Hotmail (Internet, software): A free Web-based e-mail
service now owned by Microsoft Corporation. A fine example of viral
marketing. It grew its subscriber base from zero to 12 million users in
only 18 months - faster than any other company in any industry in
history, and with a budget of only $50,000. It did so by including
"P.S. I love you. Get your free email at http://www.hotmail.com/" at the
bottom of every email sent. Later it was changed to be less endorsing by
removing "P.S. I love you." Hotmail became the largest e-mail provider countries
like Sweden and India, without any marketing there.
Today there are many Hotmail clones but it is still popular as a free
e-mail provider.