Sometimes I wonder whether email marketing hasn't just gone back in time, to a time when direct marketing was all about throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping some of it stuck!

I receive quite a lot of newsletters, marketing emails etc. I realise I've been clogging up my inbox with such items and thought why not just opt out of receiving them, so that I can focus upon the ones that I want to receive.

Sounds easy doesn't it. Well no! You opt out, get the prompt saying you've opted out and well you've guessed it, you still get emails from them. Then on occasions when you try and opt out you have to log into your account to change your email preferences with a password that you've only used once and more than likely forgotten. I had to go through this process for one airline I opted out of last week. Imagine my surprise when today I get another email from them!! 

Come on guys make it easy to opt out! I know we're heading for torrid economic times and email marketing is a cheap alternative to other marketing channels, but don't you realise that you're damaging your brand and ultimately leading to stricter regulation.

Jonathan Burston
CACI Limited