Charles Schwab

Date: 5/15/03, 5:49 PM

From: Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. [online.service@schwab.com]

Subject: Schwab Bank mortgage offer still stands.

Schwab’s email to customers announcing its new mortgage program, featured price and performance guarantees.

• Good offer
• Simple and effective copy
• Drab brown and black color theme
• Good use of white space, but could use more graphic design and color to draw readers in.
• Ineffective subject line, “Schwab Bank mortgage offer still stands.” What does that even mean?
• Should be effective with current customers already loyal to the Schwab brand.

Grade: B-

Chase

Date: 5/15/03, 5:41 PM

From: Chase Credit Cards [chasecreditcards@chase.bfi0.com]

Subject: Requesting a credit line increase is easier
than ever!

Chase’s email fits nicely on a single screen.

Clicking through the email causes a login screen to appear. A weakness of the implementation is the URL used: after a barely noticeable redirect through www.bfi0.com , a login at www.chaseshop.com  is presented. Users knowledgeable of spoofs and fraud may avoid logging into “chaseshop.com.”

Analysis

• Effective offer
• Excellent graphics and layout
• Confusing “from” line: Chase continues to send emails under the URL of its email service provider, Bigfoot Interactive chasecreditcards@chase.bfi0.com . Although, it does a good job disguising the vendor address as much as possible, in these spam-and-fraud sensitive times, Chase needs to send emails from its own URL. 

Grade: B

DeepGreen Bank

Date: 5/15/03, 1:22 PM

From: DeepGreen Bank Security Security@DeepGreenBank.com

Subject: Account Security Tips

A great overview of high-level security issues from DeepGreen Bank.

Analysis

• Plain language, good copy writing and layout
• Great content
• Good from address: Security@DeepGreenBank.com

Grade: A

Expedia

Date: 5/14/03, 8:59 PM

From: Expedia.com [usmail@customermail.expedia.com]

Subject: Your special VIP benefits

Expedia’s email to select customers announcing a new program with VIP email and telephone number.

Analysis

• Sometimes less is more: A nice, simple letter from the CEO can be a relief from the busy HTML spam bombard.
• HTML was used to make the message appear more like a snail-mail letter, making it easier to read and more recognizable with the Expedia logo.
• VIP programs are great marketing tools, just ask American Express; Expedia’s approach is well-suited for financial services companies.
• Our only complaint is the VIP service is not carried through to the website. When I log into my account it still shows the regular contact numbers – not very convenient to have to refer back to this email for the info.                    

Grade: A