Email in the new millennium promises to have as much an impact as it did in the nineties as fast-developing innovations in Java TM technology give email the media richness currently found in Web pages. Here is the second in our series that looks at the changes in email and the impact these changes are likely to have in areas ranging from marketing to personal relationships. By bringing the power of music and voice to email, marketers are gaining increased value perception, response rates and brand affinity from customers, and the user experience can be greatly improved. A Market in Flux Audio email companies are sprouting up rapidly and jockeying to position themselves in a market that is just beginning to come into focus. Audio email marketing is set to hit its stride in the year 2000.
Some observers distinguish three intersecting market spaces.
One space addresses the media-rich interactive banner advertising found on Web pages. A second space focuses on audio email that relies on plug-ins and executables. Finally, a third space addresses audio email that arrives without plug-ins, ready to go. In that space, you'll find AudioBase, a company taking advantage of the flexibility, scalability, and adaptability of Java technology to seamlessly alter the nature of email, and bring enhanced email marketing to customers. While much of the company's focus is in providing audio-enabled banner ads, Web site music and narration, and music previewing for the Web, they have also moved eagerly into the audio email space.