Advertising Age

What kind of message does it send to donors when a nonprofit shells out the big bucks to run a Super Bowl ad? Yes, this is an opportunity to reach more people than any fundraiser could hope for, and it certainly puts an organization in front of eyes that may not have been drawn to the organization otherwise. But in an era of accountability and fiscal scrutiny of nonprofits — whether right or wrong — it seems like spending so much money that could be invested into the organization may send the wrong message that an organization is more concerned with brand awareness than with investing in its programs and working toward its mission.

Soon, the holiday sounds of coins clinking into red kettles may disappear, replaced by the silence of a credit card swipe. The Salvation Army has begun shifting into digital donations, as fewer and fewer shoppers carry much change or bills.

This year, the charity is testing the use of Square, a mobile payments startup that allows anyone to accept credit card payments via mobile devices.

May 18, 2009 — Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, announced the acquisition of Little Rock, Ark.-based CognitiveDATA, a marketing technology company with award-winning, data quality innovations that help recognized retailers, insurance providers, nonprofits and financial services organizations ensure the accuracy of mail files and eliminate waste in their direct mail programs.

COLUMBIA, Md., April 30, 2009 — Merkle ( www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation's largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, announced its top rankings in a new report from Advertising Age magazine. The Agency Report 2009 ranks Merkle among the nation's top 10 Direct Marketing Agencies, in the top 25 U.S. Marketing Services Agencies and among the top 30 Agency Companies worldwide. With a 16.8% growth rate from 2007, Merkle holds the distinction of being the fastest growing direct marketing agency in the Top 20. The rankings were published in the April 27 issue of Advertising Age magazine ( www.adage.com). The magazine's annual report ranks marketing and advertising companies according to their 2008 revenue.

Rising postage rates and fewer solicitations from banks and credit-card companies have conspired to drive down direct mail in 2008.