MessageMedia Launches Consumer Privacy Initiative, Names Industry's First Permission Advocate
Company Takes Lead in Fight Against Unsolicited "Spam"
BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1999-- Consumers now have a powerful new ally in the battle against unsolicited bulk e-mail, or ''spam.'' MessageMedia (Nasdaq:MESG), a leading provider of e-mail-based customer relationship management and direct marketing services, today announced it is launching a series of aggressive privacy initiatives designed to help marketers develop more effective e-mail marketing campaigns and ultimately shield consumers from unwanted commercial e-mail.
MessageMedia's Consumer Privacy Initiative includes:
1. Appointing the industry's first Permission Advocate;
2. Partnering with Brightmail, Inc., a provider of advanced e-mail products and services, including anti-spam filtering, to deliver enhanced e-mail list auditing; and
3. Launching an educational series known as E-mail University with one-to-one marketing pioneers Peppers and Rogers Group, beginning November 15 in Chicago.
MessageMedia has appointed Derek Scruggs, formerly director of product development, to the position of Permission Advocate. In his new capacity, Mr. Scruggs will oversee the direction and implementation of marketers' e-mail marketing campaigns and screen them to ensure that they meet the company's and industry's strict anti-spam guidelines. Mr. Scruggs will also educate clients on proper e-mail marketing practices.
''Derek's new role will require him to be part evangelist, part tactician, and part permission enforcer,'' said Larry Jones, president and CEO of MessageMedia, Inc. ''Our clients and their customers are very concerned about the repercussions of unsolicited bulk e-mail. In response, we are initiating tactics that will guard consumers against this malpractice of e-mail marketing.''
''Although our clients are very sensitive to the spam issue, they are not always clear on how to fully leverage e-mail as a customer communications vehicle,'' said Derek Scruggs, permission advocate for MessageMedia. ''My role is to educate our clients on avoiding unsolicited bulk e-mail methods and enlighten them on the various opt-in e-mail techniques that are available.''
To enhance its comprehensive internal list auditing process, MessageMedia has partnered with Brightmail, to utilize Brightmail's probe network technology in order to filter out problems with clients' opt-in e-mail lists.
''Most marketers use data from lists that were collected during their direct mail/marketing heyday,'' said Scruggs. ''When they come to us, some marketers are not aware of how a list can be corrupted and include addresses of people who do not want to receive e-mail. Our partnership with Brightmail allows us to leverage the capabilities of an anti-spam technology leader while ensuring that our clients always engage in ethical e-mail practices.''
MessageMedia, Inc. in partnership with Peppers and Rogers Group (PRG), will launch a series of seminars beginning November 15 in Chicago. Future seminars and locations will be announced at a later date. Topics to be covered include:
Best practices in the use of e-mail information delivery, marketing and customer service
Building a customer-centric e-mail strategy Integrating e-mail into other marketing and customer relationship practices
Leveraging the full power of one-to-one communication in e-mail marketing.
Regulation and legislation concerning e-mail
The first seminar will include speakers such as Seth Godin, vice president of Yahoo! and author of ''Permission Marketing''; Martha Rogers, Ph.D., founder and partner of Peppers and Rogers Group and co-author of ''The 1to1 Field Book''; Larry Jones, president and CEO of MessageMedia; and Derek Scruggs, permission advocate.
MessageMedia, Inc.
Beth Mayfield, Director of Corporate Affairs
Tel: 303/381-7500
mailto:investor@messagemedia.com
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