Who Defined Direct Marketing?

Updated: May 2026

Oleksandr Honcharov, CEO at FlawlessMLM 

Direct marketing was defined by Lester Wunderman, an American advertising executive, who coined the term "direct marketing" in a speech at MIT in 1967. Who defined direct marketing? Wunderman is widely recognized as the father of the discipline and built the agency Wunderman Worldwide on the principles he developed.

Key facts about the origin of direct marketing

• Lester Wunderman — coined the term in 1967 and developed many techniques still used today.
• His agency — Wunderman, Cato, Johnson became one of the largest direct marketing agencies in the world.
• Key innovations — introduced the toll-free 800 number for orders, loyalty programs, and subscription model marketing.
• Famous clients — Wunderman ran direct marketing for American Express, Columbia Record Club, and Ford.
• The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) — founded in 1917 as the Direct Mail Advertising Association, formalized the industry long before Wunderman coined the broader term.

Definition: Direct marketing as a defined discipline was named by Lester Wunderman in 1967 during a speech at MIT. He is credited with formalizing the core principles of measurable, response-driven, customer-targeted advertising and founded one of the largest direct marketing agencies in the world.

Before Wunderman, the activity existed under names like mail-order or direct mail advertising. He gave it a name, a framework, and made it a recognized discipline in marketing departments worldwide.