'Firms more worried about World Cup effect than GDPR'

Strategic Mailing Partnership chair and direct marketing stalwart Judith Donovan has claimed that mailing houses are more worried about the negative effects of the World Cup on planned marketing activity than they are about GDPR and a potential fall in mail volumes.
Donovan’s remarks follow the appointment of four new members to the SMP board, which raises the number from 10 to 14, in an effort to broaden its focus, especially among smaller mailing houses.
She insisted said that GDPR has not turned out to be the nightmare that many in the direct mail sector feared and that some SMP members had actually benefited by picking up extra work, most notably repermissioning email activity.
Earlier this week, a report by GroupM predicted direct mail will record its second highest growth in eight years during 2018, beaten only by last year’s figures, despite Royal Mail’s fears that GDPR will put the kibosh on mail volumes.
Donovan told Print Week: “People are more worried about the World Cup effect than GDPR, as many clients delay mailings if they think consumers’ minds are focused elsewhere, like on Harry Kane.”
Speaking about the new-look board, Donovan claimed the additions will help to bolster the organisation’s knowledge and expertise across a range of mail and marketing functions.
The new members are Adare SEC director of operations Chris Hughes, GI Solutions commercial director Alistair Ezzy, Mailbird Organisation managing director Kerry Holden, and Opus Marketing acting chief executive Rob Alonso.
Donovan said: “Chris, Alistair, Kerry and Rob are brilliant additions who will offer some invaluable insight into the industry across print, direct mail and digital. They each have skills and enthusiasm to help push the SMP’s activity forward. This is a really exciting time for the board and its members.”