The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is a U.S. trade organization which seeks to advance all forms of direct marketing.

The purposes of the DMA are:

    * Promoting direct marketing techniques and companies to consumers.
    * Fighting negative images of the direct marketing industry.
    * Providing training and professional development opportunities to marketers.
    * Conducting industry research.
    * Hosting networking conferences for marketers.


The DMA has attracted controversy, as its purpose includes defending and promoting junk mail and telemarketing, which many consumers find irritating and intrusive. The DMA has a political action committee that makes political contributions in order to further its causes. The DMA asserts that the mass-mailings done by its members are both economically and environmentally beneficial (the latter because they supposedly reduce the number of car trips taken by shoppers who would otherwise shop at conventional stores).