Since the Data Privacy regulations were introduced at the end of last year, corporates have been forced to look more closely at their eMarketing activities, in particular how they run their online campaigns. However with consumers inundated with an alarming high rate of spam, how are corporates able to differentiate their activities from the illegal ones?

Under the Electronic Communications Directive – which came into force on 11 December 2003 – companies must offer non-and prospective customers the opportunity to opt-in to receive further email marketing when their details are recorded as a result of any enquiry or promotion. Any email addresses which are collected from non-sales routes, such as prize draws and competitions, have to be re-emailed to gain permission to continue to market to them. Unless this permission is granted, it is illegal to include them in any eMarketing campaigns.

The interpretations of the regulations have sparked a debate about what is acceptable and what isn’t best practise. For example, should the tick box be filled in or left blank when new customers interact via the web with corporates. Plus there are different attitudes over how corporates should market to their existing customer base, as although the guidelines cover new customers, some marketers believe that you should re-email your entire customer database to gain their continued permission to future emails.

This collaborate session will be hosted by the DTI, giving members of Knexus Community the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges that they face within their own marketing activities in an and open and frank roundtable forum.

If you are involved in Marketing, Data Protection, Online Web Campaigns, then this is a collaborative session not to be missed. Share knowledge and ideas with your peers to find out what constitutes best business practises when eMarketing to your customers. Learn how to avoid destroying your corporate brand and customer loyalty.