

                                                             EXHIBIT (a)-(5)

                           ACXIOM/MAY & SPEH, INC. 
  
                         Offer to Purchase for Cash 
                          All of its Outstanding  
               5 1/4% CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2003 
                              (CUSIP 57777AAA) 
  
 SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE OFFER TO PURCHASE, THE
 OFFER WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON NOVEMBER 20, 1998,
 UNLESS EXTENDED (SUCH DATE, AS THE SAME MAY BE EXTENDED, THE "EXPIRATION
 DATE").  TENDERS OF NOTES MAY BE WITHDRAWN AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE
 EXPIRATION DATE.
             
                                                           October 23, 1998 
  
 TO:  Brokers, Dealers, Commercial Banks, 
      Trust Companies and Other Nominees: 
  
      Enclosed for your consideration is an Offer to Purchase, dated October
 23, 1998 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the "Offer to
 Purchase", and a form of letter of transmittal and instructions thereto
 (the "Letter of Transmittal"), relating to the offer (the "Offer") by
 Acxiom/May & Speh, Inc. ("May & Speh") to purchase for cash all of its
 outstanding 51/4% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003 (the "Notes") at
 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest thereon to but
 excluding the date of repurchase. 
  
      We are asking you to contact your clients for whom you hold Notes
 registered in your name or in the name of your nominee.  In addition, we
 ask you to contact your clients who, to your knowledge, hold Notes
 registered in their own name.  You will be reimbursed by May & Speh for
 customary mailing and handling expenses incurred by you in forwarding any
 of the enclosed materials to your clients.  May & Speh will pay all
 transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the tender of Notes, except as
 otherwise provided in the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal. 
  
           Enclosed is a copy of each of the following documents for
 forwarding to your clients: 
  
                1.   The Offer to Purchase.
  
                2.   A Yellow Letter of Transmittal, including Guidelines
                     for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
                     Substitute Form W-9, for your use in connection with
                     the tender of Notes by record holders and for the
                     information of your clients.
  
                3.   A Green form of letter addressed "To Our Clients" that
                     may be sent to your clients for whose accounts you hold
                     Notes registered in your name or the name of your
                     nominee, with space provided for obtaining the clients'
                     instructions with regard to the Offer.
  
                4.   A Blue Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to be used to
                     accept the Offer if certificates for Notes are not lost
                     but not immediately available, or if the procedure for
                     book-entry transfer cannot be completed on or prior to
                     the Expiration Date.
  
                5.   A return envelope addressed to Harris Trust and Savings
                     Bank, the Paying Agent (the "Paying Agent").
  
           Your prompt action is requested.  Notes tendered pursuant to the
 Offer may be validly withdrawn, subject to the procedures described in the
 Offer to Purchase, at any time prior to the Expiration Date. 
  
           Please refer to "Procedures for Tendering Notes" in the Offer to
 Purchase for a description of the procedures which must be followed to
 tender Notes in the Offer. 
  
           Requests for additional copies of the enclosed materials may be
 made to Acxiom/May & Speh, Inc., Attention:  Eric Loughmiller, 1501 Opus
 Place, Downers Grove, Illinois  60515; telephone number (630) 964-1501. 
  
                                    Very truly yours, 
  
                                    ACXIOM/MAY & SPEH, INC. 
  
      NOTHING HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR
 ANY PERSON AS AN AGENT OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE, OR THE PAYING AGENT, OR
 AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF ANY
 OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFER, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS EXPRESSLY MADE IN
 THE OFFER TO PURCHASE OF THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



