What is direct marketing?

• A. Advertisements that go straight from a firm to a consumer, such as direct mail and telemarketing.
• B. Public relations campaigns aimed at mass audiences.
• C. Paid media placement on television.
• D. Carrier-based sampling programs.

Answer: (A)

Direct marketing focuses on reaching customers directly with a tailored message and a way to respond, bypassing broad, non-interactive mass media. This is why direct mail and telemarketing fit best: they push a message straight to the individual and are designed to prompt a direct, trackable response. Other approaches rely on large-audience reach or non-interactive messaging—public relations aimed at broad audiences builds awareness rather than a direct action; paid TV placements are mass media intended for wide exposure; carrier-based sampling is a promotion tactic that distributes samples through channels rather than directly soliciting a response from a specific consumer.