DMA releases Digital Marketing in the US and Canada report

DMA partnered with Ipsos Reid Marketing, a leading global market research company, and the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) to produce this report.

Canadian and American marketers generally reported similar trends: Both American and Canadian marketers continue to shift their spending to digital channels, with the shift happening more quickly in Canada. In both countries, support from senior marketers has accelerated the adoption of new technologies. However, Canadian marketers indicated slightly greater openness to change among their senior management.

Same techniques

"Digital marketing uses the same techniques as traditional direct marketing: clear metrics, engaging content, and data used to gain customer insights for targeted messages," said Yoram Wurmser, DMA research manager. "Increasingly, marketers in both Canada and the US are recognising the value and opportunities that digital channels offer. And the more they learn how to optimise and measure the effects of newer platforms such as video, mobile coupons, and in-game ads, the more eager they are to use them."

"While marketers in both the US and Canada are trending toward the digital channels, Canada is slightly ahead in that migration," said Steve Levy, president of Ipsos Reid (East). "Canadian marketers overall are showing a somewhat greater degree of comfort and familiarity with the newer channels and methodologies than our 'neighbours to the South.'"

Key findings:

• 64% of Canadian marketers and 47% of American marketers expect to increase spending in mobile in 2011.
  
• Roughly 2/3 of marketers in Canada and the US believe that strong relationships can be built via the Internet.
  
• 42% of Canadian marketers and 35% of American marketers reported "a lot of change" in the composition of their 2010 marketing budget.
  
• 12% of marketers in Canada and the US listed Apple as a top leader in digital marketing. In the US, 13% of respondents named Amazon as a leading digital marketer.

The Digital Marketing in the US and Canada report was based on a 15-minute online survey, which was in the field in August and September 2010. The Canadian study was based on responses to an email invitation sent to the Canadian Marketing Association members and Marketing Magazine subscribers. There were 146 marketer respondents and 88 agency respondents. The US study was based on responses to an email invitation sent to the US Direct Marketing Association email list. There were 164 marketer responses and 72 agency respondents.

The report costs US$99 for DMA members and US$199 for non-DMA members. It can be purchased from DMA's Bookstore by clicking EB2B6FF1B80F6FA889C9B9ECD20674EE here.

The US Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

The US Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is a leading global trade association of businesses and non-profit organisations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 48 other nations, including nearly half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as non-profit organisations.