The CAN SPAM Act took effect January 1, 2004 and opinions differ on its value. But with the spotlight on SPAM, many miss a little-known provision in the CAN SPAM Act that allows for the creation of a Do Not Mail registry. As mailers, we should be concerned about this development, but only a little.
This newsletter has often exposed the differences between mail marketing and other types of obtrusive marketing such as telemarketing and SPAM. These differences are the very motivation for legislation that creates Do Not Call lists and the CAN SPAM Act. The mail is a part of our economy, a $900 billion industry that continues to grow. The mail is a part of our American tradition. An International Communications Research survey found that 75% of consumers preferred marketing mail over other forms of advertising and 86% preferred to have their bills and financial information mailed to them.
