MDI Lists Announces New Strategic Alliance

August 18, 2010

For Immediate Release:

Weston, FL: Bold New Move Puts MDI Lists at Top of Class

MDI Lists is pleased to announce it’s affiliation with one of the largest data suppliers in the US. This new arrangement, according to David M Raff, Managing Director of MDI, will allow us to bring both postal and email data to the market place quicker than almost any other list house’. In fact, MDI now obtains the same data used by the credit bureaus before they receive it.

The implications of this relationship are tremendous and beyond the scope of most traditional list houses. In one swift and powerful move we were able to install MDI as a market leader in consumer data. ‘MDI Lists’, according to Raff, will now be able to provide all consumer marketers both opt in email addresses and postal addresses’. This will facilitate all marketers in developing a comprehensive marketing strategy enabling them to effectively reach new customers using a two pronged marketing approach. Raff states ‘MDI will be able to provide marketers email and postal addresses for prospects based on self reported data across nearly 100 categories’.

Retailers will be able to more effectively drive store traffic. E-marketers will now have a better avenue to reach potential customers. Direct mail marketers will be able to use finely honed self reported data to reach new prospects which would be otherwise missed.

We are releasing datacards this week promoting the new and exciting files. If you have any questions please contact David Raff or Laura Ellis.

Laura Ellis Joins MDI Lists

Weston, FL: MDI Lists, a leading and award winning direct response ad agency located in Weston Florida is please to announce the addition of Laura Ellis. ‘Laura is an extraordinary talent and brings her knowledge and experience to our organization’, according to David M Raff, Managing Director of MDI. ‘Laura’s wealth of talent, knowledge and experience are going to help us diversify into many new markets. We are extremely pleased Laura is part of the MDI Lists team.’

‘David and I have worked together for years’ according to Laura Ellis ‘and I am excited to be joining the MDI team. MDI is a leader in the sweepstakes and occult marketplace and my clients’ will fit right in with MDI’s client base. In addition, I plan on assisting David and MDI expand its market reach into other markets.’

Laura has over 24 years of experience in the direct marketing community and works with many of the preeminent direct marketers in our industry. Laura personally handled all aspects of list brokerage and list acquisition for 13 major mailers in the catalog, travel, publishing and insurance fields. Laura is bringing Western States Reporter, USLM, CHAMP and others to MDI’s management and brokerage roster.

For more information on MDI Lists please contact David M Raff at 954-384-1557 or view their website at www.mdilists.com. Laura Ellis can be reached at 954-384-1557 or via email at Laura@mdilists.com.

LifeLock Settles Charges by the FTC and 35 States That Identity Theft Prevention and Data Security Claims Were False

On March 9, 2010 the identity theft protection service, LifeLock, settled charges made by the Federal Trade Commission and 35 states alleging that the company made false claims. The settlement would provide $11 million to the FTC and $1 million to the group of states that include California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. Moreover, LifeLock and its co-founders will be barred from making any deceptive claims about its services and will be required to take strict measures to safeguard the sensitive information of their customers.

The FTC, in its complaint, stated that LifeLock had claimed it could guarantee that identity theft would never happen to customers who purchase its services. To prove this point, it even advertised the CEO's social security number as a demonstration of total confidence. Moreover, LifeLock claimed that it is the "first company to prevent identity theft from occurring" and it "stop[s] identity theft before it happens." According to the FTC's Chairman, Jon Leibowitz, these claims are blatantly false and "the protection it actually provided left enough holes that you could drive a truck through it."

Allegedly, LifeLock provided no protection against the misuse of existing accounts, which happens to be the most common form of identity theft. Its services also provided no protection from medical or employment identity theft. More importantly information given directly to LifeLock, such as social security and credit card numbers, was also inadequately protected. LifeLock claimed that only authorized employees of LifeLock had access to the information, that it was only provided on a "need to know" basis and that the storage of the date was electronically encrypted. The FTC explicitly negated these statements and even stated that the company's system was vulnerable and could have been exploited.

The FTC will be sending out letters to eligible former and current LifeLock customers and will use the money from the settlement to provide refunds to those consumers.

MDI Lists Helps Haiti

The screams in Haiti are being heard around the World and the World is responding. The 7.0 earthquake that rocked Port Au Prince on Tuesday brought the already impoverished city of nearly three million people to its collective knees and the far reaching impact is devastating the rest of the country. Hospitals, homes, schools and buildings lay in ruin. There are bodies piled knee deep in the streets. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people are still missing in the wreckage, their fates unknown. There are still parts of Haiti rescue workers have not been able to reach. There is no food, water or electricity. The emergency crews fight to get to the scene; people are digging through rubble using their hands to unearth survivors. Out of the houses and buildings left standing most are structurally unsound and are potential disasters. People who were lucky enough to escape with their lives are huddling together in open fields too afraid to enter the still standing buildings.

The devastation is unthinkable and unimaginable. The sheer amount of destruction is seemingly insurmountable. One news blog that I read a little while ago ended with the sentiment that “Any thoughts of full recovery during this generation is unrealistic.”. The more news, videos and photos that reach us from Haiti, the more we begin to realize how true that small statement is. For up to date information you can always click on CNN, as they are giving updates from Port Au Prince often

Those of us who are not in Haiti are scrambling, trying to figure out how can we help, how can we lend a hand and make a difference. What we can do often leads us to do nothing at all. In my opinion, this is not an option right now. The devastation caused by this earthquake is being compared to losing an entire war in just a few short moments.

There are many trustworthy organizations who are already on the scene, and many more that are gathering together resources to aid the victims of this awful tragedy. We have come up with a list of some of the ways that you can help. Please remember that every penny – literally – counts. If you are in a situation where you cannot send money or supplies, do not feel as though you are worthless. Your thoughts and support are needed by the people in Haiti, as much as the physical donations are.

• American Red Cross – There are three ways you can contribute via the Red Cross: monetary donations, blood donations, and signing up as volunteers.

• Text to Donate – If you want to donate money but are a little short right now, the State Dept. has set up a way to donate via text message. Text “Haiti” to 90999 and a donation of ten dollars will be added to your next phone bill and forwarded to the Red Cross.

• Doctors Without Borders – The Doctors Without Borders program has been stationed in Haiti for a long time already. Their facilities were destroyed by the earthquake, along with much of their supplies. They are rushing to attempt to care for the injured people who need them, but they need your help.

• National Nurses United – The nation’s largest organization of registered nurses tonight activated its nationwide disaster relief program to recruit nurse volunteers to provide assistance to residents of earthquake devastated Haiti.

• UNICEF –is dedicated to helping children. Before Tuesday, there were already thousands of children who were orphans living below the poverty level. Today, there are many thousands more.

• Operation USA – Operation USA has been rated as a four-star charity for the past six years. Every penny that goes in to the organization goes right back out to the places that need it.

• Mercy Corps – Mercy Corps allows you to send a flat donation of your own, or can help you organize your own fundraising team. They also accept donations other than money, such as clothing and building materials.

• World Food Bank – The WFP has already pledged more than two million dollars to help feed the people of Haiti. It is expected that the amount needed will far exceed this.

• T-shirts – Emerald City Fashion Week is raising money to support the relief effort with a Fashion4Haiti T-shirts which are available for immediate purchase! Net proceeds will be donated to World Vision to help children and families affected by the 7.0 earthquake.

Our hearts go out to everyone in Haiti, as well as to the people around the World waiting for news of loved ones. MDI Lists and David M Raff have asked all of their list owners and friends to help with this cause. To this end, David M Raff (Weston Florida) and MDI Lists plan on donating a portion of all commissions earned in February to Help Haitti Relief Causes

International Mailing is on the rise

Savvy US direct marketers recognize the growth potential in international markets, where an uptick in ad spending is expected this year. However, even the most successful international marketers recognize that reaching consumers in other countries isn't without its challenges — such as the need to address local languages and regulations.

"Any marketer that is building its business plan and has the ability to deliver outside the US is looking to see where the opportunities are internationally," says John Greco, president and CEO of the Direct Marketing Association.

Kevin Smith, president of international at TBWA, agrees. "I think a lot of people have woken up to how important some of the international markets are" as they grow and prosper, he says.

Consumer marketplaces in certain corners of the world are growing particularly fast, such as China and Australia. Many marketers in those regions have skipped over traditional tactics such as direct mail, opting instead for sophisticated digital, mobile and social media initiatives.

"These are wonderful places to learn some of the techniques being used in order to bring those 'learnings' back to the US market," says Greco.

Understanding how much to invest in marketing within a specific country and deciding which media channel to use isn't always easy, but it is crucial for successful direct marketing.

"Getting clients over the hurdle of the idea that international direct mail is significantly more expensive is tough," says Stacy Berver, president of DM360, which works with direct marketers to convert their direct mail programs for international markets. While postage, lists and data processing all increase the cost of direct mail outside the US by up to 30%, Berver insists it's still worth it.

"There is far less competition around the world, plus consumers aren't typically receiving as much mail, so they respond at a higher rate," she explains, adding that the average response rate for an international direct mail campaign is 30% to 70% higher than in the US.

"Marketers have to make a serious investment in international markets," says Smith. It's no longer sufficient to divert extra cash into international markets hoping for a hit, he notes.

Language is also an issue. E4X Inc.'s FiftyOne global e-commerce solution helps US online retailers create and optimize international landing pages.

"The level of comfort created by this experience helps retailers monetize any international traffic they may have already had" and drives repeat business, says Michael DeSimone, CEO at E4X.

Other issues US marketers face when trying to expand internationally are a scarcity of mailing lists and the need to understand local regulations and practices. With so much to consider, many marketers partner with third parties with international knowledge. Many marketers are contacting MDI Lists of Weston Florida. According to David M Raff, Managing Director, 'we are seeing a significant increase in mailers using our services'. Raff states this might be due to MDI being a market leader in International lists for several years now. According to Raff, 'our clients are seeing an up turn mailing internationally. We are seeing increased mailings into Canada, France and Germany plus a few Pacific Rim countries.'

ACQUISITION: ClickBank

ClickBank is an online retailer of e-books, software and games. With much of its business coming in through affiliates and the number of international affiliates growing, the company recently embarked on a strategy to create a global platform, says Dush Ramachandran, VP business development, sales and marketing at ClickBank.

ClickBank has a network of 120,000 affiliates in 220 countries worldwide helping to sell its 35,000 products. The ClickBank Web site started accepting payment in 13 currencies in addition to the US dollar.

The fastest growth for the company is coming from Western European countries such as France, Germany and Spain. French, German and Spanish language items added to the product selection, and all of the messaging on the site was translated into those languages. More languages will be added in the future.

"People are more comfortable with their own currencies and buying a product in their own language," says Ramachandran.

The company also pays attention to regional differences in online shopping.

"In Germany, people aren't comfortable using credit cards to spend online, so [we]focus more on alternative payment methods there," says Ramachandran.

When a new language becomes available on the site, ClickBank sends out an e-mail to existing affiliates and vendors in the appropriate geographies to make them aware of the changes.

In 2010, the company will expand its efforts to recruit new affiliates and vendors in several international markets by attending conferences and other events in those markets. Germany will com first on that initiative.

Three years ago, 78% of ClickBank's business came from North American and, today, 66% originates there. The company expects the international portion of its business to grow even further as it continues to roll out its global strategy.

ACQUISITION: Goldshield

Goldshield Direct Inc. has been selling healthcare products direct to consumers since 1993. The division of pharmaceutical and healthcare company Goldshield Healthcare International wanted to expand into Canada in order to generate incremental revenue.

"We have always viewed Canada as a very viable region, especially considering our years of success there with our other Goldshield businesses," says Michael Neal Swift, president at Goldshield Direct.

Goldshield launched a direct mail program for its Prostate Health Complex in Canada in 2009. Marketing services agency DM360 Inc. worked with Goldshield to use its existing direct mail creative that it was sending to US customers as a base to develop a mailpiece for the Canadian market.

Prices were converted into Canadian dollars, and the address block was reformatted to include a postal code instead of a ZIP code. Most importantly, US slang was toned down. However, other than that, the piece was fundamentally similar to its US counterpart.

"Normally, we like to keep the creative for the English-speaking parts of the world as close to what's working in the US," says Stacy Berver, president at DM360.

The effort launched with a 50,000 piece, 16-page mailer featuring information about prostate health and several offers to try Prostate Health Complex. The mailer pulled four times the response rate as a US campaign launched at the same time.

"Critical to Goldshield's success was a Canadian return address, Canadian dollar pricing and a Canadian response envelope," says Berver.

The healthcare company has since expanded the program to include three products in Canada. As a result of its Canadian direct mail program, Goldshield Direct has increased its overall mail volume by 45% and its customer acquisition by 55% or more.

David M Raff helps Cross Roads Food Pantry

Weston, FL: MDI Lists, a leading and award winning direct response ad agency located in Weston Florida is please to announce their affiliation with the Cross Roads Food Pantry.’ According to David M Raff, Managing Director of MDI, ‘We are extremely pleased to be included in their circle of family and friends’. Mr. Raff stated; ‘While there are many worthwhile charitable organizations that are in need of funds and volunteer efforts, as a company MDI Lists, decided to work with The Cross Roads Food Pantry. In fact, we are asking our clients to join us in contributing to the Cross Roads Food Pantry. Together we are hoping to make a difference.’ Our work at the Food Pantry encompasses packing boxes containing well balanced diet for families, maintenance, assisting in distributing the food and most importantly spending time with the families.

The mission of the Cross Roads Food Pantry is to help and assist families who are on hard times by providing them with food. The Cross Roads Food Pantry accepts everyone with a need and all they ask in return is for recipients to volunteer four hours. Cross Roads mission is to dispense hope, food and clothing to the needy in our community, in accordance with the guidelines of the Florida Baptist Convention, the Gateway Community Outreach and the First Baptist Church Deerfield Beach. These three entities provide the food and/or funds to operate the pantry ministry.

For more information on MDI Lists please contact David M Raff at 954-384-1557 or view their website at www.mdilists.com.

MDI Lists proud to be a major sponsor for the Ann Storck Center's Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting & Auction

Weston, FL: MDI Lists, a leading and award winning direct response ad agency located in Weston Florida is please to announce their affiliation with the Ann Storck Center. ‘The Ann Storck Center is a leader in helping children and adults with multiple developmental disabilities.’ According to David M Raff, Managing Director of MDI, ‘We are extremely pleased to be included in their circle of family and friends’. Mr. Raff stated; ‘In today's economic climate it is more important now than ever before for all of us to reach deep into our pockets and help others. The 16th Annual Ann Storch Center Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting and Auction is the Center's main fundraising campaign for the year. To this end, we are asking our clients to join us in contributing to the Ann Storck Center. Together we are hoping to make a difference.’

The Ann Storck Center is a nationally accredited, highly acclaimed 501 (c) (3) non-profit human service organization serving the needs of children and adults in South Florida who present severe and multiple developmental disabilities including Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Mental Retardation. The Center strives to discover and build upon the uniqueness and strengths of each person it serves in order to provide life-enriching experiences.

For more information on MDI Lists please contact David M Raff at 954-384-1557 or view their website at www.mdilists.com. For more information on the Ann Storck Center please contact Daniela Bitshman at 954-584-8000 or visit their website at www.annstorckcenter.org.