPath for 100% of their prospecting.”

Abacus FastPath enables marketers to streamline the direct marketing process by integrating services such as list ordering, campaign analysis, merge purge set-up and execution and brokerage interaction and payment. The solution improves recency from just-in-time fulfillment and a large, stable and qualified prospect universe to better target customers and prospects.

At launch in 2006, Brookstone was the first Abacus FastPath client. Clients added in 2009 include Johnston & Murphy, America’s Gardening Resource, Linen Source and Arhaus. Many marketers have embraced Abacus FastPath as their exclusive prospecting solution.

“Epsilon Targeting’s Abacus has been a trusted partner for over ten years. When they recommended Abacus FastPath as the cornerstone to our marketing strategy, we knew we could trust it and that they had our interests in mind,” said Heather Marsh, Director of Catalog and Online Marketing, Johnston & Murphy.

Steve August, Operational Vice President of Consumer Marketing at Brookstone said, “FastPath has improved the productivity of our team and provided us with a prospecting solution that not only meets our needs but exceeds them.”

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10/13/09 - Epsilon Targeting Partners with AccuData

DALLAS, TX — October 13, 2009 — Epsilon Targeting, a division of Epsilon, today announced that it will provide data elements of its TargetPlus national compiled file to AccuData customers. This strategic partnership will serve small- and medium-sized businesses that will benefit from Epsilon Targeting’s unique data set and AccuData’s large national reach.

TargetPlus is a data offering which contains detailed demographics data on 250 million customers and 170 million unique households. This comprehensive data set incorporates Epsilon’s proprietary behavioral, attitudinal and event data. A primary list source for acquisitions efforts or customer file enhancements, TargetPlus includes attributes such as address, age, home type, total household income, presence of children and ethnicity as well as detailed information on intentions, interests, and preferences. TargetPlus is updated monthly, enabling marketers to react and respond in a timely manner.

According to Joshua Goff, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for AccuData, “Through our exclusive partnership with Epsilon, we’re further able to offer our clients access to rich, high quality data with more names and unique elements personally through our sales and service teams as well as online through AccuLeads.com.”

AccuData uses a full range of data resources, marketing analytics and marketing database technology to support a variety of companies, including small- and medium-sized, localized businesses.

Epsilon Targeting President Brian Rainey said, “Our goal is to bring unique data elements to the market for multichannel marketers to better target and reach their customers and prospects. This new strategic partnership accomplishes just that and allows Epsilon Targeting to extend our premier data to a new market. AccuData will provide a gateway for marketers to obtain the data resources they need for measurable results.”

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10/08/09 - Epsilon Partners with Air2web

DALLAS, TX — October 10, 2009 — Epsilon, the leading marketing services firm, today announced a global partnership with Air2Web, a market leader in worldwide mobile messaging. The partnership will enable clients to leverage the latest technology for opt-in mobile marketing services including SMS communications, content downloads like wallpaper and ringtones, and microsite development, for a fully integrated multichannel marketing program.

The mobile channel directly reaches consumers, who have opt-ed in to programs, with valuable alerts, notifications, offers and other relevant content. By integrating the technical components, analysis and marketing messages for each channel including mobile, clients are able to effectively and efficiently leverage multichannel marketing strategies to reach their core audiences.

“Mobile is top of mind for many of Epsilon’s clients who are the world’s leading marketers. Our partnership will enable worldwide delivery of mobile marketing and customer care messages,” said Curtis Rapp, VP Sales and Marketing of Air2Web. “The offering will appeal to Epsilon clients as well as the clients of its parent company, Alliance Data.”

Epsilon and Air2Web will also provide consulting services for clients to help them best utilize and incorporate the mobile offering into their existing marketing initiatives. Clients will have the ability to do geo-targeted messaging and send customized mobile coupons to consumers who have opted-in to receive communications.

According to Andrew Frawley, President of Marketing Technology at Epsilon, “For four decades clients have turned to Epsilon to help them understand who their customers are and why. With this partnership we are able to establish additional touchpoints to leverage those customer relationships for a truly integrated and targeted, multichannel approach to marketing. We chose to partner with an established industry leader like Air2Web because they have the technology and expertise our clients require as well as the strong relationships with carriers that make these programs successful and effective.”

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10/06/09 - Epsilon Q2 U.S. Email Trend Results

DALLAS, TX — October 6, 2009 — Epsilon today released its Q2 2009 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which show an increase in open rates for the fourth quarter in a row, with 14 of the 16 industries measured seeing an increase over Q2 2008.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from 6.5 billion emails sent by Epsilon in April, May and June 2009, across multiple industries and approximately 200 clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic & Analytic Consulting, Epsilon, "Our research has shown that while email marketing volumes have increased substantially, email remains a highly-effective channel for communication. The top performers are those taking advantage of lifecycle triggers to send timely, relevant emails. These marketers are capturing preferences, both explicit through preference centers and opt-in pages and implicit such as web activity, response and engagement activity. With this data, they are able to deliver targeted, relevant content to each individual consumer.”

Report Highlights:

Open rates increased 18.2% from Q2 2008.
Click rates (5.9%) remained stable from Q2 2008 (5.9%).
Average volume per client increased 10% from last quarter and 20% from Q2 2008.
Seven of the sixteen industries measured saw an increase in all three metrics – opens, clicks and non-bounce rate – compared to the previous year.
None of the industries measured saw a decline across all three metrics.

In addition, a study from Return Path, a leader in email reputation services, showed that only 79.3% of permission-based emails sent in the US and Canada during the first half of 2009 reached inboxes. Return Path reported deliverability on Epsilon clients and showed they had significantly higher deliverability than the industry benchmark with 90% in Q1 and 87% in Q2.

Epsilon’s Q2 2009 Email Trends and Benchmark report is available at www.epsilon.com/pr/Q209emailbenchmarks.

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09/15/09 - Annual Multichannel Trend Report

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DALLAS, TX — September 15, 2009 — According to Epsilon Targeting, the newly formed data division of Epsilon, online sales continue to grow and certain product categories remain popular among consumers despite a challenging economy. Epsilon Targeting’s Annual Multichannel Trend Report, which is based on aggregated merchandise purchase data from the Abacus Cooperative database, indicates the need for marketers to target customers based on past purchase behavior, geography and economic conditions.

“As marketers adjust their campaigns to account for the economic climate, the Multichannel Trend Report provides unique and valuable insights to help drive these initiatives and effectively target today’s budget conscious consumer,” said Brian Rainey, president of Epsilon Targeting. “Utilizing a data-driven, highly measurable multichannel strategy will provide the most return on marketing investment by effectively identifying and reaching existing and potential customers in the shopping and purchasing channels they prefer.”

Sales Continue to Shift to Online Channel

The study found that the percentage of online purchases continues to grow as the proportion of retail sales was flat and call center sales declined. The percentage of sales taking place online has grown by 30% over the last four years with 8% growth in the most recent year alone. Average dollar per online transaction has also steadily increased over the last four years. In addition, online sales showed the strongest growth across all Census Divisions – in most regions online was the only channel with growth.

Average sale and spend per household declined in 2008 from 2007 for all channels except the online channel. Although the rural buyers preferred to purchase through call centers, both urban and rural buyers make a large share of their recorded transactions online.

Across all channels, 2008 sales declined 3% over the prior year due to a combination of fewer active buying households, lower frequency of purchase and lower average sales. In an early glimpse at Q1 2009, sales are declining over previous first quarters.

The Valuable Multichannel Buyer

The study examined the behavior of multichannel buyers versus individuals who purely shop online, at retail locations or by call center/mail and found that multichannel buyers are highly valuable to business-to-consumer and business-to-business marketers. Business-to-consumer, multichannel buyers continue to play an integral role, representing 67% of total repeat buyers with the highest spend and transactions per household. Compared to exclusive retail buyers, multichannel buyers are more active and have higher spend per household despite lower average sale. This indicates that multichannel buyers provide greater return-on-investment as they are exhibit a higher level of engagement with a marketer’s brand. For business-to-business marketers, multichannel buyers are also the most valuable segment, at $686 per contact.

‘State’ of Marketing Affairs

According to the findings, sales grew in the first quarter of 2009 for some Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) compared to the same time period in 2008 and the same was true for full year 2008 sales compared to 2007. Nearly half the top 20 MSA’s ranked by percent of sales dollar growth were in Texas, indicating that growth is occurring predominantly in energy-producing regions. The bottom 20 MSA’s declined on average 10% in sales. The state of Florida accounts for over one-third of the bottom 20 MSA’s.

The top 20 MSA’s based upon population accounted for 55% of sales in 2008 and 46% of buyers. In these established areas, sales declined by 3% - the same as the national average.

A Peek Inside Consumers’ Shopping Carts

Sales trends varied significantly by product category in 2008, ranging from lifts of 19% to declines of 30%. The top five growing categories were High-Ticket Male & Female Apparel (19%), Male & Female Shoes (14%), Female Active Wear (14%), Senior Health Hard Goods (13%) and Environmental/New Age (10%). The categories which saw the greatest declines were Meats & Seafood (-30%), Mid-Ticket Gifts & Merchandise (-29%), Professional Business Merchandise (-28%), High-Ticket Bed, Bath & Linens (-22%) and Country/Rural Home Decor & Gifts (-18%).

Growing categories reflect major trends such as the popularity of the green movement (Environmental/New Age), an increased focus on health and fitness (Female Active Wear) and the Aging of America (Senior Health Hard Goods). Female and Male Apparel, Senior Products, and Media were the only categories with sales growth in 2008. These categories may represent an opportunity for product line expansions, acquisitions, or spin-offs.

Methodology

Two main data sources were used to compile the 2009 Multichannel Trend Report. These sources leverage the combined technology and data assets of Epsilon’s Abacus Cooperative database and comprise a wealth of transactional data. The analysis also looked at the “Multichannel Benchmark Group,” a subset of the Abacus Cooperative members consisting of multichannel merchants. For a sneak peek at 2009 trends, the analysis identified a separate comparative group of multichannel merchants with full activity from January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. Note: Due to methodology changes between Multichannel Trend Reports, it is recommended that year-over-year activity be examined within a single Multichannel Trend Report, as opposed to comparing prior versions that may include different merchants.

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09/10/09 - Reed Business Information Agreement Extension

DALLAS, TX — September 10, 2009 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon subsidiary has signed a multi-year extension agreement with New York-based Reed Business Information US (RBI) to continue providing permission-based email marketing services.

An Epsilon email client since 2001, RBI is a publishing company that produces cross-platform media, print, digital and custom content and events for business professionals across a number of B-to-B industries in North America. RBI is North America’s largest business-to-business information provider, with more than 80 market-leading publications and websites such as Publishers Weekly, Variety, Electronic Business, Building Design + Construction, and Casual Living, among many others.

Epsilon, the leading U.S. direct marketing agency, will continue to provide permission-based email marketing services and support to hundreds of RBI brand managers responsible for marketing specific publications, e-newsletters and targeted email messages to subscribers in the United States and Canada as well as email communications sent on behalf of RBI’s advertising partners. Services provided by Epsilon include email deployment, deliverability management, reporting and measurement. Utilizing Epsilon’s industry-leading solution, RBI’s brand managers deploy thousands of tailored email campaigns per month to millions of business professionals, delivering targeted digital communications that drive traffic to its publication and advertisers’ sites. These campaigns also serve as an effective lead generation and customer retention vehicle, providing valuable content to subscribers and increasing their loyalty to RBI, and their numerous business partners and clients.

“Reed Business Information relies on Epsilon’s platform and their team of experts to reach our niche audiences, via customized campaigns initiated by hundreds of brand users in a timely, and often breaking-news, manner,” said Rick Kasper, Vice President of Operations: Email, Data Products & Audience Support at Reed Business Information. “Epsilon is committed to providing RBI with a competitive edge in technology solutions and reliable delivery to meet the demands of our advertisers and audience.”

Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, said, “We are pleased with Reed Business Information’s decision to renew our long-standing relationship. Epsilon understands the critical nature of the news and information business, and the need to connect with customers in real-time with the most relevant messages. Our technology and commitment to customer service make it possible for seamless execution of measurable campaigns for clients like Reed Business Information.”

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09/09/09 - Epsilon Global Consumer Email Study: Millennials

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DALLAS, TX — September 9, 2009 — Millennials, 18-25 year olds, around the globe are receptive to digital marketing messages, according to Epsilon’s Global Consumer Email Study. The research shows millennials are more wired and willing to receive permission-based email messages; however they are also more wary and concerned with security and privacy.

Compared to other age groups, millennials are more likely to use tools such as instant messaging (IM), social networking and text/SMS messages as their primary tool for personal online communications. Over one-third (35%) cited instant messaging, whereas 26% of 26-35 year olds and 11% of 36-45 year olds selected IM. In particular, millenials in Asia Pacific use more tools and devices than other parts of the world.

Another notable difference amongst millennials reveals they were more receptive to both online and offline specials in permission-based emails (PBEs), defined as email communications from a marketer to a consumer or business that subscribed or opted-in to receive email communications from the sender. A higher percentage of millennials report that they want to receive certain types of PBEs more than once a day including specials/offers from online merchants (34%), entertainment (32%), sports (28%), special offers from traditional (offline) retailers (26%), electronics information (21%), and telecommunications information (21%).

Millennials want to receive offers more often and are willing to stay in programs rather than their elders who are more likely to unsubscribe. Again, these trends are even more predominant in Asia Pacific, where millennials are interested in many different kinds of offerings and are interested in receiving information on a daily basis.

“This research emphasizes the importance of segmented and targeted marketing campaigns since there’s a clear difference in behavior among age groups,” said Kevin Mabley, SVP of Strategic Services at Epsilon. “To ensure the greatest return on marketing investment, today’s marketer needs to be cognizant of the audiences they want to reach and adjust messages, vehicles and offers to appeal to these customers and prospects.

The survey found that millennials are savvy online users and demand personalization. They are particularly responsive to subject lines that are personalized with an individual’s name. Personalization within the email strongly or somewhat increases the likeliness that they will respond. These individuals are also most interested in breaking news and limited time offers, which may be the result of the popularity of mobile devices among millennials.

Concerns about security of PBE offers are greater amongst millennials than older individuals as well as the seeming lack of human interaction. Marketers need to be respectful of the concerns among this group as they use more tools to prevent spam and indicated a greater concern about privacy and security.

According to Mabley, “To reach this lucrative consumer group, email marketers should utilize age data on profiles to send relevant content to the right device as well as incorporate preferences and behavioral data. In addition, an understanding of global attitudes will allow marketers to effectively reach the next-generation user.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive multichannel marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its Global Consumer Email Study is based on an April 2009 survey of over 4000 consumers in the US, Canada, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Malaysia, Japan, the UK, France, Germany and Spain. The survey, conducted by ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, explored email practices in various parts of the world. The study builds on similar research conducted in the US from 2002-2005 and APAC in 2008. Additional in-depth information about the Global Consumer Email Study can be found at www.epsilon.com/globalemailstudy.

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07/29/09 - Holiday Trend Report

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DALLAS, TX — July 29, 2009 — According to Epsilon’s Holiday Trend Report multichannel marketers incorporating triggers, advanced analytics, testing messages and subject lines and utilizing data are the most successful at breaking through the holiday clutter and connecting with customers to drive revenue. Based on analysis of the 2008 holiday season, the research shows that specific days and weeks led to marketing campaigns with more opens, clicks and conversions.

According to Kevin Mabley, SVP of Strategic Services at Epsilon, “The findings of our Holiday Trend Report are a valuable guide for multichannel marketers facing a similarly challenging economic environment in 2009. With tighter budgets, consumers will respond well to deals and offers early in the season and leading up to the holidays. Retailers are competing for consumer attention both online and offline so a detailed, thoughtful approach will improve marketing efforts.”

Key findings from the Holiday Trend Report include:

Multichannel

Seasonality of the consumer market shows lower holiday spending in 2008, compared to the previous three years.
Call center/mail order sales declined the week of Thanksgiving and reached their peak the following week. Online and search and affiliate channels behaved similarly with a peak in week 50 (two weeks after Thanksgiving), whereas retail spiked in week 51.
Online sales showed the strongest growth from 2007 to 2008 across all regions of the country and in most regions online was the only channel with growth.

Email volume was particularly high on Tuesdays and Fridays, also the peak revenue days for the season.
Heaviest holiday email volume targeted late season shoppers in the second and third weeks in December when both opens and clicks were at low points. This reflects a “last-chance” push by marketers.
Opens and clicks were generally higher in 2008 than in 2007, likely due to the economic climate and bargain hunting.
Holiday click rates spiked on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, and then trailed off. Conversions spiked the week before Christmas, four weeks after click-throughs peaked.
In both 2007 and 2008, early season purchases were larger than late season purchases.

“It’s not too late to improve your multichannel marketing strategy for the upcoming holiday season. A clear understanding of what worked in previous years and the optimal timing and channel for consumers will enable a more targeted approach and a successful season this winter,” said Mabley.

Tips for multichannel marketers as they plan for the 2009 Holiday Season:

Effective holiday email marketing campaigns are sent earlier in the season, especially for big-ticket items. Triggered campaigns may be used to target consumers who demonstrated early season interest by following up with a combination of brand-building and hard-offer message.
Cross channel promotion will drive messaging and connect with customers through different vehicles during this critical period. Successful campaigns use direct mail and the internet to drive store traffic and store display to encourage incremental online shopping. Offers should emphasize all points of purchase.
Carefully crafted messaging that focuses on the concept of “gifting” will make the most of the timeframe when customers are shopping for someone else. Use email and direct mail that provides gift suggestions such as “The Top Gifts of 2009.”
Viral promotions spread the word quickly and effectively through influencers and loyal customers. A friends and family promotion or holiday sweepstakes can expand marketing reach. Let your customers spread holiday promotions through social media.
Offering a deal of the day or special daily offers may bring about ongoing engagement throughout the holiday season. Free shipping and targeted sales promotions are a must to remain competitive.
Clearly communicating shipping deadlines provide an opportunity to connect with last minute shoppers and create a sense of urgency. As another late season tactic, focus on consumer procrastination and smaller ticket items that increase the likelihood for impulse buying. Include cross-sell opportunities to mitigate the lower transaction amounts.

The Holiday Trend Report examined more than 640 million email messages from more than a dozen companies from October, November and December 2008. The findings also reflect a segment of historical purchasing activity from the Abacus Cooperative database from January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2008. Additional in-depth information about the Holiday Trend Report can be found at www.epsilon.com/pr/HolidayTrendReport.

12/04/08 - Marriott Agreement

DALLAS, TX — December 4, 2008 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed a multi-year agreement with Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) to provide a full suite of email marketing services.

Under the terms of the agreement, Epsilon, a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services, will provide full-service permission-based email marketing support for Marriott International hotel/property brands. Epsilon’s proprietary email platform and related program account management services will enable Marriott to launch, analyze, integrate, automate and manage millions of highly personalized, permission-based electronic marketing communications to its customers. Support for Marriott’s email communications will include global distribution of marketing messages in five languages.

“In the competitive travel industry, it’s important to engage our customer base with relevant and timely communications that reinforce our brand and provide value to the customer,” said Bob Behrens, vice president, Marriott Rewards. “Email is a critical channel for achieving this objective, and Epsilon provides us with the platform and support necessary to enhance our customers’ experience with the Marriott brands.”

“In light of a challenging economy, Epsilon’s permission-based email marketing solutions continue to be a highly effective way to build brand recognition and drive revenue,” said Michael Iaccarino, president of Epsilon. “Our tools and resources, in particular our talented team of professionals, will allow Marriott—a leader in the lodging industry—to connect with and engage their customers through our innovative technology and creativity.”

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11/20/08 - CMO Survey 2

DALLAS, TX — November 20, 2008 — Despite the cultural phenomenon that Facebook and MySpace have become in five years’ time, 55% of the chief marketing officers at leading brands surveyed by Epsilon said they’re not too interested (22%), or not interested at all (33%), in incorporating the social networking sites into their marketing strategies.

Though dialogue marketing is a bonafide trend in the industry, just 10% percent of CMO survey respondents said they already are using these social sites in their marketing plans.

Internet forums (52%), webcasts and podcasts (47%), email (47%), blogs (37%) and webinars (52%) outscored Facebook and MySpace (35%), in terms of being social media elements that marketing executives said they are very interested or somewhat interested in using.

“These sites narrowly appeal to college and high school students, providing a challenge as far as measuring results and yielding a limited amount of actionable data,” said Steve Cone, Chief Marketing Officer of Epsilon.

Somewhat quixotically, 27% of marketing executives identified social networking and word of mouth as the tool they most want to introduce to their marketing mix to compensate for anticipated budget cuts -- ahead of all other elements of traditional or digital marketing.

Epsilon is a leading marketing services firm providing comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its late-October online survey was completed by top consumer and business-to-business marketing executives at 180 brands whose annual revenues range from $250 million to over $10 billion. The survey was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media, of New York.

Other key results from the CMO survey provide a peek into top marketers’ playbooks for the coming year:

CMOs bracing for budget reductions identified email as the channel they are least likely to cut back on versus any other tool in the traditional or digital marketing mix.
While just over half of the companies surveyed already use consumer data mining, 23% more said that they plan to utilize the technology in the next 12 months.
55% of those not already employing web analytics plan to do so in the next 12 months.
Customer loyalty and rewards programs remain polarizing, with 33% of companies already using the strategy and 17% planning to use in the next year, but 50% not using or planning to use.

Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President, Epsilon Strategic Services, noted the value that marketers place on email. “According to our latest benchmark statistics, retailers see 20 cents in e-commerce revenue for every email delivered, showing the measurability and profitability of the email channel in times when people are seeking those two attributes.”

The CMO survey results strongly indicate the economic crisis will diminish marketing spending in 2009. No less than 93% of marketing executives said the current state of the economy will have a moderate or significant impact on their marketing efforts in the next few months. Regarding advertising expenditures specifically, 70% said they’ll decrease spending.

Epsilon released the results of their first CMO survey in early September 2008. The report and press release “Survey Records Shift in Blue Chip Marketing Spend” can be found at http://www.epsilon.com/modules/Press-Releases-9808/p62-l3.

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07/09/09 - Brand Switching Trend Survey

DALLAS, TX — July 9, 2009 — Frugal American consumers have jilted their favorite national brands for food, household, health and personal care products but are far more reluctant to switch to store brands on purchases for children and pets, according to the latest research from North American targeted marketing leader ICOM, a division of Dallas-based Epsilon Targeting.

ICOM’s May survey of 1,530 American consumers reveals how the threat of exodus to store brands varies by category. The following data shows the percentage of consumers in each category who have switched to store brands and away from national brands in the past six months:

59% for food and household products;
48% for health products;
48% for personal care products;
23% for pet care products;
12% for child care products.

The less-risk-means-more-switch trend revealed itself as well in the category of over-the-counter medicinal healthcare items. ICOM survey responses show a direct correlation between severity and specificity of ailment and openness to switch. The following data depicts the percentage of consumers in each category who have switched to less expensive store brands and away from national brands in the past six months:

42.2% for general pain relievers;
31.7% for cold and cough medicines;
30.8% for allergy remedies;
21.5% for heartburn medication.

“Perceived risk, that’s what is driving these key consumer decisions. This is the kind of insight that national brands can use to reach customers with promotions that meet their needs and bring them back,” said ICOM Marketing Director Warren Storey. “These results highlight that understanding customer psychology, and tailoring promotions accordingly, is a significantly more effective win-back strategy than scatter-shot, one-size-fits-all offers.”

A separate ICOM survey in April firmly established the grocery store as the epicenter of the American consumer’s coupon activity. In that survey of 1,827 Americans, 86.5% of respondents who said they had used coupons in the last month identified the grocery store as the place of redemption. The grocery far outpaced its closest competitors, which included restaurants at 46.5%, department stores and mass merchants such as Wal-Mart at 41.3%, and drug stores at 34.9%.

Not that long ago some consumers felt stigmatized by coupon usage. The recession may have changed that. Fully 86.8% of respondents in the April survey said they are using the same amount or more coupons than they used a year ago. One out of three said unequivocally they’re using more coupons than a year ago.

“The good news for national brands is that there is, in fact, an opportunity to win back customers who have switched. Some marketers were worried they’ll never return. But the win-back depends on knowing who is switching and why, and responding with targeted incentives based on that strategic information,” Storey said.

In another sign of the times, survey respondents made it clear that customer loyalty rewards supporting basic household purchasing are the most appealing. That means groceries and gasoline. 70% of respondents said they’re interested in getting rewards at the grocery, 60.7% said gasoline. The next closest categories were retail stores at 41.2%, household products at 40.3% and travel at 29.3%.

ICOM’s April and May surveys were sent to 70,000 households nationwide. The 1,827 survey participants in April represent a 2.61% response rate. The 1,530 survey participants in May represent a 2.19% response rate. Epsilon Targeting, the new data division of Epsilon, combines the collective resources of Epsilon Data Services, ICOM and Abacus to form the industry’s largest set of data solutions.

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07/08/09 - Q1 2009 Email Trend Results

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DALLAS, TX — July 8, 2009 — Epsilon today released its Q1 2009 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which show an increase in open rates for the third quarter in a row, with 12 of the 16 industries measured seeing an increase over Q1 2008.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from 6 billion emails sent by Epsilon in January, February and March 2009, across multiple industries and more than 200 clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, Epsilon, "Coming off of the holiday season and facing a challenging economy at the start of the year, email marketing continues to perform well and provide stable results. The clients who continue to see strong results are those that segment their subscriber base and deliver timely, relevant information. Likewise, more companies are using triggers and transactions to drive highly targeted messages and these companies tend to outperform their peers.”

Survey Highlights:

Deliverability continues to remain stable at 94.1%, up from 93.4% in Q1 2008.
Open rates increased to 22.1%, up 11.2% from the rate of 19.9% in Q1 2008.
Click rates increased 4.0% overall from last quarter to 6.1%.
Business Products and Services, Consumer Packaged Goods, Pharmaceutical, Telecom and General Retail all saw an increase in all three major metrics – deliverability, opens and clicks – compared to last year.
None of the industries measured saw a decline across all three metrics.

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10/28/08 - National MS Society

DALLAS, TX — October 28, 2008 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed a five-year renewal agreement with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to continue providing an integrated database solution for the Society’s home office and 54 chapter offices nationwide.

Founded in 1946, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society addresses the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.

Under terms of the agreement, Epsilon a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services will continue providing database management and services geared toward increasing retention and loyalty with the Society’s 15+ million supporters. Specifically, Epsilon captures and houses millions of supporter records obtained dynamically via the Society’s website and other sources (e.g., donor and volunteer profiles, event registrations including walks and fundraisers, tributes and memorials, and MS literature requests, among others). Information about the Society’s supporters is continually appended and maintained on Epsilon’s proprietary database platform, which also tracks direct mail campaign responses and helps facilitate the Society’s ongoing initiatives, including MS research, support, advocacy, education, and volunteer management.

“We have worked with Epsilon since 1985 to more effectively and efficiently reach our key constituencies,” said Julie Butcher, executive vice president, Information Technology for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “The solution that Epsilon manages gives us a very clear view of our supporters, allowing us to effectively measure and track relationships that are absolutely critical to our current and future operations. As we grow, so does our relationship with Epsilon.”

“We have had a successful partnership with the National MS Society for many years and are excited about this contract renewal,” said Michael Iaccarino, president of Epsilon. “With a number of Society initiatives taking place simultaneously across their numerous chapter locations, the Society needs a partner that can provide superior technology and resources to help them effectively manage supporter activities. Epsilon will continue to provide the tools, technology and one-on-one support to help them achieve their goals.”

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10/14/08 - Wakefield Renewal

DALLAS, TX — October 14, 2008 — Epsilon today announced that the company has signed a 12 year lease for 113,000 square feet of first class office space at 601 Edgewater Drive in Wakefield, Massachusetts. This transaction represents one of the largest office leases signed this year in Greater Boston. Epsilon, as the leading marketing services firm in the U.S., is growing significantly with major client wins and renewals and the firm plans to expand staff at its Wakefield location. After reviewing several other options in the region as well as out-of-state options, Epsilon decided to stay in its current location.

According to Epsilon President and CEO Michael Iaccarino, "We're committed to hiring the best, and the talent pool in Greater Boston is strong for the roles we require. Despite the downturn in the national economy, our business is strong and we anticipate continued momentum. Wakefield has been a part of Epsilon for more than five years, and is now home for more than 400 Epsilon employees.”

Massachusetts Governor Patrick said, "We work very hard to create a business environment that encourages growth. I am pleased that Epsilon recognizes the benefits of calling Massachusetts home."

Governor Patrick is recognizing Epsilon’s long history and commitment to Massachusetts at the ‘It’s All Here’ Day held at the State House in Boston on Tuesday, October 14.

With more than 2,400 employees globally and offices in major cities around the world, the company provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. In May, Epsilon was ranked #1 Marketing Services Firm and #1 Direct Marketing Agency in the 64th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report.

John Boyle, Partner, DTZ FHO Partners represented Epsilon in the lease transaction. Charles “Chip” Batchelder, Managing Director, Wyman Street Advisors represented the owner of 601 Edgewater Drive, Hobbs Brook Management LLC. Built in 2001, 601 Edgewater Drive is a five-story building comprised of 150,000 square feet. In addition to high end office space, the Wakefield location features a world-class data center which processes billions of transactions annually.

Donald Oldmixon, first vice president and manager of real estate construction and leasing for Hobbs Brook Management, said “As a long time tenant, we are thrilled Epsilon is expanding at our Wakefield property and welcome the opportunity to support their business objectives by providing great Class A office space as they expand and grow their local presence.”

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07/01/09 - Epsilon Signs Astra Zeneca Agmt.

July 1, 2009 — Alliance Data’s Epsilon business announced today that it has signed an expansion agreement with leading pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca to provide comprehensive database and permission-based email marketing solutions to now reach healthcare professionals.

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services to treat disorders in the gastrointestinal, cardiac and vascular, neurological and psychiatric, infection, respiratory, pathological inflammation, and oncology areas. The company posted 2008 sales of $32 billion.

Since 2003, Epsilon has been supporting AstraZeneca’s direct-to-consumer marketing initiatives for a number of leading pharmaceutical brands to help raise awareness and promote patient adherence to therapy. Services include managing AstraZeneca’s consumer database and providing strategic and analytic consulting services associated with direct marketing and permission-based email education campaigns.

Under the terms of the expanded agreement, Epsilon will now also target healthcare providers on behalf of AstraZeneca. Specific services Epsilon will provide include database and permission-based email marketing services, data services, analytics and reporting functionality for the purpose of educating healthcare providers about top brands including Nexium, Seroquel and Symbicort. These activities will extend the reach of AstraZeneca’s sales organization, improve healthcare provider education and information, and support new product launches.

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06/23/09 - Purple@Epsilon Wins Four NEDMA Awards

DALLAS, TX — June 23, 2009 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, announced today Purple@Epsilon, a full-service agency that meets all multi-channel marketing needs, has been honored with four New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA) Awards. NEDMA is the oldest regional direct marketing association in the country and each year recognizes creative and strategic marketing achievements that produce dramatic results.

This marks the 20th consecutive year Epsilon has won a NEDMA award. Purple@Epsilon was recognized at the 28th annual NEDMA Award Show, June 10 in Boston in the award categories of outdoor, fundraising integrated campaign, fundraising direct mail and multi-media and direct mail on behalf of clients, San Diego Zoo, Save the Children and Charter Communications.

“We are honored to receive four additional NEDMA awards alongside of our clients. With over 100 creative awards received to date, the Purple@Epsilon team strives to create direct marketing campaigns that invoke action and produce results”, said David McRae, president, Purple@Epsilon. “All four award-winning campaigns achieved these objectives and it’s an honor to be recognized by NEDMA.”

In a field of over 345 creative entries, Purple@Epsilon won against dynamic competition and was judged by a group of 25 industry leaders from across the country. The Award categories and honors received:

Gold Awards
Categories: Fundraising Integrated Campaign and Other Media (Outdoor)
Client: San Diego Zoo
Campaign: Coming Back

Bronze Award
Category: Fundraising Non-profit Direct Mail Category
Client: Save the Children
Campaign: Annual Fund Appeal

Bronze Award
Category: Multimedia and Direct Mail
Client: Charter Communications
Campaign: Live it with Charter™ Loyalty program

For more information about Purple@Epsilon, visit www.epsilon.com/purple.

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10/06/08 - New Purple VP

DALLAS, TX — October 6, 2008 — Epsilon, the leading marketing services firm, today announced that Lillian Kennedy has joined Purple@Epsilon, as Vice President, Media Services.

Epsilon launched Purple@Epsilon, which is a full-service agency that meets all online and offline marketing needs, in late March 2008.

"Since the launch of Purple@Epsilon earlier this year, we have gained significant traction with clients and have strong interest in the market," said David McRae, President, Purple@Epsilon. “Lillian has over 25 years of agency experience building brands and recruiting top clients. By adding talent like Lillian and Stacia Goddard, we will continue to gain momentum in the market and create unique and powerful marketing programs for our clients."

Ms. Kennedy will play a vital role in the agency’s business development efforts and work directly with clients to provide seamless media expertise across all disciplines. She will report to Stacia Goddard, Executive Vice President, Strategic Marketing Services, Purple@Epsilon. Ms. Goddard also joined Epsilon from Hill Holiday six months ago.

Stacia Goddard added, “Clients need innovative approaches to today’s consumer-controlled media environment. It takes a whole new level of strategic targeting, and an integrated mix of both new and traditional media. Lillian is one of the few people out there who brings depth of experience across all areas.”

Ms. Kennedy has integrated multi-media experience both domestic and globally. She has an extensive track record of building and leading teams in both consumer and B2B marketing across a variety of industries including Financial Services, Healthcare, Packaged Goods, Pharma and Retail.

Before joining Purple@Epsilon, she was Senior Vice President, Media Director at Hill/Holiday New York, responsible for a number of key accounts as well as new business efforts. Before that, Kennedy was the Executive Vice President, Media Director at Lowe (formerly Bozell), where she supervised the fully integrated media department.

For more information about Purple@epsilon, visit www.epsilon.com/purple.

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10/03/08 - Cincinnati Expansion

DALLAS, TX — October 3, 2008 — Representing one of the largest office deals in Greater Cincinnati for 2008, Epsilon, a leading marketing services firm, announced today that it has executed a major office lease in Blue Ash, Ohio, by signing a 10-year lease for 28,000 square feet of class A office space at 4445 Lake Forest Drive in the Lake Forest/Westlake Business Park. Epsilon was previously located at 1000 Summit Drive at the Ridgewood Corporate Center in Milford, Ohio.

Epsilon has enjoyed a prominent presence in the Greater Cincinnati area for over 5 years and, after a number of major client wins and renewals, is planning on supporting its growth by expanding its staff in the region. Epsilon has 105 employees at its current site, but this relocation will allow the company to grow its headcount to more than 155.

"Despite the downturn in the national economy, our business is strong and we anticipate continued momentum,” said Epsilon President and CEO Michael Iaccarino. “Our latest expansion reinforces our commitment to hire the best local talent to support our fast-growing business, and as this long-term agreement demonstrates, Epsilon is strongly committed to the city of Blue Ash.”

Lake Forest/Westlake Business Park features an array of on-site amenities, including a restaurant, conference center, fitness center and on-site management office. The office park is also conveniently located near the intersection of I-71 and I-275.

John J. Boyle III, Partner, Corporate Advisory Services, and Kim Roop, Senior Vice President at DTZ FHO Partners, represented Epsilon, along with their local partner, Scott Abernethy and Don Murphy of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. The property owner was represented by Jay Morey and Jerry Royce, both Senior Vice Presidents at Duke Realty.

With more than 2100 employees globally and offices in major cities around the world, the company provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. In May, Epsilon was ranked #1 Marketing Services Firm and #1 Direct Marketing Agency in the 64th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report.

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NEMOA Spring Conference

March 10-12, 2010
Boston, MA

Keynote Presenter
Stacey Hawes
SVP, Account Management & Business Development
Abacus, a division of Epsilon Targeting

Keynote Presentation Description
Understanding the DNA of the New Consumer - A Close Look at Data Reveals the New Consumer Blueprint Take a look at the new consumer through a series of data points that provide insight into consumer's expectations of brands, how they interact with them and their resulting behavior. Transactional data, marketing channel metrics combined with consumer-reported data will create a map of new consumers that marketers can use to develop marketing strategies and connect with their customers. What you'll learn about today's consumer:

Consumer behavior across channels
Consumer behavior in key selling seasons
Consumer preferences and expectations of their interactions with brands
And the so what? Taking all this data with deeper consumer knowledge to actionable marketing strategies

09/18/08 - Beech-Nut Agreement

DALLAS, TX — September 18, 2008 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed an agreement with New York-based Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation to provide integrated direct marketing and permission-based email marketing services through its full-service direct marketing agency Purple@Epsilon.

Headquartered in Latham, N.Y., Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation, a subsidiary of Hero Group of Lenzburg, Switzerland, has focused on infant nutrition since 1931. Beech-Nut, the number two baby food brand in the United States, is a leader in baby nutrition and offers a variety of infant and toddler foods. Hero Group’s sales in 2007 were more than $1.74 billion.

Under terms of the agreement, Epsilon a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services will provide an integrated solution for managing Beech-Nut’s entire customer communications stream. Among the services is the development and execution of direct marketing programs, and the management of their eNewsletter program which will expand later this fall to include parents of toddlers. The eNewsletter is filled with education on feeding and development, parenting tips and coupons to incent product trials.

Epsilon’s integrated marketing solution includes developing and executing direct mail campaigns that encourage parents to sign-up for Beech-Nut’s e-newsletter, in addition to a monthly direct mail campaign designed to build brand awareness, encourage eNewsletter sign up, and incent product trials. Epsilon will also be building a sophisticated customer segmentation model to support and enhance this program.

“Beech-Nut has always been a company focused on innovation and putting parents and babies first. Targeted, one-to-one programs like our e-newsletter has become an ever-increasing, effective way to reach and engage our customers,” said Sumindi Peiris, marketing director, Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation. “We chose Epsilon for their extensive track record of engaging customers and building world-class brands. Their expertise and ability to execute highly effective direct marketing programs have helped us optimize our consumer marketing efforts.”

“We are pleased to be working with Beech-Nut, a leader in the infant food and nutrition market,” said Michael Iaccarino, president of Epsilon. “With our vast experience in creating highly relevant, tailored communications driven through both direct and email marketing services, Epsilon is the ideal choice to enrich content and connect with Beech-Nut’s consumer base.

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06/09/09 - Alex Kooluris Joins Purple@Epsilon

DALLAS, TX — June 9, 2009 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, today announced that Alex Kooluris has joined Purple@Epsilon, a full-service agency that meets all multi-channel marketing needs, as Vice President, General Manager.

"We continue to see significant multichannel marketing opportunities for the healthcare industry and to meet this growing demand Purple@Epsilon is adding new talent like Andrew Bast and now Alex Kooluris," said David McRae, President, Purple@Epsilon. “Our team understands the complexity of the industry and is well-positioned to meet the changing needs of clients to deliver marketing strategies that touch on a number channels, from direct marketing to advertising as well as interactive."

Kooluris will support major pharmaceutical clients with overall management, development of brand strategy, relationship management, and creative assets. In addition, he will play a critical role in new business development for the expanding Purple@Epsilon and healthcare services practices. Mr. Kooluris will report to Andrew Bast, SVP, General Manager, Purple@Epsilon., who joined Epsilon in March 2009.

According to Mr. Kooluris, “Our main focus is helping our clients build successful brands. Epsilon is uniquely positioned with the ability to develop and implement tools that capture customer insights and drive behavior, as well as design breakthrough creative that fully engages the audience and seamlessly execute across channels. The result is more than simply building ‘a relationship.’ We’re creating memorable, relevant and sustainable experiences with the brand for each stakeholder. So at the end of the day, your brand is remembered and the others are just noise.”

Prior to joining Purple@Epsilon, Mr. Kooluris worked at Saatchi & Saatchi and its sibling agency Glow Worm on leading healthcare brands including Gilead and Johnson & Johnson. Before Saatchi & Saatchi, Alex was an Account Supervisor at Cline Davis & Mann where he developed programs for Pfizer and Novartis. His experience spans conditions and practice areas including Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Infectious Diseases, Medical Devices and Women’s Beauty.

For more information about Purple@Epsilon visit www.epsilon.com/purple.

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Marketing Profs Business-to-Business Forum 2010

Marrying-up Your Measurement Results to Make Better Marketing Investment Decisions

May 4-5, 2010
Boston, MA

Speaker
Jaymes Meena
Director, Analytics
Abacus, a division of Epsilon Targeting

Panel Description
Measuring the results of your marketing programs has always been a challenge but these days the results are dispersed among different systems from your marketing automation system to your web analytics package. How do you gain a big picture sense of what works when the information is scattered. There's no magic solution but in this session you'll hear what several marketers are doing to marry-up the results of their programs in order to make better marketing investment decisions going forward. We'll discuss case studies of key performance metrics actually used by these marketers every day to guide them in making the best B2B marketing investment decisions. For example, how much, and what kind of print, should you mail? How much should you invest in SEO and PPC? What is the proper mix of retention, reactivation and acquisition? Learn what these successful marketers do and what you can do to maximize ROI.

09/15/08 - CMO Politics

NEW YORK, NY — September 15, 2008 — Chief Marketing Officers at many of the biggest brands in the nation have some advice for the Presidential candidates: Don’t go negative in political advertising.

In the Epsilon survey of CMOs conducted in August 2008, 85% of CMOs and senior marketers are negative on ‘ads that are critical of candidates’. In contrast, 91% are positive about, “Ads that show the political candidate sharing his/her position on issues.”

When asked to judge the most important actions the presidential candidate’s campaign should take to win in November 2008, 45% selected: ‘Come up with 2 or 3 MAJOR changes they would enact as President’. The second most popular action for the campaign was: “Blanket with ads that don’t attack, but reinforce positive attributes of the candidate.

“ Epsilon’s first survey of the nation’s Chief Marketing Officers presents a unique look into the near term and longer term state of the economy, important media trends, and a perspective on social and political issues never before revealed,” said Steve Cone, Chief Marketing Officer of Epsilon, a leading marketing services firm.

The survey was conducted in August 2008. Participants included 175 Chief Marketing Officers and marketing executives of some of the largest brands in the U.S. 27% of respondents work at companies with $10 billion or more in annual revenues last year.

Of those surveyed, 87% plan to vote in the 2008 Presidential election – with 45% selecting McCain and 42% choosing Obama if they were voting today. A surprising number fell into the swing-vote category, with 55% said that they would consider voting for a candidate that is affiliated with a political party other than their own.

In the survey of leadership and strategy, CMOs also were asked about whom they were most eager to work for. Presented with a list of well-known American CEOs, both present and past, 33% of senior marketers selected Warren Buffett as the CEO that they would most like to work for. Maybe not surprisingly, second choice was marketing impresario Steve Jobs at 27%.

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06/04/09 - Global Email Consumer Study

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DALLAS, TX — June 4, 2009 — According to Epsilon’s Global Consumer Email Study, consumers around the world are using online communication tools and responding to permission-based email (PBE) in varying ways based on their country of origin. The study conducted by ROI Research is based on an April 2009 survey of over 4000 consumers in 13 countries.

Email remains a mainstay communication, proliferating new devices for timing and convenience. The study found that North American (87%) and European (74%) respondents are more likely than their peers in APAC (58%) to use email as their primary online communications tool. As the main channel for communication, instant messaging is notably high in APAC with 28% while text/SMS and social networking remain consistently low across all regions. While most consumers manage one primary inbox for the programs they subscribe to, mobile phones and PDAs are gaining popularity for time-sensitive alerts such as news, weather and finance/stock information.

Email is also replacing other channels of communication. Over one-third of respondents have replaced traditional channels in favor of email for communications from banks (40%), promotional postal mail (38%) and telemarketing (34%) and there is a desire for email to continue to displace offline coupons (14%) and telemarketing (28%).

A permission-based email is an email communication from a marketer to a consumer or business that has subscribed or opted-in to receive email communications from the sender. PBEs are more likely to elicit actions from APAC respondents including clicking on a website, signing up for more information, watching a video clip, clicking on an advertised link or purchasing on- or off-line. APAC also leads in reported usage of a PDA or Smartphone for email with 32%, significantly more than North America (9%) and Europe (7%).

In addition, consumers take a variety of offline actions including visiting a store (49%) and purchasing by phone (25%) or catalog (25%) which reinforces the need for marketers to implement a multi-channel strategy. Six out of ten (59%) APAC consumers report making an offline purchase as a result of email communications, followed by North America (53%) and EMEA (37%).

Another notable difference by region is the compelling feature that leads consumers to open a permission-based email, implying the need for individual targeting, timely/trigger delivery and relevant content. While half of APAC respondents feel that “subject” lines are the most compelling feature, over two-thirds of North American and European respondents select the “from” line. Discount offers, free product offers, familiar brand names and personalization of subject lines increase the likelihood of opening among all respondents.

“In order to reach consumers at the right time with the most appropriate message, it is critical that multichannel marketers understand consumer behavior and properly adjust their message, timing, and overall strategy to ensure success,” according to Andrew Frawley, President, Email and Digital Solutions at Epsilon. “This research also clearly demonstrates that the email channel does not exist in isolation from other online and offline channels. Organizations must integrate these email best practices with communications in other channels to deliver the highest ROI programs.”

Other key findings from the study include:

Respondents cite security and lack of attractive offers/promotions as the primary reasons why they do not interact with the emails they receive;
North American respondents are the most likely to unsubscribe; Irrelevant content and frequency are cited as the two most likely reasons for un-subscription;
About eight in ten North American respondents have added PBE addresses to safe sender lists; overall, more than half of respondents have added PBE addresses to safe sender lists;
Respondents are most concerned about viruses, identity theft, phishing, and scams; Concerns about phishing and pharming have increased significantly from 2005 to 2009 for US respondents;

“This study is a global guide for email marketers to understand consumer preferences and the complex combination of timing, frequency and content relevancy across a variety of devices. This understanding is the first step to enabling marketers to segment and deliver timely, relevant content to their increasingly-savvy and increasingly-global subscriber base,” said Kevin Mabley, SVP of Strategic Services at Epsilon. “These findings reinforce the need for marketers to speak to consumers in a two-way dialogue, with respect for their stated preferences and recognition of past interactions. Further, what works in Japan may not apply in Canada, thus knowledge of local marketplace trends is crucial and testing each strategy and program will provide confirmation of what’s working.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive multichannel marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its Global Consumer Email Study is based on an April 2009 survey of over 4000 consumers in the US, Canada, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, India, Malaysia, Japan, the UK, France, Germany and Spain. The survey, conducted by ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, explored email practices in various parts of the world. The study builds on similar research conducted in the US from 2002-2005 and APAC in 2008.

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09/08/08 - CMO Survey

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NEW YORK, NY — September 8, 2008 — Chief Marketing Officers at many of the biggest brands in the nation are seeing a major shift in the marketing landscape. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the 175 marketing executives surveyed see an increase in their spending on interactive/digital marketing while 59% report a decrease in traditional marketing spend.

The survey additionally describes the tough challenges that top CMOs face in this current economic climate: 65% say that the money spent on advertising as a whole will decrease due to the current economy. In contrast, 94% of CMOs and marketing executives agreed with the statement, 'A tough economic period is precisely the time when marketing plays a key role.

CMOs are shifting to more targeted and measurable marketing strategies. When asked how their firm determines their target market for each channel, 50% stated that they use data driven marketing techniques: 31% of respondents agreed with the statement: &quote You use sophisticated modeling tools to analyze existing customer data (behavioral, preference and demographic) 'and 19% said that they 'analyze past purchase behavior. 'In contrast, 28% said they made 'rough estimates based on past experience.

According to Mike Iaccarino, CEO of Epsilon, a leading marketing services firm, "Epsilon's first survey of the nation's Chief Marketing Officers presents a unique look at the changing dynamics of the marketing landscape. In this economic climate, marketing executives are seeking accountability and measurable results. Data driven marketing is an increasingly important component of corporate marketing campaigns as senior marketers employ sophisticated segmentation strategies to recruit and retain customers."

The survey was conducted in August 2008. Participants included 175 U.S. Chief Marketing Officers and marketing executives of some of the largest brands in the nation. 27% of respondents work at companies with $10 billion or more in annual revenues last year.

Marketing Mix:

CMOs of the biggest brands have been early adopters of new media with social computing and blogs receiving the most interest whereas instant messaging and interactive TV ads were the least popular.

Social computing (including word of mouth, social networking sites, viral advertising, etc.) was the most popular emerging channel with 42% of marketing executives expressing interest in adding it to their marketing mix.
Blogs were the second most popular emerging channel: 35% of marketing executives want to pursue blogs and 19% already use blogs
Almost one-third of CMOs mentioned Podcasting as an area of interest: 31% are interested in adding Podcasting to their marketing mix and 18% already have.
Mobile devices also elicited interest: 29% are interested in Mobile Devices (Phones/PDAs) and 22% have added them to their marketing mix.

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05/22/09 - National Geographic Renewal

Epsilon to Continue Hosting and Managing the Society’s
Enterprise-Wide Marketing Database

DALLAS, TX — May 22, 2009 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon subsidiary has signed a multi-year extension agreement with Washington, D.C.-based National Geographic Society to continue providing database hosting and marketing services. National Geographic, a large Epsilon database client since 1997, is also an Epsilon permission-based email and Epsilon Targeting client.

National Geographic is a long-standing American icon known for its legendary photographs, maps, and scientific exploration and research. Founded in 1888, the nonprofit Society works to inspire people to care about the planet and currently reaches more than 360 million people each month through its magazines, the National Geographic Channel, television documentaries, music and radio, films, books, DVDs, maps, live events, exhibitions, school publishing programs and interactive media.

Epsilon, the leading U.S. direct marketing agency, will continue to host and manage National Geographic’s enterprise marketing database, which includes more than 45 million member, consumer and prospect records. Epsilon enhances and aggregates data from sources across the National Geographic enterprise, enables sophisticated consumer insight reports and gives the Society a complete view of its member base. Through Epsilon Targeting data enhancement, along with Epsilon’s sophisticated analytics, campaign management and advanced reporting services, they will continue to help National Geographic execute millions of targeted and relevant marketing communications to cross-promote National Geographic products, increase brand equity, generate incremental revenue and, ultimately, help fund and advance the Society’s mission.

Epsilon Targeting is the industry’s most advanced provider of consumer information for targeted solutions. Epsilon Data Services, Abacus and ICOM Information and Communications make up Epsilon Targeting. Using Abacus data, National Geographic Society’s analytic predictive modeling and campaign selection teams will enhance and improve campaign performance.

“With such a vast membership base and multiple channels of communication, managing our database platform ensures that we can connect with our key audiences to build brand awareness, generate revenue and provide funding for our mission programs,” said Dave Wasdahl, vice president of marketing services at National Geographic. “Epsilon has played a significant role in our marketing strategy both on the database and email side, and we’re pleased to continue investing in our relationship.”

Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, said, “We are excited about National Geographic’s decision to renew its relationship with Epsilon. National Geographic is a seasoned and sophisticated multi-channel marketer that recognizes the benefit that Epsilon’s unique data assets, deep technology expertise and integrated marketing approach bring to its business. We are eager to continue helping National Geographic connect with its members in relevant ways that drive business results.”

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09/03/09 - The Greenest Generation

TORONTO — September 3, 2008 — Bucking the belief that environmentalism is a youth movement, consumers over 55 years old are the most prolific users of green products in the United States, according to survey results released today by ICOM Information & Communications.

Both male and female groups 55 years and over reported above average usage of environmentally friendly home goods. Leading the way was the 55-59 year-old female demographic, who was more than twice as likely as the average consumer to use green products. Males 65-69 years old were second, more than 1.7 times as likely to use than the average American.

ICOM, an industry leader in targeted marketing powered by consumer data, conducted the household products survey in March and April 2008 with 6,036 people responding nationwide.

“The data is very telling for marketers,” remarked ICOM Vice President of Marketing Peter Meyers. “There is incredible interest brewing for sustainable products. While the numbers show that significant inroads have been made with the older demographics, they also suggest untapped potential in prime younger consumer groups to engage them with eco-friendly products.”

In a rare insight to the penetration of green products into the American home, 61.9% of survey respondents said that they do use some type of environmentally friendly product. When asked why they elect to purchase eco-friendly goods, a leading 33% of the group selected the self-gratifying “makes me feel good about myself.”

When asked why they elect not to purchase or use green products, 50% of non-adopters cited high prices as the main factor. The next highest reason selected for avoiding green goods was “I do not believe that they are that much better for the environment,” at 17%.

Of those that said they do not use environmentally friendly products, both male and female demographics aged 25-34 years old were among the “least likely to use” when compared with the national average.

“Younger demographics are still green, that is, inexperienced when it comes to engaging with environmentally friendly goods,” added Meyers. “The data suggests that targeting these groups with more calculated offers – such as at slightly more aggressive price points, appealing to their personal values or reinforcing the true benefits for the environment – could introduce green products to a new, promising consumer base.”

05/18/09 - Ad Age: Epsilon #1 Direct Marketing Agency

DALLAS, TX — May 18, 2009 — Epsilon announced that the 65th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report has ranked the firm number one Direct Marketing Agency in the U.S. and number four U.S. Agency From All Disciplines.

Epsilon experienced significant growth in the U.S. and abroad with revenue in 2008 totaling nearly $500 million. In addition, the first quarter of 2009 was a record quarter for Epsilon, with 19 new email clients and substantial wins, renewals and expansions in the United States, Europe and Asia. Epsilon also posted a first quarter volume record in 2009 with 8 billion permission-based emails deployed.

According to Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, “As Epsilon celebrates its 40th anniversary, we take great pride in our success and industry leadership as well as the unparalleled client work performed throughout the last four decades. The Ad Age ranking and our strong start to 2009 are indicative of the growing need for measurable, strategic marketing programs and Epsilon’s ability to deliver these services for clients around the globe.

In 2008 and the beginning of 2009, Epsilon signed clients representing a number of industries including financial services, retail, travel, pharmaceuticals and consumer packaged goods spanning variety of multi-channel direct and digital marketing services.

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05/06/09 - New Email Clients in Q1 2009

DALLAS, TX — May 6, 2009 — Epsilon announced today an unprecedented new client roster for its permission-based email and digital solutions business in the first quarter 2009. New wins include well known brands such as Scottrade and TCF Bank. Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, and an Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) subsidiary, experienced significant growth with new client wins, renewals and expansions in the United States as well as Europe and Asia. Epsilon also posted a first-quarter volume record with 8 billion permission-based emails deployed.

While Epsilon’s solutions differ across these new clients, a typical client assignment begins with the collection of consumer data from a variety of sources, including through the client, Epsilon’s own proprietary data sources, and list services, among others. Epsilon then mines that data to develop micro-targeted ROI-based marketing campaigns, which are deployed through permission-based emails using its proprietary technology platform. Finally, Epsilon applies sophisticated analytics to evaluate campaign performance and the impact of those campaigns on sales, customer engagement and brand affinity.

According to Forrester Research, email marketing has a compound annual growth rate of 9 percent and email marketing spend will grow to more than $4 billion by 2012. (Forrester US Interactive Marketing Forecast 2007 To 2012, October 10, 2007)

In the Asia-Pacific region during Q1, business expanded rapidly with year-to-date volumes up 50 percent from the same time last year and prominent new clients such as Air China. In Europe, new accounts represent brands such as Cartier; National Trust, one of Europe’s largest conservation charities; e-Conversions, an award-winning online marketing company; and Scout, Germany’s largest online consumer portal.

In addition, the 65th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report released last week ranked Epsilon number one Direct Marketing Agency in the United States and number four U.S. Agency across All Disciplines based on revenues.

According to Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon, “In spite of increasingly scrutinized marketing budgets and the downturn in the global economy, Epsilon’s U.S. and international business thrived in the first quarter of this year. In fact, these record signings provide additional comfort in hitting our 2009 target as they ramp-up in the latter half of the year. Importantly, these 19 signings are a testament to the growing demand for highly targeted, ROI-based digital marketing solutions such as Epsilon offers. Our technology, experience and client-centric approach are what drive our business, and we will continue to invest in our core capabilities and technology to deliver robust and strategic marketing solutions for our clients.

“Additionally, we had a record first quarter with more than 8 billion permission-based emails deployed worldwide,” Kennedy continued. “Clearly this indicates that marketers are recognizing the high value and seeing measurable results as we help deploy targeted email communication strategies that strengthen their customer relationships and grow their businesses.”

Clients enlisting Epsilon for email marketing support in early 2009 represent a number of industries including financial services, retail, travel, and consumer packaged goods and span a variety of multi-channel direct and digital marketing services.

“Our leading proprietary technology, such as the DREAM platform, vast capabilities and talented team played a major role in these recent wins,” said Andrew Frawley, president of Epsilon’s Digital Solutions group. “These new clients are eager to take advantage of DREAM 8, our next-generation, multi-channel marketing application which provides enhanced functionality, innovative features and a customizable dashboard.

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08/26/08 - Commerce Bank Agreement

DALLAS, TX — August 26, 2008 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed an agreement with Missouri-based Commerce Bank, N.A. Commerce Bank operates in approximately 350 locations in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado.

Under the terms of the agreement, Epsilon will provide a turnkey direct marketing solution geared toward acquiring new customers for Commerce Bank’s retail business unit. Specifically, Epsilon will develop and execute several of Commerce Bank’s retail direct marketing programs, which include creative development and distribution of direct mail campaigns as well as analytic services for developing customer models and campaign support.

Mindy Stimson, Manager, Consumer Banking & Retail Strategy, Commerce Bank, said, "Succeeding in today's ever-changing marketplace requires focus and expertise in all areas of customer lifecycle marketing. We chose Epsilon for their proven ability to effectively acquire customers and cultivate those relationships to generate maximum profitability for the bank."

Michael laccarino, president of Epsilon, said, "We welcome Commerce Bank to the Epsilon family of clients. Through our proven analytics and customer segmentation capabilities, combined with the technology to deploy highly customized, relevant direct marketing communications, we are confident in our ability to help Commerce Bank succeed in attracting and retaining profitable customer relationships.”

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08/19/08 - Abacus Trend Report

LAFAYETTE, CO — August 19, 2008 — Abacus, a division of Epsilon, today announced the release of the 2008 Abacus Trend Report, which reveals that revenue from consumer offers grew 5% over the prior year despite the beginning of a broad economic slowdown. The report, which is based on aggregated merchandise purchase data from the Abacus Cooperative database, indicates marketers need to focus on strategies that streamline the marketing process and reduce the variable costs associated with marketing investments.

“The insights in this report reflect the market sentiment and the shift in marketing behavior that continues to change the landscape for our clients,” said Brian Rainey, Abacus’ president. “Understanding multi-channel transaction data and behavior is a vital component of marketing strategy.”

Online Sales Continue to Drive Growth
The study found the transition to online purchasing continues to grow and the Internet remains the purchase channel of choice over the call center/mail channel. Additionally, the percentage of sales taking place online has grown over 40% over the last four years – increasing 11% in the most recent year alone to now make up 56% of all direct consumer revenue.

According to a Harris Interactive study conducted for iCongo, one third of US adults with Internet access are more likely to shop online – versus in a store – due to high gas prices. In addition, other motivations for shopping online include free shipping, lower prices and the ability to shop any time.

Not All Customers Are Created Equal
The study examined the behavior of multi-channel buyers versus individuals who purely shop online, at retail locations or by call center/mail and found that multi-channel buyers are highly valuable to Business-to-Consumer marketers. Compared with other repeat buyers, multi-channel buyers represent 69% of therevenue and spend nearly twice the amount per household. The total value of Business-to-Consumer multi-channel buyers grew year-over-year with a 15% higher transaction rate and a 10% higher dollar per household. Business-2-Business multi-channel buyers also grew year-over-year with a 30% higher average transaction rate and a 14% higher average sale.

First transaction attributes like original source, month of acquisition, and initial spend continue to be highly correlated with customer potential and can be a predictor of future customer value for segmentation and contact strategy decisions.

Direct Mail Circulation is Steady
The current direct mail environment is particularly challenging following the May 2007 postage increase and other rising costs associated with direct mail production and fulfillment. Despite these factors, direct mail circulation remained relatively steady with a 1% decline over the prior year in prospecting volumes. The study shows a notable shift in circulation from prospecting to deeper house file penetration. An understanding of near-term value by list source is critical when optimizing circulation.

Methodology
Two main data sources were used to compile the 2008 Abacus Trend Report. These sources leverage the combined technology and data assets of Epsilon’s Abacus Cooperative database and comprise a wealth of transactional data. The analysis also looked at the “Multi-Channel Benchmark Group,” a subset of the Abacus Cooperative members consisting of multi-channel merchants. For a sneak peek at 2008 trends, the analysis identified a separate comparative group of multi-channel merchants with full activity from January 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008. Note: Due to methodology changes between Trend Reports, it is recommended that year-over-year activity be examined within a single Trend Report, as opposed to comparing prior versions that may include different merchants.

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05/05/09 - Epsilon Launches Epsilon Targeting

DALLAS, TX — May 5, 2009 — Epsilon today launched Epsilon Targeting, a business division offering market intelligence of unprecedented scope that allows marketers to tap the industry’s largest and most diverse consumer databanks to better understand customers and send highly personalized messages for better marketing campaign results.

Epsilon Targeting brings together Epsilon Data Services, the leading compiler of U.S. new mover data; Abacus, acquired in 2007, the largest cooperative database of U.S. multi-channel buyer data; and ICOM Information & Communications, manager of North America’s largest direct-response consumer survey database.

The offering includes powerhouse databases, analytics and consumer outreach capabilities such as:

The largest survey response database in North America with customized data and reach to over 35 million households and 65 million individuals, including hard-to-find attitudinal and behavioral information across more than 1000 data points.
The most comprehensive gathering of transactional data available, aggregated from consumer and business data cooperatives and available for contributing cooperative members use. The consumer cooperative incorporates information from over 1600 member clients spanning 109 million U.S. households with over 8.6 billion recorded transactions. The business cooperative combines data from 400 members amounting to more than 4.8 billion transactions.
Unique data offerings such as information on 1.8 million new-movers per month, business-to-business data on more than 22 million companies, and compiled proprietary data on more than 160 million households.

Epsilon Targeting expands our data services business by incorporating world-class assets, talent and expertise to surpass our competitors and enable us to offer clients a much broader scope of information and analysis. This offering is unique in the marketplace because Epsilon provides from a single provider the transactional, financial, demographic and psychographic data and insights clients need in order to obtain a complete view of their customers,” said Epsilon President Bryan Kennedy. “Epsilon Targeting represents a core element in the multi-channel marketing mix and fits directly into our overall company strategy which is to deliver comprehensive and highly measurable solutions to connect our clients directly with their customers using best-of-breed data, services and technology.”

The introduction of Epsilon Targeting launches 25-year-old ICOM into a new era, strengthened by the resources and market penetration gained in the union with Epsilon, which is ranked by Advertising Age Magazine as America's No. 1 Direct Marketing Agency.

“Epsilon places great value in ICOM’s database, and is eager to take advantage of the greater insight into consumers that ICOM brings, not to mention ICOM’s communications solutions capabilities and the legendary passion the ICOM team has for the work it does,” said Epsilon Targeting President Brian Rainey.

Epsilon Targeting will feature the following services:

Abacus Consumer and business cooperative transactional data
Consumer responder database TargetSource
Data and delivery vehicle TargetMail
Lifestyle data in Target NewMovers and Target NewParents
North America customer composite list offering TargetPlus
Canadian consumer database TargetIntel

Rainey will lead Epsilon Targeting with support from Arlene Lacharite, who will serve as general manager. Rainey previously held the position of president of Abacus and Epsilon Data Services. Prior to that role he was chief executive officer of Abacus when Epsilon acquired Abacus in 2007. Lacharite also joined Epsilon in the 2007 acquisition of Abacus.

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04/28/09 - Talented New Hires

DALLAS, TX — April 28, 2009 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, today announced that five talented marketing executives have joined the healthcare services practice. Joining the team are industry veterans Dominique Hurley, Robert Blumenstock, Ziv Yaar, Aaron Gerrick and Susie Emmerling.

With over 15 years experience in marketing and advertising, Robert Blumenstock will support leading pharmaceutical companies with positioning and strategic marketing efforts. As VP, General Manager at Epsilon, Robert will report to Lisa Henderson, SVP, Client Services at Epsilon. Dominique Hurley will also serve as VP, General Manager, reporting in to Lisa Henderson. Dominique has over 20 years of experience in direct-response marketing and is a recognized marketing leader in the pharmaceutical industry.

Reporting to Dominique, Ziv Yaar will work closely with the Purple@Epsilon team and strategy group as the Relationship Manager for one of Epsilon’s largest pharmaceutical clients. Both Aaron Gerrick and Susie Emmerling joined the Epsilon Strategic and Analytic Consulting Group to focus on the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.

“Epsilon has a proven history in this space with over 25 years of experience and a vast client base. We’ve witnessed explosive growth in the last decade and our team and capabilities continue to expand to meet this increasing demand,” said Lisa Henderson, SVP Client Services at Epsilon. “This industry faces unique challenges and regulatory constraints therefore a multi-channel marketing program is a vital means to connect with physicians and consumers alike. Epsilon has successfully implemented these strategies for our clients to improve relationships with the community and support the efforts of the biggest names in the industry.”

Epsilon’s Healthcare Services practice incorporates custom strategies, advanced analytics, unique data, creativity, loyalty programs and marketing technology.

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07/28/08 - Holiday Shopping

DALLAS, TX — July 28, 2008 — There are fewer shopping days (31 days) between Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2008 than in the previous five years which highlights the importance of early season October marketing campaigns to stimulate sales during this abbreviated holiday window, according to an Epsilon study released today.

According to Mike Penney, Executive Vice President, Epsilon, "We recommend that marketers develop a thoughtful strategy for their holiday campaigns early especially during an economic downturn. In fact, we recommend planning for Christmas in July. It’s important this year to factor in a shortened order curve and consider moving up marketing campaigns to October for an early season push. It pays to start early so you’re not competing with as many companies over a short period of time.”

The Holiday Shopper analysis examined retail email activity over a 13-week period (October-December), which includes the traditional holiday shopping window between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and discovered the following:

Survey Highlights:

Consumers tended to review more emails but completed fewer purchases early in the season (Oct 1-Nov 18). Yet, when they did purchase, their order amounts were higher than average.

Late season shoppers spent less on each purchase, making a notable push the week prior to Christmas. Consumers may be waiting for last minute discounts or trying to complete their shopping lists and buying stocking stuffers and other last-minute gifts.

Conversions lagged open and click rates by a week, which may reflect that consumers research gift ideas and then go back a week later to make purchases.

Heaviest email volumes of the season occurred between December 10-31st, peaking the weeks of 12/10 and 12/17 at 50% the 3-month average.

Tuesdays and Fridays have been the heaviest email volume days – and peak revenue days; while Wednesday and Sunday had the highest conversion rates.

Click activity peaked during the week following Thanksgiving, which begins with what has been dubbed Cyber Monday (Dec 1 this year).

Penney suggests, “Our research shows that email messages need to be carefully targeted and marketers need to know their audience and understand their browsing and purchasing behavior. The behavior Epsilon has identified may impact certain industries differently – for example with average order amounts higher early in the holiday season, retailers with big ticket items should send emails before Cyber Monday."

Tips for marketing during the compressed 2008 holiday season:

There is an inverse relationship between email volume and response metrics like opens and clicks. Marketers tend to think of their competitors as other companies in their industry, but our research suggests that emailers are competing against all other emailers for attention in a consumer’s crowded in-box. It’s especially important to follow creative best practices and have compelling subject lines to stand out.

Send a series of early season messages with content focused on brand building and commerce. A triggered follow-up message should be delivered to all individuals who open the early season message.

Factor in a shortened order curve in terms of marketing development and execution as well as business operations.

Adjust inventory levels and staffing to account for a 10-12% increase in weekly sales between the holidays – with fewer shopping days.

In order to counter any negative consumer preconceptions of email, create a series of branded, holiday-focused messages that set consumer expectations.

Schedule email and direct mail earlier in the season and consider combining drop dates and email deployments.

Focus messages on the week prior to Cyber Monday and the week following to break through in-box clutter.

During the peak season (mid November – 1st week in December), avoid sending emails on high volume days such as Tuesday or Friday – conversions are higher on low volume days like Wednesday and Sunday.

Recognize the limitations of late season email to maximize holiday campaigns. Instead, include messaging that targets post-holiday bargain shoppers.

The 2007 Holiday Shopper analysis examined more than 775 million email messages from retail companies who sent email in October, November and December of 2007. The findings also reflect the historical purchasing activity across the Abacus Cooperative database from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2007.

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07/18/08 - Dallas Expansion

DALLAS, TX — July 18, 2008 — Epsilon today announced the expansion of its worldwide headquarters in Irving, TX, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The leading marketing services firm is growing significantly with major client wins and renewals and plans to expand staff in the Irving, Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex-area.

According to Epsilon President and CEO Michael Iaccarino, "Despite the downturn in the national economy, our business is strong and we anticipate continued momentum. Our latest expansion reinforces our commitment to hire the best local talent to support our fast-growing business. Epsilon is strongly committed to the city of Irving and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the local economy.”

Currently occupying 75,000 square feet at 4301 Regent Boulevard, Epsilon is taking on an additional 75,000 square feet at 4401 Regent Boulevard. Dallas-Forth Worth has a population of 8 million people and is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S.

With more than 2100 employees globally and offices in major cities around the world, the company provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. In May, Epsilon was ranked #1 Marketing Services Firm and #1 Direct Marketing Agency in the 64th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report.

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04/07/09 - Q4 2008 Email Trends

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DALLAS, TX — April 7, 2009 — Epsilon today released its Q4 2008 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which shows an increase in deliverability and open rates.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from 7.7 billion emails sent by Epsilon in October, November and December 2008, across multiple industries and more than 200 clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, Epsilon, "With a boost from holiday shopping in the retail sector in the fourth quarter, email marketing remains a highly effective method for driving customer engagement.”

Survey Highlights:

Deliverability increased slightly from this same time last year (93.1% in 2007 to 94.4% in 2008).
Average volume per client decreased 19% from last year due to aggressive holiday marketing to more targeted customers.
Open rates increased for the third quarter in a row (to 20.9%); and is up almost 6% from this same time last year.
Business Publishing/Media, Business products and services and Financial Services CC/Banks saw an increase in all three major metrics – deliverability, opens and clicks – compared to last year.

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03/25/09 - Purple@Epsilon SVP - Andrew Bast

DALLAS, TX — March 25, 2009 — Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, today announced that Andrew Bast has joined Purple@Epsilon, a full-service agency that meets all multi-channel marketing needs, as Senior Vice President, General Manager.

"Over the last year Purple@Epsilon has continued to gain significant traction with the addition of new clients such as Beech-Nut and Commerce Bank. There are a number of opportunities in the market and particularly in the healthcare space," said David McRae, President, Purple@Epsilon. “Andrew has extensive experience in the healthcare industry and a reputation for developing innovative, multi-channel solutions in this highly regulated environment. We are focused on adding talent like Andrew to offer unique expertise to create highly effective marketing programs for our clients."

Mr. Bast will play a critical role in business development efforts and work directly with healthcare clients to provide communication solutions across all disciplines and channels. He will report to David McRae, President, Purple@Epsilon.

According to Mr. Bast, “Healthcare marketing requires a truly integrated strategy. Epsilon has a long history of understanding customer behaviors and transaction processes. By linking Epsilon’s marketing expertise with the emotions and insights associated with something as personal as one’s health, we have the unique ability to create results-driven solutions. Communication strategies today must engage, inspire, and affirm, and all stakeholders including consumers, physicians, pharmacists, and managed care play a vital role.”

Mr. Bast’s extensive category expertise spans the GI, CV, CNS, HIV, respiratory, and metabolic therapeutic areas. Prior to joining Purple@Epsilon, Mr. Bast worked at Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications and its sibling agency Glow Worm on blockbuster brands such as Nexium, Prilosec, Seroquel, Enbrel, and Amitiza.

Before Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare, Andrew advised clients at a major outsourcing firm, where he implemented several technology-intensive solutions, such as a national student loan centralization effort and a prescription drug co-payment initiative for the Ontario Ministry of Health.

For more information about Purple@Epsilon visit www.epsilon.com/purple.

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07/09/08 - NTV Analysis

DALLAS, TX — July 9, 2008 — Abacus, a division of the industry-leading marketing services company, Epsilon, today announced the availability of the Near-Term Value (NTV) solution. The NTV solution provides marketer’s with actionable insight to drive better marketing investment decisions including forecasts of a customer’s net profit over time, and identifying subsequent value by source. With the NTV Analysis solution, marketers gain insight into the marketing strategies that will provide the highest return based on unique customer spending profiles. It also predicts when existing marketing investments will reach the point of profitability.

“As the cost of reaching customers increases, including rising postal rates, it’s more critical than ever for marketers to understand how their investments are paying off in the near term,” said Elisa Krause, vice president of analytical services for Epsilon's Abacus division. “Our near-term value analysis solution gives marketers a reliable picture of how their customers are likely to spend and which marketing strategies will deliver the greatest ROI.”

Abacus computes NTV by comparing a number of first purchase indicators including origination source and channel, first purchase amount and the month or season of first purchase. An Abacus NTV Analysis includes a point-of-profitability calculator, an analysis of interval between purchases and subsequent spend activity categorized by list source, initial spend and initial month.

A thorough NTV analysis answers some of the most important questions marketers face today:

How much should we spend to acquire a new customer?
Which acquisition sources provide the most customers with the highest value?
Which new buyer groups have lower potential and warrant test strategies?
Who is the best customer to clone for prospect models?

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03/05/09 - Email Branding Study – CPG

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DALLAS, TX — March 5, 2009 — The receipt of permission-based email from a consumer packaged goods company positively influences consumers’ offline purchasing decisions, enhances the company’s reputation and generates loyalty to its brands, according to the latest research from Epsilon.

In the key findings from an Epsilon nationwide survey:

62% of respondents said the permission-based email they receive from CPG companies has a direct impact on offline activities such as making purchases and shopping habits;
63% said they have a more favorable opinion of CPG companies that send them permission-based emails:
57% said they are more loyal to CPG companies and their products or brands because of the permission-based email communications they receive.

Epsilon’s survey research examined why consumers opt to subscribe to emails from companies in the CPG, Pharmaceutical, Travel, Financial Services and Retail sectors of the economy. The research was undertaken to measure how permission-based email campaigns build brand recognition and customer loyalty, and how email communications influence consumers’ on- and off-line behavior.

CPG scored the highest, compared to all other sectors, when consumers were asked about the relationship between permission-based email and their offline purchasing, opinions of companies and feelings of loyalty.

“Consumer packaged goods companies face a challenge when incorporating email communications into their multi-channel marketing mix. They need to engage consumers and find a way to allow them to interact with brands and products both online and offline,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “The research shows that the benefits of email marketing campaigns for consumer packaged goods companies extend far beyond the Internet and into stores and homes.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, conducted the survey.

Email communications effectively elicit behavior from consumers that is measurable by marketers as well as behavior that is difficult to track. When asked how often consumers took the following actions as a direct result of receiving permission-based email from a CPG company, on a four-point scale the numbers revealed:

91% of respondents downloaded or printed a coupon;
81% clicked on a link in an email to learn more;
76% tried a new product for the first time;
75% read company or brand content;
67% researched retail locations that carry the product;
66% ordered a product sample;
65% shared a coupon or forwarded the email;
65% purchased the product online;
34% typed or copied a URL directly into their browser.

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07/09 - More Coupon Use in a Recession

TORONTO — July, 2008 — Pressed with a sluggish economy and escalating living costs, Canadians are looking to the coupon for relief, according to survey results released today by North American target marketing leader ICOM Information & Communications (ICOM).

Of the 2,099 Canadian consumers who responded to a recent ICOM survey, 69% said they are much more likely, or somewhat more likely, to use coupons during a recession. The breakdown was 42.4% much more likely and 26.4% somewhat more likely. The robust 69% bucks a trend, as overall coupon rates have been on the decline in Canada in recent years, prompting many marketers to rethink their coupon strategies.

ICOM’s nationwide survey of Canadian households was conducted in May. The online research was sent to 40,000 households in the ICOM Shopper’s Voice database.

Broken down by age, 72% of consumers in the 35-55 year-old age bracket said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession. That compares to 67% in the 55 years and above bracket and 63% among those 18-34 years old.

Geographically, 70% of Ontarians said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession, versus 59% of Quebecers. Those respondents describing their geographic location as Eastern Canada were 70% much more likely or somewhat more likely to cash coupons during hard economic times, against 68% of Westerners.

Income didn’t make a significant difference to respondents, with 69% of those earning less than $60,000 a year saying they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession, compared to 70% for those earning more than $60,000.

Historically, coupons represent a key area in which manufacturers operating in economic hard times have not cut back. In the weakened economy of 2001, ICOM tracking showed a significant increase in the number of coupons redeemed.

“Savvy consumers can actually make money while others rework budgets during hard times,” said Peter Meyers, ICOM vice president of marketing. “The typical household that wisely uses coupons can save 25 percent on their annual grocery bill – without cutting purchases. That pockets $2,600 a year based on the typical $200 a week grocery spend, which can significantly offset recent gas, living and food cost surges.”

“Marketers are faced with a golden opportunity to engage consumers desperately looking for ways to save money. Blanket distribution tactics waste money and offend consumers. Why send cat litter coupons to households that have no pets? Brands that take the extra step of analyzing the audience will be rewarded for sending offers relevant to the consumer,” Meyers said.

In the area of coupon technology, 58% of consumers responding to the ICOM survey see their coupon use increasing if they could download a coupon from the Internet and have it automatically connected to an electronically swiped loyalty card.

Of that 58%, 35% said they are much more likely to use such a card and 23% said somewhat more likely. Consumers using these paperless coupons receive the discount at the register without having to clip and carry. AOL, Kroger, General Mills and Procter & Gamble are involved in programs testing these high-tech coupons in the North American market.

No less than 62% of consumers in the 18-34 age group said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons if given access to this paperless technology. In the 35-54 age group, 61% said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely. In the 55 and over bracket, 52% said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely.

“This ‘next frontier’ in couponing has garnered recent consumer and media interest. Still in their infancy, online and digital coupons account for less than 1% of the overall coupon market. While an overwhelming majority of consumers still prefer to receive offers in the mail, wise brands will keep this emerging trend on their radar screens,” Meyers said.

03/03/09 - Email Branding Study – Pharma

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DALLAS, TX — March 3, 2009 — The receipt of permission-based email from a pharmaceutical company helps consumers become better patients and makes them more loyal to the senders’ products or brand, according to the latest research from Epsilon.

In the key findings from an Epsilon nationwide survey:

42% of respondents said the permission-based email they receive from pharmaceutical companies has a direct impact on offline activities, like taking medication as instructed by a doctor and filling prescriptions;
44% said they’re more likely to stay on a drug from a pharmaceutical company that sends them permission-based email;
60% said they have a more favorable opinion of pharmaceutical companies that send them permission-based email;
53% said they’re more loyal to pharmaceutical companies that send them permission-based email.

Epsilon’s survey research revealed that the receipt of permission-based email from a pharmaceutical company has surpassed offline advertising and marketing as consumers’ fourth preferred method of learning about a product. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they prefer to learn about products from permission-based email from a brand or pharmaceutical company, while thirty percent prefer to learn from offline advertising and marketing.

“Email marketing is a necessary tool to increase affordability and educate consumers on the benefits of specific drugs and the importance of compliance,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services.

Mabley added, “The internet has created resources and enabled consumers to take more control of their medical education and email supports these efforts. Our research shows email marketing programs are effective for pharmaceutical companies and consumers alike, and that the benefits extend far beyond the web.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, conducted the study. It explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing, as well as specific product categories that included Pharmaceuticals, Travel, Financial Services, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods.

In other significant pharmaceutical-related results from Epsilon’s email marketing research:

56% subscribe to hear about new products;
47% subscribe to learn about existing products;
39% subscribe to help manage a condition that they or someone close to them has;
16% subscribe to help them stay motivated to follow their doctor’s recommendations for taking prescriptions;
67% of respondents want to receive personalized content based on their website activities, condition or healthcare history.

The Epsilon research was intended to analyze activities that take place offline or cannot be measured by click-thru rates and email open rates. The findings showed that 53% of recipients of an email from a pharmaceutical company have asked for a drug by name or brand as a direct result of receiving an email; 38% contacted their doctor; and 34% typed or copied a URL directly into their browser.

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07/01/08 - Nat'l Geographic Society Agreement

DALLAS, TX — July 1, 2008 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed a multi-year agreement with Washington, D.C., based National Geographic Society. Under terms of the extension agreement, Epsilon will continue to host and manage National Geographic's permission-based email communications platform through 2011. Epsilon also provides database services for The National Geographic Society, which has been a client of Epsilon's since 1997.

National Geographic is a long-standing American icon, known for its legendary photographs, maps, and scientific exploration and research. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the nonprofit Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. Today, The National Geographic Society reaches more than 350 million people each month through its six magazines, the National Geographic Channel, television documentaries, radio programs, films, books, DVDs, maps and interactive media.

Epsilon, a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services, will continue supporting National Geographic's direct marketing efforts by delivering relevant permission-based email communications. The Epsilon solution provides the Society with a holistic view of all its members, customers and prospects. This complete insight allows the Society to design and execute targeted marketing initiatives that increase brand equity and cultivate more profitable, loyal customer relationships.

Lauren Skena, Manager of National Geographic Society's email marketing program, said "We value the long-standing relationship we have had with Epsilon because of their commitment to helping us develop an exceptional customer experience without losing sight of our need to continually improve results and increase our ROI."

"Over the years we have developed a successful partnership with National Geographic by supporting their broader marketing and customer engagement goals through the development and deployment of relevant and timely marketing communications," said Michael Iaccarino, president of Epsilon and Alliance Data Marketing Services. "We look forward to helping National Geographic maximize marketing performance, deepen customer relationships, and achieve unprecedented ROI."

Alliance Data's Safe Harbor Statement/Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements may use words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "predict," "project" and similar expressions as they relate to us or our management. When we make forward-looking statements, we are basing them on our management's beliefs and assumptions, using information currently available to us. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected. Any forward-looking statements contained in this presentation reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include those made with respect to and any developments related to the termination of the proposed merger with an affiliate of The Blackstone Group, including risks and uncertainties arising from actions that the parties to the merger agreement may take in connection therewith. We have no intention, and disclaim any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this presentation regarding Alliance Data Systems Corporation's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. Risk factors may be updated in Item 1A in each of the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for each quarterly period subsequent to the Company's most recent Form 10-K.

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06/24/08 - Q1 Email Trends

DALLAS, TX — June 24, 2008 — Epsilon today released its Q1 2008 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which underscore the importance of email even in a challenging economy.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from aggregate data from the more than 5.8 billion emails sent by Epsilon in January, February and March 2008, across multiple industries and clients. For the first time, the analysis combines data from both of Epsilon's proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, Epsilon, "The top-performing clients in our analysis are using email to drive relevant and timely messages at the right point in the customer buying cycle."

He added, "And, as cost requirements continue to increase for marketers during an economic downturn, email continues to be tremendously ROI-positive despite a decline in conversions during the post-holiday season. Standard campaign performance metrics such as opens and clicks have remained remarkably stable over the past several years of tracking."

Survey Highlights:

Positive performance indicators saw open rates increase for only the second time in the past four years; also, e-mail click-through rates rebounded in Q1. These results support the key contention that email remains an integral and effective communications channel.
Click-to-purchase rates dropped from 6.4% in Q4 2007 to 3.2% in Q1 2008. Although a drop in conversion rate is normal after the holiday season, this quarter's decline was larger than anticipated, likely a reflection of the struggling economy.
Both revenue-per-email and number of orders-per-email-delivered decreased as well, although median order size remained constant, meaning that email can deliver a healthy return even in a economy in a downturn. Email is currently driving an average of $0.16 in transactions per email delivered.

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02/23/09 - Email Branding Study – Retail

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DALLAS, TX — February 23, 2009 — The receipt of permission-based email makes shoppers more likely to do business with a retailer, in addition to generating a more favorable opinion of the retailer and even a stronger sense of loyalty to the retailer’s brand, according to the latest Epsilon research.

By the numbers, an Epsilon nationwide survey of consumers yielded the following results:

56% of recipients of permission-based email from retail companies said they are more likely to make purchases from the sending retailers;
52% said they have a more favorable opinion of the retail companies that send them email because of the communications they receive;
48% feel more loyal toward the retailers and their products as a result of receiving permission-based emails.

“While email marketing programs have become standard in the retail industry, measuring the impact of email communications on offline sales and the lasting impressions of brands is not common,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “The research we conducted expands beyond just online behavior and measurable activities and demonstrates the offline implications and branding “halo” effect of email marketing.”

In another compelling result from the survey research, no less than 87% of respondents who receive permission-based email from retail companies said email is a great way to learn about new products.

Additionally, 63% of those who receive permission-based email from retail companies said they want to receive personalized content based on their website activity and past purchases.

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, conducted the survey. It explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing as well as specific vertical product categories that included Retail, Travel, Financial Services, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare.

In other key retail findings, respondents said they took the following actions as a result of receiving permission-based email from a retailer:

88% download/print a coupon;
79% click a link in an email to learn more;
75% purchase a product online;
69% research retail locations that carry a product;
67% purchase a product offline;
60% try a new product for the first time;
55% share a coupon or forward the email;
33% type/copy the URL into their browser.

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02/19/09 - Email Branding Study – Finance

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DALLAS, TX — February 19, 2009 — The latest research from Epsilon reveals that financial services companies who send customers permission-based email reap dividends in the form of enhanced credibility and brand loyalty. The research showed that these campaigns significantly influence online and offline behavior.

Brand awareness and loyalty improved due to email marketing campaigns by financial services companies. The majority of respondents (54%) have a more favorable opinion of the companies that send them email and 44% said that email from financial services companies make them feel more loyal towards the companies and their products.

“In these tumultuous times in the financial arena, email is a cost-effective and expeditious way to reach out to customers with important information and regular communications. Email marketing is a proven means to develop one-on-one communications and provide valuable and relevant content,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “Our latest research shows the effectiveness of these programs which drive online and offline behavior, from applying for credit cards to opening new accounts and selecting investment products.”

Epsilon’s survey results demonstrate that permission-based email from financial services companies effectively elicits online consumer action. As a direct result of receiving email:

82% of respondents accessed their account via online customer service;
71% researched a specific offer online;
63% clicked a link in the email to learn more;
58% gathered competitive information;
42% typed or copied a URL directly into their browser.

Permission-based emails also influenced offline activities by consumers:

31% contacted their financial advisor via phone;
25% visited their local branch or office;
25% contacted their financial advisor via email.

The research also revealed why consumers subscribed to receive email from financial services companies and the type of content that is most valuable. The top reasons consumers subscribe to permission-based email from financial services companies were to receive e-statement notifications (75%) and to receive account alerts such as statement-ready, fraud protection, overdraft, etc. (74%). Over two-thirds (69%) want to receive personalized content based on their website activity, past investments, etc.

Key survey results by the numbers:

58% of respondents are hesitant to click on links in emails from financial services companies because they don’t always trust where they are coming from;
32% agree instead of clicking on a link in the email, they usually go directly to the company’s website;
21% of respondents forwarded an email to a friend as a direct result of receiving an email from a financial services company;
85% agree that they like receiving email from companies they’ve registered with; even if they don’t always read it, it’s good to know it will be there when they’re ready for it;
70% agree if they’re in the process of making a purchase decision, an email from a company with related products/services helps influence that decision.

Mabley said, “The findings reflect consumer behavior that extends beyond opens and clicks. Interestingly, the majority of respondents are hesitant to click on links from financial services companies yet a greater number do say they click on links to learn more. Despite security concerns, they are still receptive to these messages.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. The survey, conducted by ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing as well as specific vertical product categories that included: Travel, Financial Services, Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare. The October 2008 study builds on similar research conducted in 2005.

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06/18/08 - Asia Pacific Survey

HONG KONG, China— June 18, 2008 — A survey conducted by Epsilon International and Return Path has revealed that email-based marketing resonates strongly with consumers across the Asia Pacific region and, alongside traditional mediums, is fast becoming one of the key ways to reach consumers.

In one of the most significant findings, nearly one in three respondents (32%) said that they would "always" respond to targeted, promotional e-mails.

The survey, which was carried out in February 2008 throughout Asia-Pacific region, surveyed 1,169 participants and sought to discover consumer email habits and attitudes to permission email marketing and spam.

"Through client campaigns across Asia Pacific, we know that consumer interaction and responses to targeted permission based communications are high, and drive significant returns for our clients," said Dominic Powers, senior vice president, Asia Pacific, Epsilon International. "This survey further supports the fact that consumers respond to email marketing if it is directed to the right person, at the right time, and with the right message."

Another survey finding pointed to the increasing acceptance of electronic marketing when used in a controlled and targeted manner, with 54% of the respondents saying that they would use e-mail coupons to buy products online or offline.

"E-mail marketing is rapidly becoming the preferred method for consumers to be reached by marketers," Powers said. "Aside from the obvious environmental angles, consumers are now savvy enough to realise that targeted campaigns can offer them deals or savings above the typical promotional offers they find in their letterbox at home."

In addition, the survey revealed the speeds at which average email users in APAC are accessing the Internet. In Australia about half (52% home and 49% work) said they accessed the Net at speeds of 1.5Mbps or less. In contrast, in Japan and Hong Kong over 70 percent and 63 percent of email users respectively are using high speed broadband of 10Mbps or more at home and at work.

Other key findings in the survey:

Mainland Chinese respondents have the highest uptake (34%) of using mobile devices for email, followed by Hong Kong at 29% and Japan 27%. Australia reported the lowest at 6%, followed by Malaysia at 11%.
Before 10am is the favorite time for checking personal emails, with 9am being the peak email-opening hour among respondents of all territories except in Japan. About half of the Japanese respondents (46%) reported to check their personal inbox at night at 9pm or later.
Promotional emails increases brand loyalty, said 63% of the respondents in India and 70% in China; while every other Indian respondent (52%) and 63% Chinese respondents said they had made more purchases after receiving promotional emails.
Customers interact on relevancy. Half or more respondents in all the surveyed territories said they are willing to share personal information if they believe it drives relevant and more targeted offers, except in Hong Kong where more respondents (63%) said they would not want to release additional personal details regardless of the offers.
Irrelevancy is the new spam. In addition to unsolicited emails, many respondents consider that the definition of spam also includes promotional emails or e-newsletters which they subscribed to but which they find no longer engaging or that fail address to their needs. 34% of respondents in China concur with this view of spam while only 11% in Australia do. Yet users suffer similarly on the time used to clear spam. More than half of the respondents across the region (59%) having reported spam, 63% are doing so at least three times a week.
A low usage rate of spam filtering software is seen across Asia, except for Australia where over half of their respondents (59%) are using some kind of spam filtering program. The lowest usage was found among Hong Kong respondents with a usage rate of 21% only, followed by China of 32% and India 33%

To obtain a copy of this proprietary research report or to learn more about the other findings, send your request to apac-info@epsilon.com or call one of our offices:

Australia - Sydney: +61 (02) 9271 5400
Hong Kong: +852 3589 6300
Singapore: +65 6236 0535
China - Beijing: +86 (10) 5907 3001
China - Shanghai: +86 (21) 5529 8188
China - Guangzhou: +86 (20) 2885 8293

Methodology
The 2008 Epsilon International & Return Path Asia Pacific Consumer Email Survey was conducted online during February 2008. Email users were polled on their email usage habits as well as their attitudes to promotional emails and SPAM, or unsolicited commercial messages.

The survey questions were provided in three languages: English, Simplified Chinese and Japanese. The survey sample set was composed of a mix of panelists from 7 territories covering Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, provided by Authentic Response, a division of Return Path Inc. Members of the response panel were registered in a double opt-in process recruited over time through a wide range of websites and screened continuously to avoid skewing the research results. Survey responses were validated using Authentic Response's proprietary technology. Questionable responses and potential professional survey takers were removed to ensure the integrity of the results.

There were 1,179 questionnaires collected. Ten duplicates were discarded. A total of 1,169 unique questionnaires were completed by respondents from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan and Malaysia. All respondents have at least one active email account from home or at work. The composite regional findings are weighted accordingly to ensure reliable geographic representation of the internet user population* of the responding countries.

* Source: Statistics of the Internet user population were taken from the December 2007 figures of the Internet World Stats www.internetworldstats.com.

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06/16/08 - Loyalty Programs

NEW YORK, NY — June 16, 2008 — In challenging economic times, individuals are flocking to customer loyalty programs as consumers increasingly value benefits and amenities. Loyalty programs, in which repeat customers are rewarded with products, services or discounts, have been injected with new life with the proliferation of improved data-mining marketing technology. Today, according to COLLOQUY, a loyalty marketing consulting firm, the average US household is enrolled in 12 loyalty programs.

"In a downturn, companies need to get closer to their customers - and show their appreciation - as competition for every dollar heats up. The companies that prosper in tough times remain active, data-driven marketers -- and these firms are respectful of their customers, nimble and strategic, and true to their brands," said Bryan Kennedy, COO and President of Epsilon Marketing Technology.

An example is the Hilton HHonors Loyalty Program, which is poised to pass the 25 million member milestone next month. As one of the largest customer reward programs in the industry, Hilton HHonors is constantly looking for ways to provide its members with a highly rewarding and comprehensive loyalty program.

By collaborating with Epsilon, and using its real-time interface, SONAR, Hilton HHonors has developed highly customized communications. These communications provide members with information about new earning and redemption opportunities that are most relevant to them, based on their preferences, behavior and buying patterns. The SONAR platform accomplishes this by providing a higher degree of targeted and personalized content delivery in real-time messages.

"When you are working with savvy travelers, you need to constantly be looking for creative ways to expand your relationship with them," said Adam Burke, Senior Vice President, Customer Loyalty, Hilton Hotels Corporation. "The Hilton HHonors program is committed to providing travelers with a rewarding experience whether they are redeeming their points for free nights with no black-out dates, one-of-a-kind experiences such as sky diving, or even merchandise."

As a result of the Hilton HHonors program, HHonors stays have increased by almost 200% since 2000.

In addition, banks and credit card companies invest in their best clients in down markets with the hope that the relationship will expand when markets and the economy improve. One major banking loyalty program has more than 12 million active members and is growing at 15% a year.

"More and more, customers are demanding recognition and rewards in return for their loyalty. Now - more than ever - loyalty innovators must be creative in the rewards value proposition they offer customers. And, it is imperative that they execute them flawlessly," said Kelly Hlavinka, Managing Partner at COLLOQUY.

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02/17/09 - Email Branding Study – Travel

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DALLAS, TX — February 17, 2009 — The receipt of permission-based email makes travel consumers more likely to do business with a travel company, in addition to generating a more favorable opinion of the company and even a stronger sense of loyalty to its brand, according to the latest Epsilon research.

By the numbers, Epsilon’s nationwide survey of consumers yielded the following results:

63% of recipients of permission-based email from travel companies said they were more likely to buy from the sending companies;
55% of survey respondents who receive permission-based email from travel companies said they have a more favorable opinion of those companies as a direct result of the communications;
50% of survey respondents who receive permission-based email from travel companies said they feel more loyal towards the sending companies and their brands.

“In the travel industry where so much activity has moved to the online arena, it’s crucial that companies communicate effectively and efficiently with their customers and cater to their personal needs,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “Our research demonstrates the many online and offline, measurable and immeasurable benefits of email marketing campaigns. Those benefits start with direct online airline ticket and hotel reservation transactions and extend to brand loyalty in multiple channels.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. The survey was conducted by ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA. It explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing as well as specific product categories that included, in addition to Travel, Financial Services, Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals-Healthcare.

In other key travel-related results from the email marketing research:

86% of respondents who opt to receive email from travel companies do so to learn about sales, discounts and special offers;
51% subscribe to learn about existing packages and destinations;
48% subscribe to receive coupons;
46% subscribe to hear about new packages, routes and destinations;
69% want to receive personalized content based on their website activity and past purchases, rather than generic content;
48% of respondents who receive permission-based email from a travel company said the email has a direct impact on offline purchases.

The Epsilon research was intended to analyze activities that take place offline or cannot be measured by click-thru rates and email open rates. The findings showed that 71% of recipients of an email from a travel company visit an aggregator site as a direct result of receiving the email; 33% type or copy a URL directly into their browser and 14% contact a travel agent.

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02/12/09 - Email Branding Study

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DALLAS, TX — February 12, 2009 — The benefits of permission-based email marketing campaigns extend far beyond e-commerce transactions and have a significant impact on purchasing behavior and consumer loyalty in the bricks and mortar world, according to groundbreaking survey research from Epsilon.

In compelling numbers, consumers responding to Epsilon’s permission-based email branding survey said the receipt of emails makes them feel better about a company and increases chances that they’ll make a purchase, online or off-line.

Key survey results by the numbers:

57% of consumers feel they have a more positive impression of companies when they receive email from them;
40% said that simply receiving email has a positive impact on their likelihood to make a future purchase a company;
71% remember email communications when making purchases at the sending company’s web site;
50% said they’re more likely to buy products from companies who send them email, whether their purchases are online or at a place of business;
One-third said they usually visit sites directly instead of clicking on an email link.

“The consumer insights from our Branding Study demonstrate the importance of email marketing as part of a multi-channel communication strategy. Email builds loyalty and brand awareness and drives on- and off-line behavior,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “While many elements of digital and email marketing are measurable, there are other impacts that cannot be represented by merely by click-thru rates or online purchases.”

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. The survey, conducted by ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing as well as specific vertical product categories that included: Financial Services, Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare. The October 2008 study builds on similar research conducted in 2005.

The email branding research captured activities that may not be measurable by typical email marketing platforms. For example, 33% of respondents said they usually visit sites directly, instead of clicking on an email link. In the retail category, a remarkable 67% of respondents said they purchased products offline as a direct result of receiving an email from a retail company.

Other key findings from the study include:

Consumers are growing more accustomed to offers from companies they trust and seem to appreciate the relationship. No less than 84% of respondents said they like receiving email from companies with whom they register, because even if they don’t always read the message, it’s good to know the information or offer will be there when they’re ready. This response rate is up significantly from 69% in the 2005 study.
The number of consumers who agreed that the mere fact that they receive email from a company makes them more likely to purchase products from the sender in the future regardless of where they make the purchase (50%) is higher than in 2005 (37%). This demonstrates that consumers are noticing emails, and while they may not be ready to purchase immediately, the correspondence is having a greater influence on their shopping behavior and brand recognition.
The relationship between consumers and email marketers may be more fragile in 2008 than three years prior. In 2005, 43% of respondents said it would be okay for companies they know and trust to send email more frequently. In the recent study, that number dropped to 29%.
There were some noticeable differences between the responses from men and women. In particular, 60% of women and 49% of men regularly save email in their inbox to refer to it later when making purchases. This suggests that men are more likely to make impulse buys while women will wait for a deal or contemplate a purchase further.

Mabley said, “The study is a valuable tool and a guide for marketers to measure the immeasurable – the indirect impact email marketing has on offline channels. The consumer insights collected in the study reiterate the need to deliver timely, relevant email messages that reflect the overall image of our clients’ brands. The impact of successful multi-channel branding can extend well beyond the typical metrics associated with direct e-commerce transactions and response rates to email campaigns.”

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06/12/08 - Nestle Purina Agreement

June 12, 2008 — Alliance Data’s Epsilon business announced today that it has signed a multi-year extension agreement with Nestlé Purina PetCare Company to continue to host and manage its multi-brand interactive marketing database platform.

Epsilon also manages Nestlé Purina’s permission-based email communications for its pet care brands and provides strategic consulting services in support of the company’s interactive CRM programs.

Nestlé Purina brands include Alpo®, Beneful®, Cat Chow®, Dog Chow®, Fancy Feast®, Friskies®, Pro Plan®, Purina ONE®, among others. It also makes cat and dog litter products under the Tidy Cats®, Yesterday's News®, and secondnature® brands.

Under the terms of the extension agreement, Epsilon will continue hosting Nestlé Purina’s consumer database that is equipped with a full suite of integrated marketing tools geared toward attracting new and retaining existing Nestlé Purina consumers. Epsilon provides analytics and segmentation expertise and will also continue to provide reporting analysis services that assess campaign results and identify opportunities for further optimization of marketing campaigns.

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05/07/08 - AdAge Rankings

DALLAS, TX — May 7, 2008 — Epsilon, a 21st-century marketing services company, today announced that the 64th Annual Advertising Age Agency Report has ranked the firm the number one Marketing Services Agency and the number one Direct Marketing Agency in the U.S.

Epsilon's year-over-year revenue growth rate (46.7 percent) and direct marketing revenue growth rate (55.2 percent) far outpaced all other top twenty companies on both lists, making it the fastest-growing company in its class for the second straight year. The Agency Report, which also identifies Epsilon as the world's fourth-largest marketing organization overall, ranks advertising and marketing services organizations based on reported revenue data.

"2007 was another year of tremendous growth and momentum for our company as we continued to deliver a unique and powerful integrated offering for the world's leading brands," said Epsilon President and CEO Michael Iaccarino. "From the recent successful launch of Purple@Epsilon to the continued growth of our agency services and strategic database services, our customers now have an unmatched combination of scale, creativity and data-driven expertise to achieve breakthrough results in the new marketing landscape."

In 2007, and to date in 2008, Epsilon continues to benefit from major new client wins and expanded marketing programs with long-time, loyal clients. Epsilon works with clients in sectors ranging from Financial Services to Travel and Hospitality to Pharma and Retailing. In addition, Epsilon's Abacus division operates the marketing industry's first and largest co-operative database, with a membership that includes more than 1,500 retailers and multi-channel merchants.

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02/12/09 - America’s Gardening Resource Agreement

DALLAS, TX — February 12, 2009 — Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced that its Epsilon business has signed a multi-year agreement with Vermont-based America’s Gardening Resource, Inc. (AGR), marketers of Gardener’s Supply and Dutch Gardens catalog and online brands. AGR is a leading manufacturer and retailer of gardening tools, products and supplies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Epsilon, a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services, will build and maintain AGR’s customer marketing database, and Abacus, an Epsilon business, will be AGR’s exclusive service provider for direct marketing efforts. Leveraging capabilities across Epsilon and Abacus’ suite of solutions for all of their direct marketing needs, AGR will be able to better target prospects, track and interpret sales activity across catalog and web channels, readily access its customer database, and gain both time and cost efficiencies in marketing operations.

Epsilon’s Abacus division will serve as AGR’s single provider of marketing data for all customer acquisition campaigns by utilizing highly predictive transactional behavior data. Through its cooperative database offering, Abacus’ 1,500+ multi-channel retail clients provide customer purchasing data (universally recognized as a key predictor of future buying behavior) to the cooperative database in exchange for access to the database as they create and execute data-driven marketing campaigns. Using this data – which represents more than 109 million U.S. households and nearly 9 billion customer transactions – along with proprietary modeling and analytics techniques, Abacus will help AGR leverage customer insight to optimize their acquisition and retention marketing efforts.

Epsilon’s marketing database solution will capture all AGR customer data and includes an innovative process for merging Abacus modeled names with AGR’s customer file directly within the database while also performing data hygiene processes. Parallel processing of all marketing files provides AGR a more sophisticated and efficient process compared with traditional procedures where those actions are conducted separately outside the database.

“We are focused on increasing the frequency of purchases from our existing customers while expanding our market share and lowering overall direct marketing expenditures,” said Jeff Govoni, director of marketing, America’s Gardening Resource, Inc.. “Epsilon offers a comprehensive solution with sophisticated capabilities that will help us achieve that goal.”

“To effectively market to current customers and prospects, companies need to utilize the latest tools, data and analytics,” said Bryan Kennedy, president of Epsilon. “Our complete data and data management solutions along with our world-class talent will substantially improve America’s Gardening Resource’s marketing effectiveness and will allow them to acquire and grow profitable customer relationships in an ever-changing marketing environment.”

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02/11/09 - Cost-Conscious but Self-Conscious: ICOM Survey

TORONTO — February 11, 2009 — More than 1 in 5 U.S. consumers, 22% to be precise, admit they are self-conscious about redeeming coupons at the grocery store, according to nationwide research released today by North American targeted marketing leader ICOM Information & Communications L.P.

However, hard economic times of the past six months look to be easing shoppers’ inhibitions about coupon clipping. Nearly 57% of ICOM survey respondents that admitted they were self-conscious about redeeming coupons at the grocery store said that they now no longer care as long as they are saving money.

Apprehension tied to using coupons in the checkout line is also waning in key demographic segments. Of the consumers 35 years and younger, 26% said that they have reduced inhibitions about coupon usage in the past six months. Nearly 20% in this demographic said they used to be self-conscious but are no longer because of the economic benefit and 6% said that they are less self-conscious. Almost 23% of respondents that have suffered a direct financial loss have become less self-conscious about redeeming coupons at the register.

“In a down economy even the most stubborn consumers are receptive to money saving offers,” said Mark Hertenstein, ICOM sales vice president. “This is a perfect time for brands to engage desirable consumer segments with offers that appeal to their frugal mindset.”

ICOM, an industry leader in targeted marketing powered by consumer data, completed the survey December 8, 2008. The survey, commissioned by retail analytics firm Precima, was sent to 45,000 U.S. households with 3,013 responding nationwide. In another significant finding, 43% of shoppers say that they’ve used more coupons in the past six months. This data comes as a follow up to ICOM’s April 2008 survey that asked consumers if they were likely to use more or less coupons in the event of economic downturn. According to that survey, 67% of consumers planned more coupon use in a recession.

Broken down by age, 57% of consumers 35 years and younger admitted to using more coupons in the past six months. That compares to 40% of those 35-54 years old, 36% of those 55-64 years old and 25% of those 65 and older that answered the same. “Consumers are clearly doing what they said they were going to do in regards to using more coupons. This is valuable to marketers looking to plan for the future. If you pay attention to what’s happening in the world, and listen to your consumer, it’s easier to stay a step ahead,” concluded Hertenstein.

04/14/08 - New Communications EVP

DALLAS, TX — April 14, 2008 — Epsilon, 21st-century marketing services company, today announced the appointment of Sally Cates as Executive Vice President, Strategic Communications. Cates will oversee company-wide strategic communications, public relations and thought leadership, reporting to Steve Cone, Chief Marketing Officer at Epsilon.

"Sally has extensive experience designing and executing strategic communications programs at major corporations. She has a proven ability to lead high-profile initiatives, communicating targeted messages to key constituencies," said Cone. "Sally will be instrumental in telling the Epsilon business story during this period of exciting transformation and growth for our company."

Prior to joining Epsilon, Cates was Managing Director, Head of External Communications for Thomson Financial, a leading financial information and technology company. Before that, Cates worked at Citigroup for 11 years, most recently as Managing Director and Head of Global Communications at Citigroup Wealth Management.

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04/07/08 - FastPath Plus

LAFAYETTE, CO — April 7, 2008 — Abacus, a division of Epsilon, today announced that it has partnered with CompuTech Direct, a catalog industry data processing provider, to launch FastPath Plus, a new offering that enables marketers to leverage a single-source for all prospect data, data hygiene and campaign processing.

"FastPath Plus streamlines the process of getting a campaign in the mail and significantly improves efficiency and revenue generation," said Casey Carey, senior vice president, product management, Abacus, a division of Epsilon. "We are excited about our new relationship with CompuTech Direct and the benefits that FastPath Plus will deliver for our clients."

In a challenging operational and postal rate environment, the traditional approach of sourcing multiple lists for customer acquisition programs and running large merges is a growing burden for many marketers, especially for catalogers that send fewer than 15 million books annually. FastPath Plus effectively addresses these challenges while increasing campaign profitability.

"FastPath Plus was built from the ground up to address the tough business climate facing today's catalogers," said Mike Stahulak, vice president, CompuTech Direct. "It eliminates the need to source from dozens of different lists to build a mail file, and with best-in-class hygiene, reporting and strategic advice, FastPath Plus helps marketers reduce lead time and the number of steps between placing an order and actually getting a mailing out the door."

Abacus and CompuTech will be holding an informational seminar for marketers interested in FastPath Plus at the ACCM conference, May 19-22, in Orlando, Florida.

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02/05/09 - Target: New Movers™

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DALLAS, TX — February 5, 2009 — There is still one recession-proof category of retail consumers: new movers. According to a research report published today by Epsilon, the industry’s leading marketing services firm, the average new resident spends $7,300 on everything from window treatments to take-out meals in the three months following a move. In the final months of 2008, however, there were 20% fewer movers than the same period in 2007.

The new report, entitled Target: New Movers™, tracks move frequency and merchandise buying patterns among 38 million Americans to gain a deeper understanding of which categories of retailers have the most to gain by targeting new movers and the level of economic impact an increase in moving activity might have on the retail category. New mover data was benchmarked against Epsilon’s database of consumer purchase behavior and home sales data from the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors.

The following were among the report’s key findings:

Fewer Movers in 2008: The number of new movers nationwide was down approximately 20% year-over-year in November of 2008. A total of 14 million households moved in 2008, versus a historical average of over 18 million.
More Renters than Buyers: The Epsilon Target: New Movers data, which captures renters in addition to home buyers, shows 50,000 more movers per month than the benchmark new and existing home sales data, suggesting that growing numbers of families are relocating into rental properties.
Hottest Retail Categories for New Movers: On average, during the year of their move, new mover households spend 52% more than non-movers on home décor and furnishings. In the year following the move, they continued to spend 16% more on this category than non-movers.
Demographics: When compared with a database of non-movers, new movers are notably younger, more likely to be single and more likely to earn between $40,000 and $99,999 annually.

“Relocation is a bellwether for retail activity and it will be a critical economic variable to monitor throughout 2009,” said Donald P. Hinman, Senior Vice President, Product and Data Performance, Epsilon. “Recent data citing a slight increase in existing home sales, along with the trends we’re seeing in rental volume suggest that we may be nearing a turning point in the cycle. We will continue to track and report this data quarterly throughout the year ahead.”

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01/29/09 - Profile of an American CMO

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Strategy and Planning Is Task Least Likely To Be Outsourced

DALLAS, TX — January 29, 2009 — Chief Marketing Officers at top U.S. brands place the highest value on creative thinkers and leaders in their hiring practices, but 39% of the executives revealed they are somewhat to very unsatisfied with the availability of qualified employment candidates, according to new Epsilon research profiling the American CMO.

Asked how satisfied they are with the availability of qualified candidates for marketing positions, with qualified defined as “someone who is able to handle their responsibilities on day one,”

CMOs responded as follows:

33% somewhat unsatisfied
6% very unsatisfied
54% somewhat satisfied
5% very satisfied
1% don’t know

The CMOs identified the following as the most important characteristics they look for in a new employee: creative thinker (70%), provides good leadership and inspiration (64%), ability to complete projects efficiently (63%), forward thinking and modern in approach to business (63%), and fiscally responsible (40%). Just 26% of respondents said they place high value on a candidate’s ability to find good balance between career and life outside of work.

“These survey results show a significant number of unsatisfied hiring decision-makers who are anxious to find candidates with marketing talent. The results suggest that while hiring may be slow in 2009, job seekers who combine creativity and leadership with data mining or digital experience will have ample opportunities in corporate marketing or the agency side of the business,” said Epsilon Chief Marketing Officer Steve Cone.

Epsilon is a leading marketing services firm providing comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its late-October online survey was completed by top consumer and business-to-business marketing executives at 180 brands whose annual revenues range from $250 million to over $10 billion. 30% of respondents represent companies with $10 billion or more in annual revenues. GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media, of New York, conducted the survey.

In other key results from the research, CMOs set rather rigorous standards for the outside agencies they hire. Asked to evaluate the extent to which their agency of record exceeds their organization’s expectations in a variety of categories, the marketing executives gave the lowest marks to price (9%) and return on investment (12%). They gave higher scores for communication (27%), knowledge of my business (24%) and client service (23%).

When the bar was lowered slightly to “meets expectations,” the scores increased significantly to price (71%), ROI (67%), communication (60%), knowledge of my business (62%) and client service (64%).

“We’re fortunate to work with seven companies in the Fortune Top Ten and 46% of the Fortune 100, all of whom are dealing with today’s tough economic climate. In times like these, the increasing pressure on marketing executives forces them to make tough decisions about resource allocation,” noted Cone. “We undertook this research in order to better understand the needs of the many CMO’s we work with so that we can serve them better now and in the future.”

CMOs also were asked to identify the marketing effort they would NEVER outsource. Approximately 34% of respondents named strategy and planning services, the highest score. Other top scores were as follows: customer relationship management (31%), customer database warehouse (29%), email delivery system (22%) and data mining (18%).

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04/02/08 - More Coupon Use

TORONTO — April 2, 2008 — Tough times and technology advancements portend a coupon usage renaissance among U.S. shoppers, based on survey results released today by North American target marketing leader ICOM Information & Communications (ICOM).

Of the 1,529 U.S. consumers who responded to a recent ICOM survey, 67% said they are much more likely, or somewhat more likely, to use coupons during a recession. The breakdown was 45% percent much more likely and 22% percent somewhat more likely.

ICOM’s nationwide survey of U.S. households was conducted in mid-February. The online research was sent to 40,000 households in the ICOM Shopper’s Voice database. Over the past ten years, the average coupon redemption rate has declined to less than 1.0 percent from a level of 1.6 percent across all U.S. coupons distributed.

Broken down by age, 71% of consumers in the 18-34 year-old age bracket said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession. That compares to 68% in the 35-54 year-old bracket and 63% among those 55 years and above.

Geographically, 70% of Midwesterners said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession, versus 69% of Westerners, 64% of Northeasterners and 62% of Southerners.

Income didn’t make a significant difference to respondents, with 68% of those earning less than $50,000 a year saying they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons in a recession, compared to 67% for those earning more than $50,000.

Historically, coupons represent a key area in which manufacturers operating in economic hard times have not cut back. In the weakened economy of 2001, ICOM tracking showed a significant increase in the number of coupons consumers redeemed each week.

“The consumer incentive certainly is there,” said Peter Meyers, ICOM marketing vice president. “Look at it this way: households of two adults and two children who use coupons wisely can save 25% on their grocery bill annually, without cutting purchases. That saves $2,400 a year based on a typical $800 a month grocery spend, which outstrips the $1,800 economic stimulus check this family has coming in May from Washington.”

“Marketers have the opportunity to discard the old-school thinking about coupons and be smarter this time around. There’s no need to send out more mass coupons, such as dog food coupons to households that don’t have pets. Brands should do their homework and send offers relevant to the needs of individual consumers,” Meyers said. “And consumers should be given more time to redeem coupons – three months is not enough.”

In the area of coupon technology, 58% of consumers responding to the ICOM survey see their coupon use increasing if they could download a coupon from the Internet and have it automatically connected to an electronically swiped frequent shopper card.

Of that 58%, 35% said they are much more likely to use such a card and 23% said are somewhat more likely. Consumers using these paperless coupons receive the discount at the register without having to clip and carry. AOL, Kroger, General Mills and Procter & Gamble are involved in programs testing these high-tech coupons.

No less than 77% of consumers in the 18-34 age group said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely to use coupons if given access to this paperless technology. In the 35-54 age group, 63% said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely. In the 55 and over bracket, 47% said they are much more likely or somewhat more likely.

“These advanced coupons have attracted some consumer interest and drawn media attention. Put in perspective, online coupons of all kinds represent less than 1% of the overall coupon market and consumers to date have expressed a strong preference for receiving coupons in the mail,” Meyers said. “Brands should pay close attention to determine if this technology is right for their consumers.”

01/27/09 - New Epsilon President & CEO

DALLAS, TX — January 27, 2009 — Epsilon announced today that Bryan Kennedy, formerly Epsilon’s chief operating officer, and president of its Marketing Technology group, has been promoted to president and chief executive officer of Epsilon. Epsilon is a leading marketing services firm and the world’s largest permission-based email marketer. Epsilon is ranked #1 U.S. Marketing Services Firm and #1 U.S. Direct Marketing Agency by Ad Age.

"Bryan has been instrumental to Epsilon’s unprecedented growth by leading strategic acquisitions, expanding its market-leading offerings and delivering a steady stream of technological innovations," said John Scullion, president and chief operating officer, Alliance Data. “Epsilon’s recognition as a leader and its overall success is due in large part to Bryan’s leadership in delivering the industry’s most robust and comprehensive marketing solutions to clients.”

Mr. Kennedy replaces Epsilon’s former President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Iaccarino, who left the firm on January 13, 2009.

Mr. Kennedy joined Epsilon in 1996 and has been actively involved in all the stages of client programming, such as crafting, delivering and managing complete solutions for clients.

Prior to being named chief operating officer, he was Epsilon's chief technology officer. As chief operating officer of Epsilon, Mr. Kennedy was responsible for all marketing technology development and architecture, as well as the development and execution of Epsilon's marketplace strategy. As president of the Marketing Technology group, he oversaw the continued build-out of the company's capabilities across analytics, strategy and multi-channel technology solutions.

Within the marketing services industry, Mr. Kennedy is considered an expert in loyalty marketing and membership technology, as well as complex database design and management. His experience in loyalty and database management, application architecture and solution design includes a deep understanding of specific needs in the lodging, telecommunications, healthcare, financial services, fundraising and retail industries.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

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04/01/08 - New Purple EVP

DALLAS, TX — April 1, 2008 — Epsilon, 21st-century marketing services company, today announced that Stacia Goddard has joined its full service marketing agency, Purple@Epsilon, as executive vice president, strategic marketing services. Goddard will lead the agency's business development efforts and work directly with clients to develop innovative, ROI-focused digital and direct marketing programs, reporting to David McRae, president, Purple@Epsilon.

"Stacia has been creating successful brands for the past twenty years, and her creative imprint is on everything from credit cards and cell phones to value meals," said McRae. "She is a tremendous addition to our team, and as head of our strategic marketing services practice will help clients inject Excitement, real News and a clear call to Action — what we call ENA — into every aspect of their marketing programs."

Goddard has established a reputation for driving award-winning, customer experience-focused marketing campaigns that extend across advertising to direct marketing and the social web. Before joining Purple@Epsilon, she was executive vice president and managing director at Hill/Holiday New York, responsible for client service and new business activity. Before that, Goddard held senior management positions at Ammirati & Puris/Lintas and Ogilvy One and was a partner at Pickholz Tweedy and Company.

"Consumers today are smart, savvy and have zero time for brands — and marketing — that doesn't speak to them in a meaningful way, and marketers need real insight into their wants and needs if they hope to become a destination brand," said Goddard. "It has never been more critical to understand who your customers are and how to reach them. With the emergence of mobile media, blogs and social networking, it takes a different kind of agency to help clients build a brand community. Purple@Epsilon is the first agency I've seen that has all the expertise, talent and technology under one roof to get the job done, and I'm very happy to be here."

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01/20/09 - Q3 2008 Email Trends

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DALLAS, TX — January 20, 2009 — Epsilon today released its Q3 2008 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks Results which show steady email performance as measured by deliverability and open and click rates.

The quarterly analysis is compiled from aggregate data from the more than 6.2 billion emails sent by Epsilon in July, August and September 2008, across multiple industries and more than 200 clients. The analysis combines data from both of Epsilon’s proprietary platforms, DREAM and DREAMmail.

According to Kevin Mabley, Senior Vice President of Strategic Services, Epsilon, "Despite concerns about the declining effectiveness of advertising and the challenging economy, email continues to perform consistently in 2008.”

He added, “Our clients view email as a valuable and cost-effective marketing tool. We anticipate increased reliance on this highly measurable and engaging method of customer interaction as we enter the New Year."

Survey Highlights:

Open rates seem to have remained consistent over the past year ranging between 19-21%.
Click rates rose 0.5% from last quarter.
Average volume per client increased 13% from last quarter as we move into the holiday season.
Business Publishing/Media, Consumer Publishing/Media, Retail General and Travel Services saw an increase in all three major metrics – deliverability, opens and clicks – compared to last quarter. There were no industries that saw a decline in each of those same three metrics.
Email is currently driving an average of $0.14 in revenue per email delivered which means that email continues to deliver a healthy return even in the current economic downturn.

# # #

On February 4, 2009 the Q3 2008 U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks were updated to reflect a recalculation.

If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Simon (jsimon@epsilon.com, 212-457-7135).

03/04/08 - ICOM Captures Top Prize

TORONTO — March 4, 2008 — A presentation detailing ICOM Information & Communication’s successful implementation of a systematic process for new product development won an international contest organized by Stage-Gate Inc., the consulting firm renowned for its expertise in product innovation strategy.

Stage-Gate co-founders Dr. Bob Cooper and Dr. Scott Edgett presented ICOM Vice President of Marketing Peter Meyers with the prestigious award at the sold out 2008 Innovation Summit, held February 26-27 in Clearwater, Florida.

“This honor reinforces the value of our new product innovation process,” remarked Meyers after receiving the honor, “the system not only helps us immediately in delivering new high-impact products, but also ensures ICOM’s success and planning for the long-term.”

Among the honors that go to the winner is the opportunity to deliver the keynote speech to the summit’s distinguished audience at the 2009 event.

ICOM’s poker-themed submission called iVision, a company-wide initiative aimed at streamlining the new product innovation Stage-Gate process, led more than 25 entries competing for the top prize.

A Stage-Gate process is a conceptual and operational roadmap for moving a new-product project from idea to launch, governed by a series of management decision stages. Companies in attendance at the ’08 Summit included Timex, Owens Corning, Swarovski and Behr Coatings. Other companies that have adopted the Stage-Gate process include Procter
& Gamble, Exxon Mobil, VISA, Masterfoods and countless other consumer packaged goods, service and manufacturing industry leaders.

01/08/09 - Subject Line Research

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DALLAS, TX — January 8, 2009 — Email marketers’ first opportunity to capture a consumer’s attention is a subject line. Epsilon recently conducted research of subject line effectiveness in over one billion emails which shows that while shorter subject lines do generally perform better than longer ones, the relationship between subject line length and response is weaker than previously thought.

Epsilon analyzed the impact of the more than one billion emails over nearly 20,000 separate campaigns sent out by a selection of US-based clients in the retail and consumer services industries. The research showed that, overall, shorter subject lines correlate with higher open rates and click rates for both industries.

Epsilon experts evaluated the correlation between the length of a subject line of each campaign and the unique open and total click rates. In addition to subject line length, the study suggests that subject line word order, word choice, and brand and audience awareness are also critical success factors. Additionally, it is crucial that marketers perform subject line testing to increase open and click rates.

According to Thane Stallings, Senior Analytic Consultant, Epsilon Strategic Services, “Companies are spending little time thinking about and testing subject lines, compared to the resources and time devoted to creative development. The reality is that more people will see a subject line than its accompanying creative.”

Epsilon provides a full spectrum of services to help companies improve direct marketing and email performance. For email subject lines, Epsilon suggests the following rules of thumb:

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01/06/09 - Andrew Frawley

DALLAS, TX — January 6, 2009 — Epsilon announced today that customer marketing pioneer Andrew Frawley has joined the company as President, Digital Services. Frawley, a recognized innovator, is charged with expanding Epsilon’s industry-leading position in digital marketing, a field that includes email and interactive services. Epsilon is a leading marketing services firm and the world’s largest permission-based email marketer.

"Andy is a recognized trend-setter in customer marketing who will help Epsilon break new ground in the exciting and competitive digital communications arena," said Bryan Kennedy, COO and President, Marketing Technology, Epsilon. “With the addition of Andy, we look to further our goal of helping global brands navigate the complexity of delivering relevant, multi-channel communications that optimize the value of customer relationships. Bringing in a leader of Andy’s caliber and specific experience underscores Epsilon’s commitment to, and ongoing investment, in the digital space."

Mr. Frawley will be based in Wakefield, MA and will oversee all aspects of Digital Services. He will report to Bryan Kennedy, COO and President, Marketing Technology.

Mr. Frawley has extensive experience in delivering software-based customer management solutions for up-sell, cross-sell applications as well as acquisition and lead generation. Mr. Frawley has leadership experience in technology-based solutions and the architecture and deployment of both database and email marketing technology.

Before joining Epsilon, Mr. Frawley pioneered the development of marketing automation technologies when he founded and led Exchange Applications as CEO in the 1990s, deploying the market leading Xchange suite of marketing applications for brands around the world. Xchange served major companies across the Financial Services, Technology, Travel, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods verticals. In addition, major marketing service providers, including Epsilon, were clients. Most recently, Mr. Frawley was CEO of ClickTactics, later named ClickSquared, which offers an automated email marketing solution along with a full complement of services ranging from strategy and analytics to multi-channel campaign management and business intelligence. Mr. Frawley also spent time at Epsilon early in his career.

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Epsilon! Latest Press Releases

12/29/09 - The Forrester Wave Names Epsilon as a Leader

03/01/10 - Jan Aggerbeck Joins Epsilon

02/25/10 - Epsilon to Now Provide Permission-Based Email Marketing Services to La Quinta Inns & Suites

12/10/09 - Epsilon Q3 2009 North America Email Trend Results

12/09/09 - Epsilon's First-of-its-Kind Partnership with Bentley University for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

02/11/10 - Epsilon Q4 2009 North America Email Trend Results:

02/09/10 - Epsilon to Provide Services to Kraft Foods

12/03/09 - Keybank Renews with Epsilon

12/01/09 - Epsilon Targeting Launches iInfluencer Program

02/08/10 - Quinn Jalli Joins Epsilon

01/21/10 - New York & Company

12/01/09 - Epsilon Targeting lance le programme iInfluencer

11/12/09 - Epsilon Announces that Robert Reger was Appointed to DMA Ethics Operating Committee

01/06/10 - Eric Stein, Former Google Executive to Help Enhance Epsilon’s Digital Marketing Solutions

11/04/09 - Epsilon Partners with Alterian

10/27/09 - Epsilon Wins DMA Analytic Challenge

10/19/09 - Epsilon Celebrates 40 Years of Marketing Excellence

10/19/09 - Epsilon Targeting’s Abacus FastPath Hits 100 Brand Mark

10/13/09 - Epsilon Targeting Partners with AccuData

10/08/09 - Epsilon Partners with Air2web

10/06/09 - Epsilon Q2 U.S. Email Trend Results

09/15/09 - Annual Multichannel Trend Report

09/10/09 - Reed Business Information Agreement Extension

09/09/09 - Epsilon Global Consumer Email Study: Millennials

07/29/09 - Holiday Trend Report

12/04/08 - Marriott Agreement

11/20/08 - CMO Survey 2

07/09/09 - Brand Switching Trend Survey

07/08/09 - Q1 2009 Email Trend Results

10/28/08 - National MS Society

10/14/08 - Wakefield Renewal

07/01/09 - Epsilon Signs Astra Zeneca Agmt.

06/23/09 - Purple@Epsilon Wins Four NEDMA Awards

10/06/08 - New Purple VP

10/03/08 - Cincinnati Expansion

NEMOA Spring Conference

March 10-12, 2010 Boston, MA

09/18/08 - Beech-Nut Agreement

06/09/09 - Alex Kooluris Joins Purple@Epsilon

Marketing Profs Business-to-Business Forum 2010

Marrying-up Your Measurement Results to Make Better Marketing Investment Decisions May 4-5, 2010 Boston, MA

09/15/08 - CMO Politics

06/04/09 - Global Email Consumer Study

09/08/08 - CMO Survey

05/22/09 - National Geographic Renewal

Epsilon to Continue Hosting and Managing the Society’s Enterprise-Wide Marketing Database

09/03/09 - The Greenest Generation

05/18/09 - Ad Age: Epsilon #1 Direct Marketing Agency

05/06/09 - New Email Clients in Q1 2009

08/26/08 - Commerce Bank Agreement

08/19/08 - Abacus Trend Report

05/05/09 - Epsilon Launches Epsilon Targeting

04/28/09 - Talented New Hires

07/28/08 - Holiday Shopping

07/18/08 - Dallas Expansion

04/07/09 - Q4 2008 Email Trends

03/25/09 - Purple@Epsilon SVP - Andrew Bast

07/09/08 - NTV Analysis

03/05/09 - Email Branding Study – CPG

07/09 - More Coupon Use in a Recession

03/03/09 - Email Branding Study – Pharma

07/01/08 - Nat'l Geographic Society Agreement

06/24/08 - Q1 Email Trends

02/23/09 - Email Branding Study – Retail

02/19/09 - Email Branding Study – Finance

06/18/08 - Asia Pacific Survey

06/16/08 - Loyalty Programs

02/17/09 - Email Branding Study – Travel

02/12/09 - Email Branding Study

06/12/08 - Nestle Purina Agreement

05/07/08 - AdAge Rankings

02/12/09 - America’s Gardening Resource Agreement

02/11/09 - Cost-Conscious but Self-Conscious: ICOM Survey

04/14/08 - New Communications EVP

04/07/08 - FastPath Plus

02/05/09 - Target: New Movers™

01/29/09 - Profile of an American CMO

04/02/08 - More Coupon Use

01/27/09 - New Epsilon President & CEO

March 10-12, 2010
Boston, MA

Marrying-up Your Measurement Results to Make Better Marketing Investment Decisions

May 4-5, 2010
Boston, MA

Epsilon to Continue Hosting and Managing the Society’s
Enterprise-Wide Marketing Database