Gary Thuerk (Email Marketing Pioneer)

Gary Thuerk is known as a pioneer of email marketing. In 1978, he sent the first mass email to about 400 users on the ARPANET, which is the precursor to the internet. This marketing email promoted a new product from his company, Digital Equipment Corporation. While it generated significant interest, it also sparked debates about the ethics of unsolicited emails. Thuerk's action marked a turning point in marketing, demonstrating the potential of email as an effective communication tool for businesses. Today, email marketing is a widely used strategy for reaching customers, thanks in part to Thuerk's early experimentation.