The Direct Marketing Association has rebranded as the Data & Marketing Association (DMA), citing data’s rapidly growing role in marketing and advertising.

The association is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary and will fully launch its new brand over the coming year, culminating in its global conference in October 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The DMA’s board of directors, leadership team and branding experts from OgilvyOne Worldwide drew on member feedback and market analysis in collaborating on the new name and branding.

“This is a fascinating time for the advertising and marketing industry, as the ability to leverage the power and insights of data has become ubiquitous to companies large and small,” says Tom Benton, DMA’s CEO. “These steps reaffirm that DMA represents the entire marketing ecosystem of brand marketers, agencies, media companies, data companies and tech companies and is uniquely positioned to protect marketers’ ability to responsibly access, exchange and refine data to improve lives and to grow the U.S. economy. DMA’s new board and officers represent the pinnacle of the marketing ecosystem and are a remarkable group of leaders to guide the industry and the new DMA.”

Benton adds, “The Data & Marketing Association is a powerful community that is comprised of thousands of data scientists, data technologists, data-inspired designers, creative experts and data-driven marketers, all of whom focus on making lives better by identifying and fulfilling customers’ needs and interests. DMA is, as it has always been, the association ensuring good outcomes for all stakeholders—our brands, our societies, and most importantly, the consumer.”