The London 2012 Olympics is the summer’€™s biggest branding event. Yet the regulations governing brand association with the Games are more restrictive than you might expect -€“ particularly if you’€™re not an official sponsor. So before you dive in, share some of the lessons learned by our Alchemists.

We saw some great campaigns during the first three months of 2012, which made the selection process as tricky as ever. But the winners of each category all stood out for a number of reasons… Don’€™t forget to vote for your favourite, and submit any great emails you’€™ve received (or sent!) for consideration in upcoming instalments.

2012 is well under way and we’ve been busy spreading fresh ideas and keeping tabs on exciting new developments in email marketing. In this pick of recent web articles, we’ve highlighted news of an important step forward in email security and some new thoughts on A/B split testing.

Marketers are often heard talking about strategic planning. It’s the task all of us mean to get around to, but rarely ever do. So with the whole year stretching out before you, it’s time to ask yourself some tough questions about your goals and priorities for 2012 and formulate a strategy for the year ahead.

In your festive round-up of the smartest articles online, we learn how too much data can be dangerous. We challenge conventional wisdom about crowded inboxes, and there’s a guide to writing effective email copy.

Make your seasonal strategy sing with our tips for devising festive email campaigns.

The festive season provides marketers with a range of opportunities, both for generating revenue and for getting creative juices flowing.

From copy length on landing pages to creating an engagement index, we’ve selected the pick of articles on the web to help you work more effectively. Plus tips on the best email marketing resources online and how to get a generous discount on this season’s key conference.