The debate provided an opportunity to learn about the latest media channel trends, while challenging your own perceptions and ideas about what is truly effective email marketing.








The Rex Cinema and Bar provided the ideal venue for this interesting and topical debate. Michael Nutley, Editor of New Media Age played host and chair and introduced the presenters. Ed Weatherall, Managing Director of Concep kicked off the debate and set the scene with his definition of what is art and what is science, then began to form the argument for art and creativity being at the heart of any successful campaign. Rob Walk, Managing Partner from NovaRising followed with his motion for art and set out several case studies, including the highly successful Agent Provocateur campaign. With Kate Moss in her underwear on show the audience were particularly focused on this part of the presentation.

The science debate was led by Chris Combemale, Managing Director of Emailvision UK and he gave us all the statistics and theory into what makes a successful campaign and how it is the science that drives the success. A main part of which is the importance of testing every variable of every campaign. Deborah Womack, Senior Manager from Sony Europe argued the case for science being at the heart of their campaigns and although creativity plays an important part in their campaigns it is a finely tuned science that makes it successful.

Following the presentations the floor was open to a particularly lively Q&A session. Although each speaker presented the case for a different side, it was concluded that both art and science are vital to create successful email marketing campaigns and that one would be useless without the other.

Finally a quick straw poll was taken with the audience and the scientists won by a whisker! That certainly provoked some debate in the bar afterwards.


The IAB and DMA would like to thank their gold sponsor:







And the silver sponsors for the event:




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