Specialists Acquires Response Media’s List Division

Specialists Marketing Services Inc. is buying Response Media’s list management division, which will be merged with Specialists, effective June 13. Terms have not been disclosed.

“They’ll still have list brokerage and interactive media divisions,” says Lon Mandel, president and CEO of Specialists. We’re only acquiring the list management division.”

The acquisition boosts Specialists’ list management presence in the association market and other sectors. “It gives us 6 to 10 good sized clients. One of the largest is the National Association of Realtors,” Mandel says.

Specialists and Response Media have also formed a new strategic alliance. Specialists will be offering interactive media services to clients provided by Response Media. And Response Media will be steering clients to Specialists for list management.

The alliance expands Specialists’ fledging presence in online direct marketing, which until now has largely been focused on e-mail. “It puts us in the online space very quickly,” Mandel says.

Altogether 36 lists, master files and insert media programs are moving from Response Media to Specialists. These include various AT&T programs, ailment master files and new movers lists.

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ-based Specialists will offer expanded list management services in Atlanta, where Response Media is based. No list management staff changes are planned, according to Mandel.

Response Media has been a larger player in list brokerage than list management. Its brokerage clients include agencies, fundraisers, financial services and insurance companies, catalogers, high tech and other business-to-business companies.

Response Media’s interactive division focuses on lead generation and other Internet media services, including Web page design. “This will allow us to roll out those products for our clients,” Mandel says.

Last summer, Specialists acquired 21^st Century Marketing and NRL Direct. Mandel says Specialists is looking for more acquisition opportunities. “It’s nothing we can discuss now. It’s business as usual for us,” he adds. Betty Abion, CEO and founder of Response Media in 1979, could not be reached for comment.