Monday, July 02, 2007
Tips for Avoiding Red Xs in Email
A Whitepaper from Performance Communications Group
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Two years ago, you would open an email and see an image; today you see a “Red X.” This can reduce the effectiveness of email messages and force the subscriber to take an extra step to view the image. Performance Communications Group (PCG), a Chicago-based interactive marketing agency, has developed a whitepaper that provides instructions on how email marketers can avoid the “Red X.” The whitepaper, “The Big Red "X”: Methods to Move Beyond Email Roadblocks and Improve the User Experience,” is available for download free by using the banner below.
“Email is evolving to include advanced features, such as multimedia. While these features can make email more interesting and effective, they also open the door to adware, spyware, phishing and viruses. To curtail their spread, email systems and providers have pre-empted the use of advanced email features, leaving a red X where the content was,” said Scott Madlener, executive vice president, interactive strategies at PCG. “While this is done in the name of safety, it is forcing email marketers to take a giant step backwards.”
The whitepaper offers best practices for optimizing emails without being restrained by preprogrammed email default settings. These tips include:
1. Don't rely on images or multimedia for primary messaging. Many emails include images to ensure fonts are rendered as the sender intended. Instead of text, the reader may only see a red X.
2. Manage Visual Assets. When building an HTML email with images or multimedia, combine as many objects in one to reduce the total number of Red Xs seen by a viewer with images off.
3. Trim Down Tables. Don’t use tables for large header images or media, as pre-allocated table space will be maintained causing the text to fall “below the fold.” Even though multimedia should not be in a table, set the height and width settings for the object, as scaling to 100 percent may reduce the actual size, making it too small to view in a preview window.
4. Keep the Code Simple. Complex JavaScript and CSS for formatting generally are not supported. Instead, use inline styling, multimedia or standard HTML to achieve the desired affect.
5. Don’t Hide the URL. Always present the URL to which a link will go, rather than hiding the URL behind a "click here" statement. Most email service providers change links for tracking purposes, so the replacement links will expire over time.
6. Remember Fundamentals. Make certain to include a link to "view as webpage" and "add to address book" within the copy.
7. Reduce Animation. When using multimedia, file size is of the essence. Reduce your HTML source code, optimize embedded objects and avoid attachments.
About PCG
Performance Communications Group (PCG) brings together technology, strategies and services to support a broad range of online advertising and sales efforts. PCG’s Internet Secured Application Technology (ISAT) is an evolution in online advertising that radically improves the relevance and usefulness of banners for businesses and consumers. Companies such as Whirlpool Corporation and Sysco Corporation have improved their communications and driven meaningful ROI utilizing PCG solutions and strategies. PCG is based in Chicago. Additional information can be found at http://www.epcg.net.
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Two years ago, you would open an email and see an image; today you see a “Red X.” This can reduce the effectiveness of email messages and force the subscriber to take an extra step to view the image. Performance Communications Group (PCG), a Chicago-based interactive marketing agency, has developed a whitepaper that provides instructions on how email marketers can avoid the “Red X.” The whitepaper, “The Big Red "X”: Methods to Move Beyond Email Roadblocks and Improve the User Experience,” is available for download free by using the banner below.
“Email is evolving to include advanced features, such as multimedia. While these features can make email more interesting and effective, they also open the door to adware, spyware, phishing and viruses. To curtail their spread, email systems and providers have pre-empted the use of advanced email features, leaving a red X where the content was,” said Scott Madlener, executive vice president, interactive strategies at PCG. “While this is done in the name of safety, it is forcing email marketers to take a giant step backwards.”
The whitepaper offers best practices for optimizing emails without being restrained by preprogrammed email default settings. These tips include:
1. Don't rely on images or multimedia for primary messaging. Many emails include images to ensure fonts are rendered as the sender intended. Instead of text, the reader may only see a red X.
2. Manage Visual Assets. When building an HTML email with images or multimedia, combine as many objects in one to reduce the total number of Red Xs seen by a viewer with images off.
3. Trim Down Tables. Don’t use tables for large header images or media, as pre-allocated table space will be maintained causing the text to fall “below the fold.” Even though multimedia should not be in a table, set the height and width settings for the object, as scaling to 100 percent may reduce the actual size, making it too small to view in a preview window.
4. Keep the Code Simple. Complex JavaScript and CSS for formatting generally are not supported. Instead, use inline styling, multimedia or standard HTML to achieve the desired affect.
5. Don’t Hide the URL. Always present the URL to which a link will go, rather than hiding the URL behind a "click here" statement. Most email service providers change links for tracking purposes, so the replacement links will expire over time.
6. Remember Fundamentals. Make certain to include a link to "view as webpage" and "add to address book" within the copy.
7. Reduce Animation. When using multimedia, file size is of the essence. Reduce your HTML source code, optimize embedded objects and avoid attachments.
About PCG
Performance Communications Group (PCG) brings together technology, strategies and services to support a broad range of online advertising and sales efforts. PCG’s Internet Secured Application Technology (ISAT) is an evolution in online advertising that radically improves the relevance and usefulness of banners for businesses and consumers. Companies such as Whirlpool Corporation and Sysco Corporation have improved their communications and driven meaningful ROI utilizing PCG solutions and strategies. PCG is based in Chicago. Additional information can be found at http://www.epcg.net.
Labels: email, ISAT, rich media, video
Monday, April 23, 2007
Chicago White Sox Tap Performance Communications Group for Banner Ads
For information contact:
Clarus Communications
Mara Conklin, 847.816.9411
mconklin@teamclarus.com
Linda Muskin, 847.432.7300
lmuskin@teamclarus.com
Chicago White Sox Tap Performance Communications Group for Banner Ads
CHICAGO, (April 23, 2007) – The Chicago White Sox, building off of the success of a World Series championship, consecutive 90-win seasons and more than 2.9 million fans visiting U.S. Cellular Field in 2006, has tapped Performance Communications Group (PCG) to deliver a series of banner ads aimed at further building fan excitement for the new season and maintaining high game attendance.
The banner ad campaign consists of three themes, each with several creative messages and three unit sizes, for more than 40 individual banners. All ads were rich media in format and some were video banners with exciting Sox video footage. According to Scott Madlener, executive vice president, interactive strategies at PCG, "it was important to create several different ads because the core demographic is narrowly defined, which allows us to test which banners perform best. PCG's ISAT Ad Network also is tracking the best sequence of ads."
The banners are running locally on ChicagoTribune.com, ChicagoSunTimes.com, ESPN.com and other sites.
“As more and more White Sox fans turn to the Internet for team and baseball news, we thought it was a natural next step to extend our message online through banner advertising,” said Amy Kress, White Sox director of mass communications. “Our advertising brings the White Sox brand to that rapidly growing group of fans who consume team information on the Internet.”
Creative for the ads was provided by the White Sox creative firm, Two by Four, creator of the award-winning White Sox “Grinderball Rules” advertising campaign in 2005 and 2006, along with this season’s popular “Back to the Grind” campaign in 2007.
The banner ads are powered by PCG’s patent-pending ISAT solution, which integrates multimedia, security, portability and advertisers’ eBusiness processes into one online user experience. The ISAT platform radically improves the user experience by breaking down barriers to taking action via the Internet.
ISAT guarantees the delivery of live and recorded audio, video and animation assets directly integrated with their associated content. ISAT provides a two-way conduit that supports broadcasting, allowing the administrator to send information directly to the viewer without having to wait for the viewer to request it. ISAT supports such diverse environments as standard Web sites, e-mail, and embedding within the desktop and within wireless Pocket PCs. All ISAT sites are secured with SSL encryption, even if the HTML page that they reside on is not secured. ISAT performs all these functions while using up to 80 percent less bandwidth. Importantly, ISAT sites are accessible to virtually 100 percent of all users.
###
About PCG
Performance Communications Group (PCG) brings together technology, strategies and services to support a broad range of online advertising and sales efforts. PCG’s Internet Secured Application Technology (ISAT) is an evolution in online advertising that radically improves the relevance and usefulness of banners for businesses and consumers. Companies such as Whirlpool Corporation and Sysco Corporation have improved their communications and driven meaningful ROI utilizing PCG solutions and strategies. PCG is based in Chicago. Additional information can be found at http://www.epcg.net.
Clarus Communications
Mara Conklin, 847.816.9411
mconklin@teamclarus.com
Linda Muskin, 847.432.7300
lmuskin@teamclarus.com
Chicago White Sox Tap Performance Communications Group for Banner Ads
CHICAGO, (April 23, 2007) – The Chicago White Sox, building off of the success of a World Series championship, consecutive 90-win seasons and more than 2.9 million fans visiting U.S. Cellular Field in 2006, has tapped Performance Communications Group (PCG) to deliver a series of banner ads aimed at further building fan excitement for the new season and maintaining high game attendance.
The banner ad campaign consists of three themes, each with several creative messages and three unit sizes, for more than 40 individual banners. All ads were rich media in format and some were video banners with exciting Sox video footage. According to Scott Madlener, executive vice president, interactive strategies at PCG, "it was important to create several different ads because the core demographic is narrowly defined, which allows us to test which banners perform best. PCG's ISAT Ad Network also is tracking the best sequence of ads."
The banners are running locally on ChicagoTribune.com, ChicagoSunTimes.com, ESPN.com and other sites.
“As more and more White Sox fans turn to the Internet for team and baseball news, we thought it was a natural next step to extend our message online through banner advertising,” said Amy Kress, White Sox director of mass communications. “Our advertising brings the White Sox brand to that rapidly growing group of fans who consume team information on the Internet.”
Creative for the ads was provided by the White Sox creative firm, Two by Four, creator of the award-winning White Sox “Grinderball Rules” advertising campaign in 2005 and 2006, along with this season’s popular “Back to the Grind” campaign in 2007.
The banner ads are powered by PCG’s patent-pending ISAT solution, which integrates multimedia, security, portability and advertisers’ eBusiness processes into one online user experience. The ISAT platform radically improves the user experience by breaking down barriers to taking action via the Internet.
ISAT guarantees the delivery of live and recorded audio, video and animation assets directly integrated with their associated content. ISAT provides a two-way conduit that supports broadcasting, allowing the administrator to send information directly to the viewer without having to wait for the viewer to request it. ISAT supports such diverse environments as standard Web sites, e-mail, and embedding within the desktop and within wireless Pocket PCs. All ISAT sites are secured with SSL encryption, even if the HTML page that they reside on is not secured. ISAT performs all these functions while using up to 80 percent less bandwidth. Importantly, ISAT sites are accessible to virtually 100 percent of all users.
###
About PCG
Performance Communications Group (PCG) brings together technology, strategies and services to support a broad range of online advertising and sales efforts. PCG’s Internet Secured Application Technology (ISAT) is an evolution in online advertising that radically improves the relevance and usefulness of banners for businesses and consumers. Companies such as Whirlpool Corporation and Sysco Corporation have improved their communications and driven meaningful ROI utilizing PCG solutions and strategies. PCG is based in Chicago. Additional information can be found at http://www.epcg.net.
Labels: advertising 2.0, banners, online advertising, rich media
