Don’t just aim for an open with your subject line

Coinksdeals

Ever heard someone say the purpose of the subject line is to get the open? This is short sighted and the purpose and impact of the subject line goes much deeper. The thinking behind a subject line should be more than “what will make someone read this email?”

A case in point is some work I’ve recently completed for Coinks Deals.… Read more

Opt-In & Opt-Out – Definitions of Consent according to the draft EU Data Protection Regulations

As a consumer, I am always in favour of legislation which seeks to protect individual freedoms, and reduce ambiguity in what organisations can and cannot do with my personal information. As a marketer too, it is important that the availability and use of a consumer’s personal information be governed by clear guidelines, and ends in a mutually beneficial result – at the bare bones of it; providing a customer with timely, relevant communications based on the data they have provided, at the same time as (hopefully) making a profit for the organisation I am working for.… Read more

What do your emails say about you?

In my last DMA blog I made the mistake of highlighting the “branding” gap in Apple’s emails. And I was duly punished by the “Apple gods”, who caused me to drop my new iPhone 5 in the loo. Actually, a recent YouGov survey showed that 21% of people check their emails in the toilet, and I can tell you that there are literally hundreds of web posts advising on how to repair iPhone water damage.… Read more

What is “personal Information” according to the draft EU Data Protection Regulation?

In order to keep up with new technologies and addressing consumer concerns over privacy the 1995 European Data Protection Directive, which was implemented in UK in the 1998 Data Protection Act is in the process of being updated. This can be a good thing because aside from anything else it aims to reduce the red tape, and add more consistency across Europe.… Read more

Email engagement, often discussed now defined

Everyone wants it, but there is no industry consensus on the best way to measure it. I’m talking about engagement in the email channel.

Take an example, a fashion brand might send two or three emails per week. It’s not realistic to expect that most people are going to be interested in buying a new fashion item every week or even to review offers each week.… Read more

Proposed EU Data Protection Regulation – Liability and right to compensation

We have been covering the proposed EU data legislation. The full changes to society and benefits from the internet are far from complete, but one thing is clear, in the future the strong countries and economies will be those that have the best digital capability. The EU Data Protection Regulation threatens to limit and slow the growth of the digital economy in Europe.… Read more

EU Draft Data Protection Regulation – Data Breach Notification

Anyone who is in the business of processing personal data will be aware of the proposed new EU Data Protection Regulation. It’s a pretty hot topic right now (as I’m sure you’d agree) as it represents the most significant global development in data protection law since the EU Data Protection Directive that was agreed over 17 years ago. This was clearly way before smartphones were in everyone’s pockets and internet access was in every household, so no one would deny the fact that in this age of mass information sharing, this piece of legislation is in need of some revision.… Read more