While their methods might not be what works for businesses on a smaller scale the driving question behind it stays relevant; what is it our customers respond and react to, in forms of advertising, in today’s market?

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Lab Watches Web Surfers to See Which Ads Work

Like other television companies, Disney Media Networks — which includes ABC, ESPN, ABC Family and Disney XD — has long conducted intense consumer research about its programming. But now, as the Web and DVRs uproot the way people consume television, and thus rip apart the industry’s business model, the unit is adding advertiser research as a fresh focus of intense inquiry.

Disney will unveil some of the lab’s early findings, including some surprises about new forms of online ads, on Tuesday in a presentation to about 200 advertisers in New York.

It is relatively easy for Internet companies and their advertisers to measure precisely how often Web site visitors click on advertisements, and which kinds of ads draw the most clicks. But what about those who do not click, the many millions of others whose eyes merely flit across the screen? Disney and other companies say they believe that not nearly enough is known about them — what kinds of ads in which configurations are likeliest to draw them, and hold them?

Read the entire article @ NYTimes.com

Each of the topics he focuses on are all great points to remember when creating a sucessful e-mail campaign:

Get your e-mail opened: Use catchy subject line to interest readers, keep in mind this goes to customers and contacts; tailor to them and nuture that relationship.

Have Great Content: Try to stay away from always selling; send something informative that will engage and educate readers.  Stand out as an expert and be the first in the readers mind when they think about your services.  This also makes them more likely to forward your e-mail to others.

Look Professional: Keep your e-mails looking good by giving them an organized look using pictures and text together in a smart looking professional template

Proof Read: Always have your newsletters proof read by someone who wasn’t involved in the creation process so that they can take an objective look at the content and make the necessary corrections.

This is all great advice to ingest when starting to use e-mail marketing or even if you’re just trying to re-boot your current newsletters and give them a new look to reach more customers.