Can I use Flash in my email design?
Unless you're absolutely sure of the environment in which your emails are being opened, it's best to avoid embedding Flash (a graphic animation technology) directly in your email campaigns.
The reason is simple. Today, virtually all of the latest email clients have default configurations that prohibit running Flash or other program code within the email. This was implemented by Microsoft and other software companies to cut down on virus transmission and spam.
By default, AOL, Outlook XP/2002/2003/2007, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora, Yahoo Mail, Google Gmail and Hotmail (the most common email platforms) all strip out Flash within HTML emails.
If you want your Flash to be viewed by your subscribers, we recommend sending a static HTML and plain text email that includes a link to a Web server where the Flash can run externally.
To see examples of this method, see our Flash Examples 7, 8 and 9.