Firms using flyers 'should take care with personal data'

Marketers that use direct mail materials such as flyers have been advised to tread with caution when drawing on consumers' data.

Organisations that use direct marketing such as flyer printing should take care when drawing on consumers' personal data, according to one individual.

Richard Lees, chairman of data and marketing services company dgb, stated in an article for Marketing Week it is often difficult to judge which information is appropriate to use.

The latest research shows that 42 per cent of marketers are uncertain about which data is ethical to draw on, he explained.

However, there are a number of steps firms can take to ensure they are working along the right lines, such as considering their demographic, as young people will be less concerned about use of data than older individuals because they have grown up in an online society, Mr Lees continued.

He added businesses ought to be "transparent" and inform consumers of how they are going to use their personal information.

Furthermore, Civil Society recently reported comments made by Glen Cook, who stated it is important organisations that use direct mail regularly clean their data.