Video Emails Can Self-Destruct Article

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Video Emails Can Self-Destruct

BigString Marketer Pro, gives a video message a limited shelf life, thus imbuing it with a sense of urgency—a good way to get consumers to check out and respond to a marketing offer.

Author: Eydie Cubarrubia

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Email service provider BigString has unveiled software that allows the creation of self-destructive video messages—a boon to online marketers and privacy fiends, its chief executive said Friday.

The application, called BigString Marketer Pro, gives a video message a limited shelf life, thus imbuing it with a sense of urgency—a good way to get consumers to check out and respond to a marketing offer, CEO Darin Myman said. But average folks can use the technology too, in case they’re worried a silly drunken video made for a friend will end up on public web sites.

The idea of self-destructing messages isn’t new. BigString itself has offered the feature on text mail for two and a half years. A written message will look like it’s going up in flames after it expires.

But with the proliferation of online marketing campaigns comes pressure to distinguish one’s ad. Meanwhile, recent events have made emailers increasingly wary—creating an even broader market for BigString.

“It’s both privacy protection and a tool for big marketing campaigns,” Mr. Myman said. “We’ve created the high-pressure video—‘you have to act now’.” Besides marketers, he is targeting “people who are worried that something could end up on YouTube.”

Besides allowing content to destroy itself, BigString’s software makes it “very difficult to print or save” a photo, video, or text message, Mr. Myman said.

Privacy and Spying Concerns

Privacy issues regarding email have been much in the news lately with reports of corporate espionage scandals (see HP Denies Spying on Dell). But Mr. Myman said users of online dating services have also been relieved to place a self-destruct clock on photos or other personal media traded with potential paramours—who might use multimedia content in a negative way if a romance sours.

BigString isn’t alone. In the United Kingdom a year ago, a company called Stalleium unveiled a service called StealthText that allowed users to send phone text messages that would immediately delete themselves after being read (see Firm Creates Self-Erasing SMS).

“There is a growing need for controlling information that goes out,” said Staellium CEO Carole Barnum. “More and more of our customers were asking us to handle and manage their privacy.”

Of course, nifty video email ads might soon be cut off at the pass. As more consumers decry spam, there’s been an increase in technology to prevent it.

For example, two months ago Goodmail received $12 million in funding for its certified email service, designed specifically to shut out spammers and phishers (see Goodmail Raises $12M).

“Email is something we depend on,” said Eric Hippeau, managing partner at SoftBank Capital, which led the round. “The thought that email cannot be trusted is not a good one.”

Mr. Myman said he’s already seen great interest in the latest application for BigString’s technology.

“I can’t disclose customers’ names, but we are getting a lot of traction in the travel industry,” he said.

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Eydie writes for http://www.redherring.com

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