With email marketing generating an average of $45.06 for every dollar spent, it should come as no surprise that acquiring new email addresses and/or encouraging additional subscriptions remains a top priority for many marketers. While companies spend millions each year leveraging search, online advertising, co-registration, direct mail, advertising, telemarketing and live events in an attempt to acquire new subscriptions, few have been as creative as American Airlines.

As a subscriber to the AAdvantage eSummary email newsletter, I was recently invited to engage 100% of my travel brain to become a more savvy traveler. The invitation included an offer to participate in a series of quizzes and to learn more and hopefully subscribe to three additional promotional emails - AAirmail, Net SAAver and AAdvantage promotion. It also included 1,500 bonus miles (500 miles for each new subscription) and a chance to win a luxury vacation for two.

Intrigued, I clicked and was pleasantly surprised. The microsite included a well-thought out series of games designed to highlight the benefits of each newsletter independently while showcasing how they interrelate. Samples of each newsletter were provided, content expectations set and quiz results analyzed.

What I like so much about this effort is how its creativity draws the recipient in and encourages them to learn more about each newsletter and how it can benefit them. Seems to me American has an opportunity to take this effort one step further by encouraging users to share the quizzes with friends and family. While forward-to-a-friend is included on the follow-up subscription confirmation this effort would be well served by giving the recipient the ability to post the contest/quizzes to their social networks to further increase visibility and participation.

To test your travel brain click here.