Marketers who think they should be focusing on RSS and blogs at the expense of e-mail should think again, according to a study by online marketing services provider Bluestreak.

While gift marketer RedEnvelope Inc. saw a jump in its second quarter revenue, from $13.1 million in fiscal second quarter 2006 a year ago to $15.5 million in fiscal second quarter 2007, its net loss deepened as well.

Collectibles firm The Lenox Group saw its third-quarter revenue rise, spurred largely by two additional months of revenue from its September 2005 Lenox Acquisition, and the purchase of Willitts Designs in March of this year.

(Multichannel Merchant) Forrester Research says that holiday shoppers are pessimistic this year. But BDO Seidman says that chief marketing officers at leading retailers are quite optimistic about the season.

ProspectData Research LLC, Annapolis, MD, has launched and is offering the direct marketing community the ability to conduct customized consumer-controlled surveys or permission-based messages.

The Incentive Show is re-emerging in new formats. VNU is converting the event, which closed its doors after 71 years last month, into a virtual trade show. And Selling Communications, Inc. and Motivation Media are organizing their own trade show for the New York market.

Volkswagen has moved beyond flower power. It is out with a fresh incentive to drive sales among young people, a tricked-out guitar that can be played through the vehicle's audio system.

Banking giant Citi has put a pair of oddballs in charge of pitching points in Citi's first-ever ad campaign for its systemwide "Thank You" loyalty program.

Quiznos is launching a new gift card program that adds another layer to gift-giving options and corporate incentives.

Travelocity is on the hunt for its gnome mascot, and as part of a quirky new marketing campaign is asking the public for help finding him.