email campaigns?

[OneGrassRoot]

I see there are tons of services like Constant Contact and iContact for email/newsletter marketing.

Is there a reason why one couldn't use Thunderbird (since hyperlinkable images can be used there) to do an email campaign via a gmail account?

Not spamming, but emailing a large group of people currently on an email list, and inviting them to forward it, as well as subscribe to a mailing list.

I understand mass email is associated with people blocking the email or reporting it, and thus one's email addy and domain are at risk.

But for a friendly mass mailing to familiar contacts, couldn't an email campaign be done via Thunderbird (to save money), and just set up a gmail account that doesn't have a domain involved in case people report it just to be spiteful for some weird reason?

Thanks :)