From: Things Remembered
Subject Line: First Look!
New Holiday Gifts
Date: Saturday, July 25, 2009

From: Solutions
Subject Line: Yes, Virginia, it IS Christmas in July! Shop now
Date: Saturday, July 25, 2009























Wow, that time already?! A few retailers are already getting a head-start on the Christmas email rush!

Is it too early? One one hand, you can find great deals, beat the store crowds, and not worry about rush shipping charges. On the other hand, I find it a bit hard to think about Christmas in 100 degree weather - wouldn't a Halloween message be more appropriate at this time? Share your thoughts: When do you think is the appropriate time to begin holiday messaging?

When you're ready to join the Christmas bandwagon, make sure to check out Chad White's "2009 Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season," scheduled for release in mid-August at his Retail Email Blog.

From: David's Bridal (co-brand with Shutterfly)
Subject Line: Congratulations! Our Gift to You
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

From: Disney Movie Rewards
Subject Line: Amy, Happy Birthday! 25 Bonus Points Inside
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009

From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Let Us Treat You To a Free Pastry
Date: Monday, July 20, 2009

A sure way to drive people to your website: offer an incentive!
Here are 3 emails that offered me a free gift, no strings attached!

Four reasons why giving something for free can make you money:

1. Great for Customer Loyalty
I wouldn't consider unsubscribing knowing I might have another gift coming in the future. I'll also hesitate to leave an email unread per chance I may be missing another great deal.

2. Helps to Grow Your Subscriber List
Immediately after getting my gift and seeing it wasn't a scam, I was enticed to encourage others to sign up so they can get their free gift (which I did, of course - who wouldn't want a free movie?!)

3. Provides Cross Promotion Opportunities
Along the way to getting my free gift, there is the opportunity to cross promote other products and/or get me accustomed to browsing the website.

4. Get People Hooked
Give me a sample of your product, I may just find that I can't live without it!

From: Abercrombie & Fitch
Subject Line: A&F Premium Jeans
Date: July 23, 2009
Subject Line: The best plaid to party in
Date: July 26, 2009

I've given Abercrombie & Fitch some flack for their emails in past entries, so I'm excited to see some cool stuff coming from them lately. The horizontal scroll is fun and still a fresh sight in the inbox, and the copy is fun and on-brand, too. The copy on the jeans email especially optimizes opportunities to play with the pants theme, mentioning...erm..."assets," and telling subscribers to get their "butt in stores" to check out the jeans.

From: Hollister
Subject Line: Have you heard our new tracks?
Date: July 21, 2009

Super-cool idea. Not-so-super-cool execution. The concept of creating a "lounge" on the Hollister site where Dudes and Bettys can listen to tunes is fantastic. Unfortunately, there are some glitches in the experience.

Glitch #1: When I clicked from the email, it took me to the homepage, rather than landing me in the lounge. Glitch #2: A streaming video with sound that has absolutely nothing to do with the music automatically starts playing and continues to play even when I click on one of the bands. It's chaotic. Glitch #3: I wish the album cover would pop up in the HUGE video space available on the page, rather than this dinky little pop-up window. It'd also be cool if they had a bunch of info about the band and their music influences.

On the plus side, I got to hear the entire song vs. just a snippet and they do have links to the band sites. All in all, I wish they'd dialed this experience in like they did for www.hcoridethewave.com.

From: Serena & Lily
Subject Line: See what Serena hearts...
Date: July 8, 2009

From: Serena & Lily
Subject Line: See what Lily loves...
Date: July 14, 2009





In keeping with the J.Crew email I blogged about a few weeks ago, I'm totally into this idea of hearing what the minds behind the designs are loving about their own collections. For me, it turns these emails from Serena & Lily into a mini magazine spread, like something I'd see in Cookie. They're colorful, beautiful, and short on copy. Very compelling. The Serena & Lily customer is definitely high-end and they do count a few celebrities as their biggest fans, so offering up a special deal or free shipping would feel off-brand with such an editorial-themed email, IMHO. They know who they are and they deliver that brand beautifully. I'm wondering if there aren't more brands out there that could identify a visionary in their own ranks and create a content strategy around him or her? For example, I'd love to hear from Anthropologie's creative director. I'd love to have her email me with her (or his) inspirations. What brands would you want the insider's POV on?