Q&As

In a marketplace full of competition, Showtime Networks is leveraging its brand offering consumers top premiums to boost subscription rates. The latest incentive from the Viacom, Inc. subsidiary is a result of a partnership with Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox …

To thank its customers and restore trust in the brand, Wendy’s will pick up the tab and treat consumer to free Junior Frostys this weekend. Starting Friday, May 13 through Sunday, May 15, consumers can receive a free Junior Frosty at their local Wendy’s …

General Growth Properties will expand its Club Noggin preschool kids program to 85 malls by August. Club Noggin takes its name from Nickelodeon Networks’ commercial-free cable network for preschoolers. Kids meet once or twice a month for 75 minutes of …

To incent consumer to try out its new mobile phone service, Napstertones, Napster will give consumers who download a ringtone a free song download through June 8. Napstertones debuted yesterday to provide ringtones, artist voice “shoutouts,” exclusive …

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP: has added a new feature to its customer loyalty program, allowing U.S. members to redeem points toward stays at more than 500,000 hotels worldwide, regardless of the brand affiliation. No blackout dates or capacity …

Lucy and Ethel may not be on hand to help out with this event, but visitors to the Beaulieu Vineyard grape stomping tour for charity will get a chance to crush some grapes and win some great prizes. The Napa Valley vintner—armed with a $500,000 …

Watchfire reaches thousands of people a day through its large LED displays. But it uses a different medium to reach sign dealers who sell its products—the e-mail newsletter.

Marketers have long relied on print publications to establish “communities of interest.” E-newsletters do this and more, by providing a unique Web-based vehicle for “layered content” that delivers precision contextual marketing.

A general newsletter is a great way to get started in the e-zine game, especially if your audience is diverse. You can use a general-interest newsletter to promote a wide variety of offerings and see what works.

Q: What’s the right number of articles for an issue of your e-mail newsletter?

A: Seven.

Only kidding. There is no magic number of articles that works for every newsletter.