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Date Archive: March 2009
March 31, 2009
From:Toys "R" Us
Subject Line: Product Recall: Infantino, Lil Chef Set
Date: Monday, March 16, 2009
Since signing up for Toys "R" Us emails a few weeks ago, I've received four different messages like this one, telling me that the store records show I've purchased something that's been recalled. Funny, because I can't remember the last time I purchased something from Toys "R" Us, and certainly none of these products. I don't really know what's going on here. On the one hand, it's great that Toys "R" Us is using email to spread the word about product recalls (and the emails look pretty good!). On the other hand, though, their records are not tidy. If they aren't sure whether or not I've purchased the product mentioned and are just playing it safe, then they should say so. I can imagine a busy parent being unable to remember whether or not they purchased the mentioned product, which could cause unnecessary concern. Getting so many recall notices is not only annoying, but it could harm the subscribers' trust in the store.
From: Victoria's Secret
Subject Line: One Day Only! 20% Off Your Order of $50+
Date: March 31, 2009
From the subject line to the preheader to the focused design and copy, I just love this email. Maybe it's because my apartment is cluttered with moving boxes that I am craving the clean and simple, but right now, I'm really appreciating the retailers who are sticking to a main story and doing it right. Thanks for the email, VS. I'll be shopping.
March 26, 2009
From: Coach
Subject Line: shine with new metallic op art.
Date: Friday, March 20, 2009
As a vertical preview pane user, I was struck by the positive user experience I had viewing Coach's "op art" email in my preview pane. I was inspired to consider that -- while not currently in vogue -- vertical navigation might make more sense these days. With more folks viewing their mails on smaller screens -- whether they're preview panes, minimized browser windows or mobile devices -- right-aligned horizontal navigation items can easily go unseen without scrolling.
Perhaps it's time to give the vertical navigation another whirl! Have any of y'all done any vertical vs. horizontal navigation testing lately?
March 25, 2009
From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Celebrate the Seattle spring with cool jazz and hot coffee
Date: Friday, March 20, 2009
This year, folks have been talking quite a bit about geo-targeting and local messaging -- namely, doing more of it. Amidst that conversation appears Starbucks' "local happenings" mail, pictured here. They do three things that impress me:
(1) I received it on a Friday, which makes sense for a fun, event-focused message.
(2) They include events happening outside of Starbucks retail locations, which shows an interest in the community beyond the brick-and-mortar store walls.
(3) For those of us who live in Seattle, the subject line is meaningful. After months of rain, Spring is an incredibly special time in the emerald city.
Have you done or seen any interesting geo-targeted local messaging?
March 23, 2009
From: Crate & Barrel
Subject Line: Now manage your Gift Registry with fun, new Visual Cart
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
I find Crate & Barrel very inspiring when it comes to new design ideas and features. I have to give them props on this new feature they have added to their website. In a nutshell, when you add items to your cart, they appear in a row at the bottom of the browser at all times as you continue to browse the website.
I do, however, have to say that I didn't love the email announcing this feature. I felt it was too text heavy and that that the images weren't the best representation of where the feature will appear in the browser. I had to go to the website and try adding something to my cart in order to understand the process (which maybe isn't terrible because they got a "click", but I doubt every user would take the same initiative).
I would suggest keeping the copy short and simple: one paragraph. I would also show one image of the entire browser window with a "zoom-in" box on the new feature.
From: Banana Republic
Subject Line: Spring sale! Save up to 50% off!
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009
This is a great example of design flow in an email - the "s-curve" drew my eyes all the way to the bottom. Wonderfully designed, especially with the (sometimes challenging) combination of both silo/outline images and environment shots. Great job Banana Republic!
From: Bose
Subject: Enjoy your tax refund with Bose sound
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008
Around this time last year I signed up to hear from Bose. They would email me about twice a month, they had a surprisingly dated look for an electronics company, but it was never anything to write home about... until now.
Today I received this email:
From: Bose
Subject: Select offers end March 31, 2009
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009
I have to admit, it was nothing other than sexy! (I realize this puts my inner email geekiness on display). They are using their product imagery in a really avant garde way. The tight crop on that speaker thing makes for a great background texture for their headline. And I'm a sucker for the cyan/gray/white combo.
Their product grid sits nicely in the white boxes, and they get quite a bit of product information in there without it feeling too crowded. I'm even into the changes they've made to their preheader!
There are a couple spots where they could be using html text instead of graphic text, like the headline and on their buttons. (Especially since their buttons are using an html font anyway).
Recent stats are showing that effective email marketing is more important than ever.* So why not spend some time really evaluating the creative aspect of your program and give it a face lift? It's our duty to make the world a better looking place, especially the inbox :)
* Why Email Matters More Than Ever by Jeanne Jennings, ClickZ
March 20, 2009
From: Urban Outfitters
Subject Line:Show Off, Shirt Up & See You In Austin!
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009
With all the buzz about social media in emails and offering more to customers, props to this simple and direct Urban Outfitter's email. The UO AU messaging provides a link to their blog page, which offers some really cool services, such as interviews, music, and twitter communication. The fun doesn't stop there: in the "Profile" section CTA, the subscriber is taken to Jennifer Herrema's photos and article, which looks more like a magazine page than a landing page. Cool idea!
This balanced shopping and social content messaging reinforces the relationship between brand and subscribers. This email makes subscribers feel like UO has more to offer their lives, and is well worth staying tuned for more.
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: CHRISTOPHER BAILEY and ED WESTWICK - Burberry Blow-Out Babble!
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ed Westwick is fabulous!
March 17, 2009
From: Neiman Marcus
Subject Line: It's your lucky day: There's still time to SAVE!
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2009
From: ModCloth.com
Subject Line: We've got a pot of GOLD at the end of the rainbow!
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
From: fredflare.com
Subject Line: you're in luck... 30% OFF EVERYTHING!!
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
From: Horchow
Subject Line: ONLY HOURS LEFT: 10% OFF ENTIRE SITE + FREE SHIPPING...
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
From: Lands' End
Subject Line: Lucky day - and last day! A St. Patrick's surprise
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
From: Anthropologie
Subject Line: Bottoms Up: Short Styles
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Maybe it's just me... but I can't remember seeing Emails going for the St. Patrick's Day angle in years past. Is it a sign of the economy that we'll take anything we can get? Horchow and flredflare.com actually both sent me 2 emails today with almost the exact same design - just different Subject Lines. Neiman's email actually came last week - maybe with the idea that the break in time won't seem overly cheesy (not that there's anything wrong with cheese). And for the record, Anthropologie's email actually is very subtle: it doesn't directly mention St. Patrick's day, luck, or Shamrocks... just "Bottoms Up..." in the Subject Line and features a very cute pair of green shorts. I might be tempted to buy them if my legs weren't so Irish white!! :)
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Good for You!
Date: Friday, March 13, 2009
I recently started a new email account, and this Barneys New York email is my favorite welcome message so far. The copy congratulates me on signing up and thereby joining the "email cognoscenti," the message is branded to set expectations for future Barneys emails, and the messaging is simple, direct and draws me back into shopping. My favorite part is their humorous approach - their fashionable but still roller-wearing model looks both sassy and beautiful. The playful copy beneath the CTA "Leave your rollers in - we don't care!" ties it all together: the funny photo and the benefits of being part of the email program (high-fashion shopping prior to primping :)
March 16, 2009
From: Kate Spade
Subject Line: decorate! with accessories for enchanted evenings
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
From: Gucci
Subject Line: gucci – spring summer 2009 women’s shoes
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
From: shopbop.com
Subject Line: How to Wear GOLD: Day + Night Looks Featuring Elizabeth and James + Larsen Gray
Date: Friday, January 23, 2009
From: CUSP
Subject Line: Get carried away in the latest Spring styles + Free Online Shipping
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009
Ever since way back when I have been obsessed the use of gold and silver in my personal artwork and one of the first things I looked into when I started going digital was how to do the metallic effect thing. Back in the day, I used to hand-make my Holiday Cards and I can assure you, they were anything but simple (or inexpensive to make for that matter). We're talking 1995 here. I essentially would do a collage of various wrapping papers, store-bought holiday cards that I cut up and then put them on nice card stock - then spent hours on each card making the argyle borders with pencil and ruler, and then filling the argyle pattern in with metallic markers (I'm pretty sure I went through a dozen each of the silver and gold - not to mention how dizzy I would get from the fumes). Oh yeah... then I would laminate them (4 panels and folded up, accordion-style). I'm sure I did it the hard way... Adobe Photoshop was invented, but it was version 3.0 - no CS.
In any event, now I see that to do the gold effect it is as simple as having a photo image with some gold in it + text and/or borders with a mustard-y color. :) And I'll probably always have a fondness for All That Glitters...
From: The Ritz-Carlton
Subject Line: The Ritz-Carlton Provides a Romantic Western Getaway
Date:Wednesday, February 11, 2009
This caught my eye for a number of reasons. A few (ahem!) years ago, in my life before Email Marketing, I used to work for The Ritz-Carlton (to this day I still say "my pleasure" in place of "you're welcome"). Naturally, I have been on the lookout for Email campaigns from The Ritz (and having high expectations for them!). This is the first one that I have personally received from them. I really like the main visual, which particularly stands out to me, because I just learned from my husband (whose latest hobby is making short films) that the term for this type of camera shot is called Forced Perspective. Aside from the wonderful hero image however, I think The Ritz has room for improvement (or an opportunity, as they would call it) for the overall layout. I know the R-C is very conservative, but the header logo area is just boring, the subject line is uninspired and the banners need a complete makeover IMHO. :)
From: Bloomingdale's
Subject Line: Spring Trunk Show: Meet The New Designers We Love!
Date: Monday, February 9, 2009
From: Saks Fifth Avenue
Subject Line: Celebrity Style A-List
Date: Friday, February 13, 2009
From: Bergdorf Goodman
Subject Line: Front Row Report: Fresh from Milan
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
I wonder if Bloomie's, Saks and BG all use the same Email Design team? They are all high-end retailers after all... or maybe they just check out each other's email campaigns and "borrow" looks from one another. I have to give Bloomie's credit for being first that I've noticed (and they also used this look over the holidays for a snail-mail flyer). Notice how Saks and Bloomingdale's both incorporate the look of handwriting on the Polaroids too. Personally, I like it! :)
From: Sephora
Subject Line: Do It Yourself - and save!
Date: March 3, 2009
Just like a lot of folks out there, I'm making calculated choices about where I spend my cash these days. So how can marketers reach a gal like me who's holding tight to her credit card? Give me a reason to spend money so that I save money. Case in point, this super fun email from Sephora. I scrolled the whole way down and purchased a couple of things off this DIY list. They even highlight the salon price for each service and compare it to the Sephora DIY price. Very clever, very timely, very creative. IMHO, this is the perfect example of how marketing to the masses via recession-minded tactics can come off smart, not sneaky.
March 11, 2009
From:Lisa Harmon
Subject Line: What!? Who said email isn't sexy!?
Date: March 11, 2009
Looks like we've hit the big time, kids! Special thanks to Mike Smayo of Thrillist for forwarding along this BusinessWeek article about the efficacy of email newsletters in a down economy. It's true; the rest of the marketing and business worlds are finally "getting it!" ...Although I'd call email marketing nothing but glamorous ;)...
March 10, 2009
From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: New Starbucks VIA˙ Ready Brew - We Found A Way!
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
They did send a product announcement several weeks before the official retail store launch to help build anticipation and educate consumers. In a break with Starbucks email tradition, the message had a clear call-to-action, taking recipients to a rich landing page experience where the product is described in more detail. Even more exciting (from my perspective as an email nerd!), and something else new for Starbucks emails, they included secondary messaging with a link to purchase directly from their online store. Go Starbucks!
It looks like Starbucks is conducting some segmentation in their email program now - I received the message, but Lisa did not. That leaves me wondering if it's because I'm the one who spends more money at my local Starbucks, or if the folks at Starbucks top-secret R&D labs were able to determine Lisa wouldn't need an email to help compel her to try VIA :)
From: Nordstrom
Subject Line: 9-to-5 Looks at Nice Prices
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2009
From: Nordstrom
Subject Line: Just In: Fresh, Affordable Dresses
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009
With the economic downturn raising stress levels throughout society, it's interesting to see how retailers are marketing to a belt-tightening subscriber base. The last couple emails I've received from Nordstrom have come with subject lines touting affordable prices.
Nordstrom is traditionally a high-end brand, selling sophisticated fashion to the consumers that can afford it. While they're famous for stellar sales, their regular messaging is not about price--it's about high-end style.
With the landscape changing for marketers, I wonder if the introduction of "affordability" messaging in Nordstrom's full-price email campaigns signifies an attempt to shift their brand perception slightly, to be thought of not only as the place to find the best service and best fashion pieces available, but also a destination for high style with low prices. I also wonder whether their price tags will be able to match their messaging, especially as subscribers change their ideas of what "affordable" means.
From: Smith-Harmon
Subject Line: Smith-Harmon Releases Retail Welcome Email Benchmark Study
Date: March 10, 2009
The 3rd Annual Study Covers Trends and Best Practices for Creating an Impactful and Engaging Welcome Email
SEATTLE, March 10, 2009 — Smith-Harmon, Inc., an email marketing strategy and creative services agency, today announced the release of the Retail Welcome Email Benchmark Study. Looking at welcome email trends and best practices among the nation’s top online retailers, the study also includes advice and insights from Responsys, which partnered with Smith-Harmon on this study
“The welcome email is probably the single greatest opportunity that email marketers have to engage subscribers and drive action,” says Lisa Harmon, co-founder and principal at Smith-Harmon. “Welcome messages generate superior open rates and, done well, create a halo effect that boosts subscribers’ engagement with subsequent promotional and trigger emails.”
Given the golden opportunity that welcome emails present marketers, it’s unfortunate that so many still let the moment pass—or bungle the interaction with uninspired messaging. After examining the welcome email practices of 112 of the largest online retailers, Smith-Harmon found that only 76% of them sent out welcome emails. While that’s up from 72% in 2007 and 66% in 2006, it’s disheartening that more companies aren’t seizing this key marketing moment.
“The very first step in any email program is to acquire names to send your message to, but often in that process, we fail to set solid expectations on what the subscriber has really just agreed to receive,” says Stefan Pollard, senior strategic consultant with email service provider Responsys, which partnered with us on this study. “This gap is where the welcome email shines in its importance to start that new relationship with a wealth of information that the sign-up process may not have had time to communicate. More than simply confirming that an action has been taken, the welcome email is the first chance you have to engage your new subscriber and provide immediate value from your email program.”
We found plenty of opportunity for improvement, as some retailers didn’t make the strongest first impressions. For instance, 23% of retailers took more than 24 hours to deliver their welcome emails, greatly diminishing their effectiveness.
Others didn’t take advantage of their welcome emails to set expectations and drive engagement and sales. For example, only 76% explained the benefits of being a subscriber and only 87% included a link to their homepage.
Many retailers also failed to use their welcome email for progressive profiling, asking subscribers for more information about themselves and their interests to boost the relevancy of future emails. Only 24% of retailers did this, down from 28% in 2006.
"Creating welcome series rather than a having a single welcome email is also a growing trend," says Aaron Smith, co-founder and principal at Smith-Harmon. “Our award-winning work on REI’s year-long welcome series for new co-op members proves that these can be very effective at driving long-term engagement.” At least 9% of retailers are currently using welcome series of two or more emails.
Other key findings from the study include:
- Text-only welcome emails are becoming increasingly antiquated. More than 89% of retailers sent HTML welcome emails, up from 78% in 2007 and 69% in 2006.
- The role that welcome emails can play in ensuring future deliverability of emails is growing. More than 68% of retailers used welcome emails to ask new subscribers to add the sender to their address book, up from about 62% in 2007 and 49% in 2006.
- The number of top online retailers making their emails CAN-SPAM compliant rose significantly. Nearly 71% included both an unsubscribe link and their mailing address, up from 58% in 2007 and 52% in 2006.
- While 15% of welcome emails include a forward-to-a-friend link, none of those studied included a share-with-your-network (SWYN) link. We expect many marketers to adopt SWYN this year, including adding it to their welcome emails.
Download the Retail Welcome Email Benchmark Study >
March 3, 2009
From: Lisa Harmon
Subject Line: Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009
If you didn't stop at Starbucks yet this morning, you may not have seen the window and in-store promotions for the new VIA™ Ready Brew. First of all, I can say that I've tried it and it's actually drinkable, and particularly useful in those moments when (a) you're up either earlier or later than your barista or (b) you've somehow magically found yourself in a place where there is no Starbucks within walking distance. Does that happen!? Anyway, consumer confidence being where it is, seems to me that Howard has made a super-smart move with VIA™. Go, Howard!
Only...where is the email announcement, Starbucks!? An email would have been the perfect marketing channel by which to announce the VIA launch, driving folks to the homepage - not to mention the stores - to check out the new single-serve "microground coffee" first-hand. Maybe we'll get one later today... I'll be checking ;)!
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