Abstract:

The paper begins with an analysis of the spectacular development of the direct marketing Europe and the United States, followed by an examination of the causes of this development. The second part of the paper stresses the crucial importance of professionalism among the causes of this growth and pinpoints the ways in which this professionalism emerges at the market survey level. Sales promotion then emerges as the key variable in the M.O.S. marketing mix, because it is what explains and justifies the use of the term and concept of direct marketing.