A01 chaf6542 06 se fm indd

permission marketing

’, a term coined 

by US commentator Seth Godin (1999) (see 

Chapter 9, p. 395).‘’

Privacy and 

Electronic 

Communications 

Regulations Act

A law intended to 

control the distribution 

of email and other online 

communications.

Opt-in

A customer proactively 

agrees or consents 

to receive further 

communications.

Permission 

marketing

Customers agree (opt 

in) to be involved in an 

organisation’s marketing 

activities, usually as a 

result of an incentive.

How far should opt-in go?

‘Companies should always use an opt 

in privacy policy for

(a)  emailing prospects and customers

(b)  monitoring website visitors using 

site analysis software

(c)  identifying customer behaviour 

using cookies.’

Debate 4.1

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Chapter 4  E‑environment

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Requires an  opt-  out option in all communications.   An 

opt-

  

out

 or method of 

‘unsubscribing’ is required so that the recipient does not receive future communica‑

tions. In a database this means that a ‘do not email’ field must be created. A ‘simple 

means of refusing’ future communications is required both when the details were 

first collected and in each subsequent communication.

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Does not apply to existing customers when marketing similar products. This 

 common‑  sense clause (22(3)(a)) states that previous opt‑in is not required if the 

contact details were obtained during the course of the sale or negotiations for the 

sale of a product or service. This is sometimes known as the ‘soft or implied opt‑in 

exception’. This clause is interpreted differently in different European countries, 

with seven countries, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Greece, Finland and Spain, 

not including it. Marketers managing campaigns across Europe need to take the 

 differences into account.

Clause 22(3)(b) adds that when marketing to existing customers the marketer 

may market ‘similar products and services only’. Case law will help in clarifying  

this.