Almost one tenth (9."
Retailers who increase the frequency of emails without increasing
the value to the subscriber were not likely to see increases in open
or click-through rates this season, Miller says.

About Return Path, Inc. Return Path Delivery Assurance
Solutions are the industry's original and premier e-mail
deliverability tools and services, and remain the only full-circle
solution for solving e-mail deliverability issues.S."

The survey discovered that:
* February 14th is the best time to "pop" the question.wirthlinworldwide.

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Retailers who benefited most were those recognized and
trusted by consumers, suggesting a need to build a solid email
reputation and relationship well before the holiday season begins.returnpath. SurveyDirect is a division of email performance company
Return Path, Inc. Entries must be postmarked by June 7, 2006.southernlivingcookoff. It is published by Birmingham-based
Southern Progress Corporation, a Time Inc.

Finally We See Eye-To-Eye on Something: Survey Reveals U.S. Men and Women Agree on Where to Propose Marriage and What to Eat

Men and women say that Valentine's Day (54 percent) is overwhelmingly
the most romantic holiday or special occasion to propose, followed by
Christmas (16 percent), a birthday (12 percent), New Year's (11 percent) and
Thanksgiving (2 percent).

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subsidiary.
In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95
percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling
error of plus or minus 3 percentage points and that the results for the
individual samples of men and women have a sampling error of plus or minus
4.

holidays july

"However, email overload is a real burden for many consumers, and may
significantly dilute response.1 percent) feeling the increase was just more spam and not emails
they were interested in. However, more than half reported taking some
action - 27.
"The great news is that consumers still love email and really want
to hear from retailers and other companies they do business with,"
Miller says.com

Entry forms, sponsor lists , and complete contest rules are available at
http://www.com.S.redlobster.com ),
a Reston, Virginia -based research and consultancy firm ranked 25th largest in
the world, and through an independent global network of affiliate market
research companies.

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biz

Consumers Take Action Against Too Much Mail

Extra Holiday Email Gets Varied Reviews

Consumers Report Value in Most Messages Received

Brand and Prior Relationship are Key Drivers of Holiday Time
Response

Sending Volumes Generally As Expected

Select Findings Detail and Analysis:

Email Increased Over Holidays: According to the survey results,
nearly every (98.9 percent) said that receiving excess
holiday emails makes them wary of signing up for permission programs.3 percentage points.

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The survey, conducted by email performance company Return Path
using the "Double Opt-In" SurveyDirect panel, aimed to understand
consumer perceptions and reactions to the use of email by retailers
during the holiday season.
"Since email works so well as a sales-driving tool, it's tempting
to believe that more email will automatically drive more sales during
the holiday season," says Return Path Chairman and CEO Matt Blumberg. Food experts selected by Southern Living will judge the
finalists , and winning recipes will be chosen based on originality, taste,
ease of preparation, visual appeal , and use of eligible sponsor products.com. Published 12 times a year, Southern Living
celebrates the heart of Southern life. Nearly four
out of 10 men (36 percent) and women (37 percent) think that it would be most
romantic to get engaged over a lobster dinner, compared to about a quarter of
men (25 percent) and women (22 percent) who think steak would set the most
romantic tone. Other romantic meals include pasta (14 percent), shrimp (11
percent) and chicken (4 percent).

Red Lobster operates more than 680 seafood casual dining restaurants in
the United States and Canada.

observances party

Return Path Holiday Email Consumer Survey Results: Holiday Email Works Well But Over Mailing + Unclear Permission Practices Put Some Retailers at Risk

5 over any
other selection, nearly two thirds (59. Nearly half (49. Yet, almost a third (29.
For the first time ever, the Cook-Off Grand Finale event will be held in
Charleston, S.newscom.S. Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based
research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research
to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

dozen set

8 percent) reported the
excess as "overwhelming. The
next highest contributing factors were attention-grabbing subject
lines (41 .1
percent) of consumers said they were indifferent to the excess email,
claiming no impact on their email habits (they just deleted more
email).
For more information on the Cook-Off or to download images, please visit
http://www.

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4 percent hit their ISP "this is spam" button.
"Deliverability and response are closely tied to frequency, with
the majority of respondents reporting they simply ignored the extra
emails," says Stephanie Miller, Vice President of Strategic Services
for Return Path.6
percent).com.com), the premier lifestyle and
entertaining magazine of the South and the 14th largest monthly consumer
magazine in the U.-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting
with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and
application .com ), Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan,
through newly acquired WirthlinWorldwide ( http://www .

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For more information,
please visit info@returnpath.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050118/NYFNSJ01
http://www.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030109/FLTH002LOGO-a )
A new survey commissioned by Red Lobster and conducted by Harris
Interactive(R) reveals that, by far, U. adults ages 18 and older, of whom 518 were men and 526
were women.com .

4th gardens

"

Survey Methodology

The Holiday Email Survey was conducted on December 28, 2004 using
the SurveyDirect consumer panel. More than 1,500 companies use Return
Path's services to generate superior results from their e-mail
programs, taking advantage of Return Path's pioneering innovation in
deliverability, ECOA, list hygiene, double-opt-in list acquisition and
best practices strategy.
Fifteen finalists will be selected to compete for the $100,000 Grand
Prize.
All winning recipes will be available in the January 2007 issue of
Southern Living and at http://www.
"Lobster is the most romantic of all foods," said Red Lobster President Kim
Lopdrup, who himself proposed marriage to his wife Cathy over a lobster
dinner . "There's just something about breaking open the shell and enjoying
that succulent taste and texture .
* Men, more than women, think Valentine's Day is the most romantic holiday
or special occasion to propose.S.

set thanksgiving

"
Most consumers (60.2 percent) of respondents said
the reason they opened and read particular messages this holiday
season was because it came from a company they know and trust.S .

Return Path is an e-mail performance management company dedicated
to improving the reach , delivery performance and overall success of
permission-based e-mail programs.5 million consumers and business
professionals.

Southern Living Wants Your Best Recipe

C. Finalists will prepare their recipes simultaneously for
judging at the Culinary Institute of Charleston on October 4.newscom.

observances cook

"Especially around the holidays with all the
additional clutter, some retailers may be better served by sending
fewer emails, but making each more targeted and relevant.net, or call
toll-free 866 -362-4577. Now's the time to gather your favorites and encourage your
friends to submit their own best recipes for Southern Living Cook-Off 2006,
which features a $100,000 Grand Prize.
(Photo: http://www. Figures for age, gender, geographic region, and race were weighted
where necessary to align with population proportions.

halloween suggestions

By employing
intelligent segmentation, you may end up sending more messages
overall, but targeting each to smaller lists.
Reputation and Trust Drives Response: By a factor of 1.1 percent) and prior relationship with the sender (33. The company's
investors include Sutter Hill Ventures, Mobius Venture Capital,
Flatiron Partners, and JP Morgan Partners."
There is no cost to enter the contest and no limit to the number of
recipes one may enter. All finalists will receive an
all-expense-paid trip to Charleston, S. Sharing lobster on Valentine's Day is twice
as romantic.hieurope.novatris.

birthday holiday

6 percent) consumer surveyed felt they received an
increase in email volume this holiday season, with nearly one third
(31. "We always recommend
that marketers develop a content strategy that balances promotional
emails with information of interest to your subscribers , in order to
become a trusted and welcome sender of email.9 percent of
respondents reported they welcomed the extra mail and were glad to
have heard about all the holiday special deals. So even permission-based
marketers with an opt-in list can appear spammy if they do not send
relevant and enticing messages.

About Survey Direct

Online sampling pioneer SurveyDirect serves the global market
research community with a highly responsive, diverse and fast-growing
Double Opt-In panel of more than 2. In
addition, Southern Living will donate $10,000 to the Grand Prize winner's
favorite charity., reaches nearly 16 million readers each month and enjoys
a circulation of about 2.

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"But the bottom line is that consumers define as 'spam'
anything that they don't find interesting.surveydirect.southernlivingcookoff.
Southern Living (http://www.8 million.

set christmas

"In fact, 10 percent of respondents said that the fact that they
don't get too much mail from a company encourages them to open the
message," Miller said.
Southern Living Cook-Off 2006, the largest annual cook-off in America, is
currently accepting recipes in five different categories: Your Best Recipe,
Super-Quick Family Favorites, Healthy and Good For You, Party Starters, and
Southern Desserts .
Lobster was the clear winner when it came to romantic food.

july 4th

Grand Prize Winner Will Take Home $100,000 in Fifth Annual Southern Living
Cook-Off

Entry deadline: June 7, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Chances are that you or somebody
you know has a great recipe, the kind that is always a hit at parties and
family gatherings. All entries must be original and must include at least
one Cook-Off sponsor product.

adults believe a lobster dinner is
the most romantic meal and Valentine's Day is the most romantic holiday or
special occasion for a marriage proposal.

About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive Inc.harrisinteractive.com ), the 15th
largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester,
N.

gardens bulletin

"

Key Findings:

Readers may download the full Analysis Report at
http://www.C.

Methodology
Harris Interactive(R) conducted the telephone survey on behalf of Red
Lobster between November 5 and 8, 2004 among a nationally representative
sample of 1,044 U. ( http://www.

entertaining incorporated

"Success at the holidays is inextricably linked to the success of
your email program all year long," Miller says. To become a member of the SurveyDirect Panel and be
invited to future online surveys, visit www.
"Our staff is so excited to offer two new categories this year -- Super-
Quick Family Favorites and Party Starters -- that we're sure are going to
bring in some great recipes," said Foods Editor Scott Jones. Winners will be
announced October 5 during the Grand Finale at the Gaillard Municipal
Auditorium, where finalists also will demonstrate their recipes in front of a
live audience., Men may be from Mars and women may
be from Venus , but the two sexes definitely agree on the holiday or special
occasion, and during what type of meal , is the most romantic time to propose
marriage.
Men (58 percent) are more likely than woman (49 percent) to think that
Valentine's Day is the most romantic day to ask, "Will you marry me?"
* Lobster sets the mood. For the Red Lobster nearest you, please call
1-800-LOBSTER or visit http://www.

4th super

consumers, ages 18-54.

Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital , databases and
technology to advance market leadership through U.

dozen holiday

1 percent unsubscribed to emails that came too often and
23. The survey includes responses from
723 U.Y.com ), Paris-based
Novatris ( http://www.

incorporated cook

The survey was written and analyzed by
Return Path Strategic Services and aimed to understand consumer
perceptions and reactions to the use of email by retailers during the
2004 holiday season (defined as the period between Halloween and
Christmas).

This category is a guide to resources for home entertaining and party planning for holidays, such as Halloween, Christmas , New Year, etc.

halloween thanksgiving

Business Editors/Marketing Writers

DENVER----Despite email inbox
overflow this past holiday season, nearly 75 percent of respondents to
a late December survey reported that email influenced their purchase
decisions.
Mixed Reviews on Additional Holiday Emails: 18. Each category winner receives $10,000., for the Cook-Off Finals.southernlivingcookoff. offices and wholly owned
subsidiaries: London-based HI Europe ( http://www.

holidays better

1 percent) said they just deleted the
additional emails unread. Solutions include list maintenance,
deliverability, data acquisition, online sampling , marketing
technology and e-mail strategy. "We hope
contestants will share their favorites that they might not have thought about
submitting before.southernliving. According to New Survey, Men and Women Believe That a Lobster Dinner is the
Meal and Valentine's Day is the Most Romantic Time

ORLANDO, Fla.