Glossary of Terms

Advertising
The actual communication used for marketing purposes.

Advertising Standards Authority (the ASA)
The independent body set up by the advertising industry to police the rules contained in the Advertising Code (the CAP Code).

BMPS
Baby Mailing Preference Service.

Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP)
The body which has responsibility for the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (the CAP Code).

CLI
Caller Line Identification. A service that allows you to find out the number of the caller by dialing 1471. If you have the appropriate equipment you may also be able to see the number of the caller before answering the call.

Customer magazines
A magazine which supplies information on a subject which interests consumers but is not a trade (business) magazine.

Direct mail
A form of advertising that allows companies to contact you directly with information about products and services that may be of interest, using mail addressed to you personally.

Direct Response TV or Radio
Advertising that encourages you to contact a company directly for more information about a product or service. This can be a simple telephone number or web address included in the advertisement.

DMA
Direct Marketing Association

DM / Direct Marketing
You are using Direct Marketing (DM) every time you purchase goods or request information in response to receiving marketing information from an organisation about the product or service. Companies use direct marketing to contact you with information about products and services that you may be interested in, and in a way which most suits your lifestyle.

Door drops
A form of advertising which is delivered through your letterbox but is not addressed directly to you. This includes unaddressed mail, leaflets and flyers.

Email marketing
A form of advertising by which organisations provide information about products or services through email.

E-mps
Email Preference Service

Field Marketing
This covers every form of direct marketing which takes place outside the home or office. It can include anything from handing out leaflets in the street, mystery shopping, sampling and demonstrations in your local supermarket to outdoor promotional events.

FPS
Fax Preference Service

In-store demonstrations
A product or service demonstration which takes place inside (or just outside) a shop, supermarket or showroom.

Interactive TV
Any digital entertainment, information or marketing/advertising service which requires you to interact directly with your digital TV. For example "press the red button on your remote to..."

Leafleting
Any form of advertising which involves people handing out leaflets, vouchers, free newspapers and samples on the street or other public space.

Magazine/newspaper inserts
A form of advertising using media inserted into a magazine or newspaper after the magazine or newspaper has been printed. This can be anything from a postcard or flyer to a brochure or media pack.

Marketing List
This is a database of mail/email addresses and/or telephone/mobile/fax numbers held by a company or organisation which they use to distribute information or advertising and marketing. It can also include personal information like your buying habits, preferences, occupation, hobbies etc.

Marketing
Selling goods or services using a communication which promotes the product or service. The purpose of marketing is to encourage recipients of the communication to purchase or use the product or service.

Mobile marketing
A form of marketing by which organisations send information about products or services via messages to a mobile phone/device.

MPS
Mailing Preference Service.

Outdoor advertising
Using mobile media to display advertisements. This can vary from a poster on the side of a truck or a taxi to a banner suspended from an aircraft.

Silent calls
Silent calls occur when automated calling systems used by call centres for telemarketing, market research, debt collection and other purposes, generate more calls than the available call centre agents can deal with. When the person dialed answers the telephone, if there is no agent available, it results in silence on the line.

Telemarketing
Advertising, sales and services conducted by telephone or fax machine.

TPS
Telephone Preference Service.