Jordan Cohen, senior director of industry relations at Goodmail, says that certified email is the foundation for future changes in the way consumers interact with email. "Email is poised to not be the redheaded stepchild of the market anymore," he says. "It will become elevated in importance, especially in certain groups. It will skyrocket the value of the inventory [of products being sold] and provide so much value."

Cohen says marketers will be able to take email where it should have gone years ago: to include video ads and interact with consumers via rich media. He calls email a potential hybrid direct marketing and advertising vehicle. "Email is an archaic medium. It's archaic in terms of what content publishers are able to do with it," he says. "It's 2008 and you can't see video in email. That's truly pathetic."