Kansas City Marketing Legends

Jack Schmid // Direct Marketing Pioneer | Founder, J. Schmid & Associates

Sam Meers and Mike Swenson Season 3 Episode 3

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0:00 | 1:05:22

In this episode of Kansas City Marketing Legends, we sit down with Jack Schmid, a true pioneer who helped put Kansas City on the direct marketing map. From his early days at Fingerhut to launching the Halls catalog at Hallmark and eventually building his own agency, J Schmid & Associates, Jack has lived the full evolution of the industry from punch card databases and printed catalogs to the internet age and AI. He shares the story behind landing Marks & Spencer as a client (spoiler: it involved Harry Truman.) Jack tells us why the fundamentals of direct marketing — the right list, the right offer, the right creative — never go out of style, and what he’s still learning at 90. This one’s packed with wisdom, great stories, and lessons every marketer needs to hear.

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