Saudi Arabia - On his recent trip to Jeddah, Ramesh A. Lakshmi-Ratan, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Direct Marketing Association in New York City said, "I am truly fascinated by the way Bridges is conducting its direct marketing services. There is a lot of promise in direct marketing in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East, and Bridges is going in the right direction."
Dr Lakshmi-Ratan, who visited the Bridges Direct Marketing and CRM offices in Bin Homran on November 13, met with Mr Essam Awad, Chairman, and Mr Khaled Yamak, Bridges' Managing Director, and discussed the future of direct marketing in the Middle East.
Mr Khaled Yamak said, "As an active member of DMA, Bridges is keen on joining efforts with Dr Lakshmi-Ratan in order to keep the channels of communication open for the aim of refining direct marketing services in the region."
Dr Lakshmi-Ratan commended Bridges for hiring young Saudis. "I was very impressed to see the caliber of young local talent at Bridges," he said. "There is no one who understands a market more than one who belongs to the community. It's always good to see so much innovation, freshness, and creativity."
During his visit, Dr Lakshmi-Ratan, who is a respected marketing expert with more than 25 years of experience in marketing products and services, recommended that Bridges take part in DMA's annual International ECHO Awards, which are presented each October. Since 1929, these awards have recognized the world's outstanding direct marketing campaigns based on excellence in strategy, creativity, and results. "You have great talent here that needs to be recognized and showcased globally," he said.
Mr Essam Awad said, "We are pleased with Dr Lakshmi-Ratan's visit. He gave us valuable insight on more international aspects of direct marketing. This is an exciting time for direct marketing in the Middle East."
Khaled Yamak asserted that connections and meetings -- such as ones with DMA executives -- are a "sandbox for innovation." Such interactions, he pointed out, bring fresh ideas, new tools, and original perspectives, thus helping Bridges in sharpening its already competitive edge and providing its clients with avant-guard services.
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About Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations 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 nearly 3,600 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 50 other nations, including a majority of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.
In 2007, marketers -- commercial and nonprofit -- are forecast to spend $173.2 billion on direct marketing in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures will generate approximately $2.025 trillion in incremental sales. In 2007, direct marketing will account for 10.2 percent of total US gross domestic product. Also, there are today 1.6 million direct marketing employees in the US alone. Their collective sales efforts directly support nearly 9.0 million other jobs. That accounts for 10.6 million US jobs.
About Bridges
Bridges is a pioneering marketing and communication agency specializing in innovative direct marketing and CRM services. Some of the services offered by Bridges include but are not limited to direct mailing, electronic messaging, field marketing and merchandising, contact center services, CRM solutions, and loyalty programs. With offices in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Beirut, and affiliations in Dubai and Kuwait, Bridges is a fast growing company.
For further information, please contact:
Hussain Nasrallah
Media Relations Manager
Landmark Public Relations & Events
Tel: +966 2 661 4109
Fax: +966 2 661 4239
Email: h.nasrallah@landmark-pr.com
© Press Release 2007
