Dive Brief: 

• The Direct Marketing Association's Quarterly Review for Q4 2013 revealed numbers suggesting digital marketing spend will surpass direct marketing for the first time ever in 2014. 
• The review, based on a Winterberry Group survey, revealed that 78% of respondents are confident in data-driven marketing and that 38% plan to increase spending on it in Q1 2014. 
• Overall, respondents were optimistic about DDM, but there are still fears of government intervention in the practice. 

Dive Insight: 

When an industry standard like direct mail is being eclipse by a newer practice like digital marketing, it shows a major shift in the industry. A shift in spending like this review suggests gives a glimpse into the future of marketing and what it will look like. It's not surprising that digital efforts are gaining power as the world becomes increasingly dependent on digital to function.