Historically speaking, marketers have been limited with what they could do in email. We've refined the tools we already have to develop a unique look and feel, but have still felt confined to an "In the Box" mentality. As the demand for a bigger, better email experience changes, marketers are starting to look for that next "Out of the Box" design that can help deliver on the "WOW" factor.

With broader knowledge of subscriber data, we can start to code a better email that suits the viewer's needs. For example, the ExactTarget Marketing Cloud email team analyzes the inbox data for our subscriber, and then we use coding languages like HTML5 to aid in auto-playing video, looping video, or defaulting back to a basic image if the subscriber's inbox is not supported. We've also embedded video right in the body of an email using tools like VideoEmail from LiveClicker, an app that is built solely for this purpose. When done well, tools like these can help take your email to the next level and gain that "WOW" design so hotly sought after.

A word of warning: thorough planning is a must! Be mindful of your audience, and blueprint your email's journey for subscriber experience across multiple inboxes. Also, take video length into consideration. Buffering a larger video and any unforeseen lagging could potentially hinder what you truly want to portray. Keep your video to the point and engaging for a successful experience for your subscribers.