Does a marketing email that contains a link to a third party site need some sort of popup that tells the customer where they are being directed to? I know this is done on websites but does the same logic apply to emails? Thanks

Wow - talking about setting up your customer base for future phishing attempts. Why would you ever link a third party within an e-mail from the bank?

This is for a contest through Visa. "Click here for further info" then goes over to Visa

I will let others opine, but I am unaware of how you would ever but a speed bump into an e-mail link. With the CAN-SPAM requirements and the risk of teaching your customers to click on links in e-mails that appear to be coming from the bank - I just think it is a horrible idea.

I for one would delete such an e-mail immediately and if I thought it actually came from my bank, I would move my account.

Me too. That's why the thought of having a link that doesn't tell the customer where they are going is unsettling for me.

If this is a more than brainstorming, and you really have a good business case for handing your hard-earned customers to VISA, then make it a two-click response. Click #1 takes the interested customer to a page on the bank's website. This stand-alone page would actually function as a speed bump. After explaining the contest, the bank's role in it, and the security cautions, click #2 would transfer the customer to the beginning page on VISA's site.