The display retargeting platform being tested by a handful of brands, such as MetLife, will compete with Dotomi or FetchBack, as well as large data providers, such as Experian, according to Scott Jones, director of product marketing and partner strategy for Responsys. He calls it "relationship retargeting" because the tool identifies the moment of consumer intent to make a purchase or transact business.
"We're enabling marketing to take a data-driven approach by adding display ads, tying together email behavior with in-store activity, as well as the propensity to participate via mobile channels," Jones said. "Your behavior in any one of those channels will influence the campaign in real-time. The messaging gets modified based on that behavior."
For Responsys clients, it all starts with email marketing campaigns. For example, when a consumer opts in to receive information from a brand, the campaign might begin with a welcome email, followed by an ad message and free shipping notice for all online purchases. That string of emails might tie into mobile and social campaigns -- and now, display ads.
Search engine retargeting could come next, as the company continues to build out offerings and capitalize on intent signals, Jones said.
The platform ties in customer relationship management data, account identification numbers and stats on email accounts, such as the open frequency rate and whether the recipient forwards the email to someone else. The platform also integrates browsing activity through cookies. For display ads, cookies track the views and the clicks.
Jones cites Direct Marketing Association stats that suggest email marketing provides 42 times the return on investment, compared with other media. Open rates fell 4.8% to 22.2% in Q2 2011, and unique click-to-conversion rates rose 14.6%, sequentially and 6.2% from the prior year, according to the DMA.
Relationships between brands such as Southwest Airlines, Williams-Sonoma and United Healthcare, together with consumers, continue to move from email to social and beyond.