White Collar Spam

I mentioned the term 'White Collar Spam' in a moderator comment in today's issue of I-Copywriting. I have used the term for years now, but realize that some people are perhaps unsure of what I mean. So here's my definition:

Blue Collar Spam:

That's the stuff you get in your inbox each day, promising the enlargement of various body parts. It's the stuff that says, 'This isn't spam' - a sure sign that it is. This is the spam we all get upset about.

White Collar Spam:

These are the emails from respectable companies that practice permission marketing...to a degree. Let's say you sign up for a weekly newsletter, and double opt-in. All perfectly legitimate. You start receiving and enjoying your weekly newsletter. And then that company sends you a separate email, out of the blue. It may be an announcement, some special offer, whatever. That's White Collar Spam. That's when respectable companies sneak in extra communications that you didn't sign up for. For sure, it's tempting...but it erodes the foundations of the company's permission and undermines the reader's trust in that company. And yes, it's spam.

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