Q&As

Wal-Mart is on a new path to convert all but its most dedicated customers to loyalists and has put in place a five-point plan to achieve that goal. The aggressive effort will span at least 15 years, according to the company’s CMO, and encompass aspects ranging from store layouts to organic food offerings.

Marketers have returned in full force to activate various sponsorships around National Hockey League (NHL) events, dangling sweepstakes prizes and other perks to keep loyal fans buzzing.

This may sound like heresy to some e-mail experts.
But you should give the reader a break occasionally and not force them to link through to a Web site to read an article.

Viral marketing is a terrific way to get your content distributed to an even wider audience and ultimately build your list. After all, what could be better than having your customers do your marketing for you?

Eighty-two percent of e-mail marketers say e-mail deliverability is a challenge for their organizations, and more than 30% consider it a “significant” challenge, according to a new survey from Menlo Park CA-based EmailLabs.

Amazon.com’s sales jumped from $1.90 billion in first-quarter 2005 to $2.28 during the quarter just ended. But increases in technology and content and fulfillment expenses ate into its net income, which slipped from $78 million a year ago to $51 million in first-quarter 2006.

Banta Corp.

The new Fox television series Prison Break is now serving as the centerpiece for an integrated marketing partnership that coincides with the launch of Toyota’s new Yaris liftback and sedan.

JetBlue Airways has signed on youth marketing firm Mr. Youth to handle a variety of promotional activities for the low-cost carrier to help build brand awareness among consumers.

Calling all gamers: Nintendo and AOL.com are on a mission to give one video-game playing consumer the ultimate opportunity to be the first in the world to play Nintendo’s next home console system, Revolution.