• July 2, 2008

The Authentication & Online Trust Alliance on Tuesday announced results of the inaugural email deliverability and trust academy. The industry's first ever email competency test conducted at the end of the academy determined if attendees from brands like Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft know what it takes to conduct an email campaign that focuses on consumer protection, privacy and trust: 63% passed with a score of 85% or greater.

The academy was the culmination of the AOTA's annual summit last month in Seattle. Developed by the AOTA Steering Committee, in partnership with the Direct Marketing Association, the academy program took place in early June, and was developed to increase core competencies for email marketers.

Major topics of the academy included: Reviewing how excessive mailings and content can significantly impact a brand's reputation and value; how email marketers from legitimate companies can avoid being labeled as spammers; and why meeting consumer expectations is not only key to long-term online reputation, but is also showing dividends and competitive advantages offline.

--Gavin O'Malley