▁over ▁ 2 ▁tr ill ion ▁only ▁in ▁[ increment al ] ▁sales ▁and ▁supports ▁till ▁this ▁day ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 1 0 . 9 ▁million ▁jobs ▁either ▁directly ▁related ▁to ▁market ing ▁industry ▁or ▁dependent ▁upon ▁it . ▁ ▁W und erman : ▁direct ▁market ing ▁genius ▁ ▁Mail ▁order ▁pione er ▁A aron ▁Mont gom ery ▁Ward ▁knew ▁that ▁by ▁using ▁the ▁technique ▁of ▁s elling ▁product ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁consumer ▁at ▁appe aling ▁prices ▁could , ▁if ▁executed ▁effectively ▁and ▁efficiently , ▁revolution ize ▁the ▁market ▁industry ▁and ▁therefore ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁innov ative ▁model ▁for ▁market ing ▁products ▁and ▁creating ▁customer ▁loyal ty . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" direct ▁market ing " ▁was ▁co ined ▁long ▁after ▁Mont gom ery ▁Ward ' s ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁L ester ▁W und erman ▁identified , ▁named , ▁and ▁defined ▁" direct ▁market ing ". ▁ ▁W und erman ▁— ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁contemporary ▁direct ▁market ing ▁— ▁is ▁behind ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁to ll - free ▁ 1 - 8 0 0 ▁number ▁and ▁numerous ▁mail ▁order ▁based ▁loyal ty ▁market ing ▁programs ▁including ▁the ▁Columbia ▁Record ▁Club , ▁the ▁magazine ▁subscription ▁card , ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Express ▁Customer ▁R ew ards ▁program . ▁ ▁Modern ▁consumer ▁re wards ▁programs ▁ ▁Fre quent ▁fly ers ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁American ▁Airlines ▁launched ▁the ▁A Ad v antage ▁frequent ▁fly er ▁program , ▁which