The more the marketing game evolves, the more evident it becomes that integration is the key to remaining competitive and profitable. It all makes sense when you think about it because the power of multiple channels is much greater than a single medium. While many of us think trendy when it comes to our internet marketing strategy, we often forget that there are viable traditional channels right under our noses. We don’t hear a lot about combining TV ads and opt-in emails, but I recently encountered a story that reveals how much potential this combination has.

New York-based cable TV provider Cablevision just launched a new tool its advertising partners are sure to embrace. The feature known as Optimum Select RFI with Email Fulfillment (an update to the Optimum Select interactive TV marketing system the company launched back in 2009) gives marketers the opportunity to increase email subscriptions through their paid television advertisements. Viewers who want to opt-in can do so in a few clicks of the remote control. From there they can sign up to receive product information, special offers, coupons and other content via email.

A Little Something for Both Parties

Cablevision appears to be onto something with its interactive TV marketing platform, something that works in favor of both marketer and consumer. The marketer gets to tap into the cable giant’s audience of more 3 million interactive TV subscribers; the consumer gets to interact with relevant marketing content and enjoy a richer television experience – all without interrupting their programming, mind you.

According to Cablevision, the initial run with Optimum Select RFI with Email Fulfillment has been an overwhelming success. The first campaign, which aimed to drive sales for Voyage Travel Rewards and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line promotions, reportedly generated 3,000 unique email leads in just two weeks. Additionally, the company garnered an impressive offer redemption rate of 24 percent. In comparison to conventional email marketing campaigns, this is even more than the industry average.

A New Trend in Marketing?

From the looks of it, Cablevision has concocted a marketing trend its competitors are almost certain to follow. Premium television seems to get more interactive by the day, so it would not be surprising to see others in the cable TV arena jump on the bandwagon. Whether or not this trend will catch on with the email marketing community as a whole is up for debate. While the ICE Enterprise was a success, it would be interesting to see the numbers on campaigns geared to reach a smaller, more targeted audience. With that said, Cablevision claims that the Optimum Select platform has a track record of success with its regional and local advertising partners, hinting that this type of marketing could very well prove highly effective for the right brand.