BlueStreak Launches RichMail Service

Internet advertising and e-commerce technology provider BlueStreak.com launched RichMail, an extension of its E*Banner and On-The-Fly offerings to the email marketing universe.

The application allows merchants and agencies to capitalize on rich media and transactions in their email campaigns, pushing personalized, interactive offers directly to the user’s desktop.

Recipients can evaluate offers and complete transactions directly within the email, without needing to launch a browser and click-through to a Web site.

RichMail is designed for online direct marketing agencies or merchants with in-house email marketing infrastructure, who execute email marketing campaigns and manage address lists for their clients.

RichMail uses Java microapplets that let merchants get detailed reports on how many email messages were actually opened and how the viewer interacted with the ad.

RichMail campaigns begin with content generated by an agency or an advertiser’s internal creative department, using BlueStreak.com’s E*Banner and On-The-Fly.

Advertisers can also incorporate package components, called ActionPaks, into the email ads to deliver extra capabilities such as streaming audio, e-commerce, information exchange, etc.

Using an email distribution service, merchants can target the recipients of the ads with an email message containing a snippet of HTML code. Once the recipient has opened the mail, the email calls the server and the ad loads, delivering it in real-time.

RichMail pricing varies by campaign, based on a CPM rate depending on volume; transactional RichMail typically has part of the pricing based on performance, the company said.

Separately, BlueStreak said that AT&T has chosen BlueStreak.com as a rich-media partner and will use its online advertising rich-media technology to create 12 campaigns that combine electronic commerce, interactive information exchange and online banners.

Spending was not disclosed, but the deal represents 300 million impressions served over a six-month period. BlueStreak.com will serve the banners to current AT&T Web partners sites. AT&T joins Pfizer, Onsale, Ford Motor Co. and others as BlueStreak.com customers.