This new campaign for Ibstock takes a fresher approach to launching a new rang of bricks into the housing market.

Here's the DMA's response to David Milliband's call for a universal opt-in for direct mail:

"The DMA will continue to champion marketers’ commercial freedoms, within the bounds of existing consumer protection mechanisms. We, of course, support the consumer’s right to say NO and have voluntarily set in place the mechanisms, such as the MPS, to facilitate that. For this reason, we will continue to advocate the Mailing Preference Service as opposed to legislation as way of controlling direct mail. While DMA members are responsible practitioners who treat their consumers with respect, we acknowledge that the industry faces a number of challenges to change behaviour. The DMA is leading that change."

Self-regulation is on the whole a much better way than enforced government action. No-one wants to send mail that's unwanted - it's a waste of money and resource. Watch this space for more initiatives from the direct maketing industry.

Every since the public voted junk mail as one of the top ten things that drove them mad our industry has been on the back foot. The negative debate arising from BBC's Brassed off Britain programme a couple of years ago belatedly highlighted the need to demonstrate a much more positive image of what we do.

But do we embrace the term 'junk mail' or is it forever associated with unwanted, poorly targeted and badly executed door mat litter. This was one of the issues that came up at yesterday's DMA North board meeting which I now sit on. The reality is that direct mail in all it's forms is part of the advertising landscape. We all use it and benefit from it whether it's booking a break on lastminute.com in response to an email from them to saving money on our car insurance as a result of a mailing from Direct Line.

If consumers describe what we produce as 'junk mail' then perhaps that's what we shouldalso call it. By embracing the term and turning the negatives into positives we might start to get people to understand that direct marketing is part of our lives and restricting it makes no more sense than banning billboard posters or TV advertising.

Being Midlands DM agency of the year has created a spark of interest with coverage this week in Uttoxeter's local press.

Getting to Yes. Yesterday I was reminded that what clients use us for is to help get their customers to say Yes! This is neatly demonstrated by Meg Ryan in 'When Harry met Sally'

A fun evening of bowling - more like a fiercely competitive night with the winner decided by a strike in the final game. Jeremy (bottom right) clinched it. We attributed his success to his graceful balletesque steps in his run-up!

Why do we start sentences with And. But. Because.?

Direct Response Works points out that it's because that's how people talk.

"Focus your customer communications on your customers - their tone, their language, their way of communicating. There is no right or wrong way to communicate as long as you're speaking in language appropriate to your audience and speaking to them in terms they understand.

Once you're understood, your customer is in a position to act. And heeding your call to action is always the ultimate objective."

We've been awarded the Midlands’ Direct Marketing Agency of the Year.

Naturally, were so bowled over by this that we thought we ought to celebrate. Come and join us for a evening of bowling action mixed with the odd drink (or two) and a bite to eat on Wednesday 16th May at the new Cinebowl in Uttoxeter.