Email Responsibly » Blind Item

Blind Item: How many marketers utilize preference centers?

Natalia Rybicka — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:13:13 +0000

In the new 2009 Digital marketer: Benchmark and trend report, Experian CheetahMail explores trends and tactics utilized by the industry’s largest emailers. The data collected in this report comes from a client survey taken in April 2008. Be sure to have a look at the report to see what’s happening in the world of email and beyond.

Let’s see if you can guess the result of one of the questions asked in the survey regarding email marketing.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And the answer is…

44.7%!

Nearly half of the email marketers surveyed do not capture subsribers’ preferences during the registration process. This is a clear sign that some marketers are still not leveraging the channel’s rapid technological advancements to their full potential. The good news is that 52.6% of email marketers would like to improve customer profiling and analytics this year, more than any other category. There are good reasons to do so, as was recently proven by outdoor specialty retailer, Eastern Mountain Sports. The company experienced a $13,711 increase in revenue directly attributable to their preference launch within 30 days of deployment. In addition, almost ten thousand unique subscribers updated their email profiles within the same time period. To read more about the implementation and results of this program, click here. And for more trends and tips covering the digital media landscape, download our newly released 2009 Digital marketer: Benchmark and trend report.

Blind Item: Who changed their newsletter header?

Natalia Rybicka — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:22:47 +0000

Can you guess which brand added this sophisticated imagery to their email newsletter header to provide a fresh brand experience? Please vote below and click Read More to find out the answer.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And the answer is…

Kodak !

I’ve been a Kodak subscriber for many years and I am used to seeing big, bright, yellow and red imagery throughout their emails that features sales on mugs and mouse pads with your loved ones’ photos on them. This email really took me by surprise as it was geared toward more sophisticated photography enthusiasts and offered tips on improving your black and white picture techniques. Kodak provides relevant content in this newsletter, making it stand out in the pack. It’s not just about pushing out sale coupons anymore, but educating your customers and building brand loyalty. Great job Kodak! I will definitely be more likely to click through on their emails from now on.

Blind Item: What brand is going patriotic?

Natalia Rybicka — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:41:14 +0000

Can you guess which brand veered from their usual imaging and sent this patriotic email image to promote a sale?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And the answer is…

Sephora!

Sephora strayed from their usual imaging and color palette in order to break through the clutter and grab readers’ attention during the month leading up to the presidential inauguration. The company used catch phrases such as “pledge allegiance to perfect skin” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of value” in their communications to drum up excitement for the brand. Have you seen any other examples of inauguration fever being reflected in marketing?

Blind Item: What brand is advertising value and luxury?

Natalia Rybicka — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:02:46 +0000

Can you guess which company sent an email campaign featuring a luxury image and a value offering within the same message?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And the answer is…

eLUXURY!

Many retailers have offered substantial discounts not only in preparation for the holiday crunch, but also in order to be considerate of tightened purse strings due to the recent economic downturn. eLUXURY has managed to promote their holiday sale while maintaing a high-end image which defines the brand. Do you think eLUXURY was successful in their endeavor?

Blind Item: Who is Turning Over a New Leaf?

Natalia Rybicka — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:29:40 +0000

Every so often we stumble across a promotional email that challenges the way we think about a brand. Can you guess who recently sent an email campaign featuring this image?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

And the answer is…

Macy’s!

Today’s brands are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment, as well as customers’ perception of their products based on how “green” they are. Macy’s launched this email campaign to encourage customers to sign up for electronic statements to help the environment and reduce costs associated with paper statements. The company created an new secondary logo for cardholders to shift perceptions of the brand. What do you think? Do you find it effective?

Macy