DM has share of characters

David Benady is a man on a mission when he comments about the lack of interesting personalities in direct marketing (MW September 14).

Is being “larger than life” a nomenclature one would want to append to our industry? Oliver Reed, God bless his soul, was larger than life but – call me old fashioned – I’d go for the less rampant Harrison Ford any day.

I’m not sure who David has met, or not met, but Drayton Bird, Chris Barraclough, Judith Donovan, Terry Hunt, Pam Craik and John Watson (who is a thriller writer nowadays) spring to mind without even thinking too hard.

These are true heavyweights. This is not to say that Matthew isn’t.

I’m somewhat biased because I’ve seen how direct marketing has accelerated over the past five to 10 years and sales promotion has gone into terminal decline.

So the real test of any great figurehead is not whether he or she can party it out with the best of them, but whether they are seen as influencers and can run a successful business.

It’s like the old nouvelle cuisine comment about presentation and substance.

Thea Cudlip

Managing director

Marketbase Recruitment

London W1