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Category Archive: Holiday Messaging
December 21, 2009
From: Mitch Stewart, BarakObama.com
Subject Line: A holiday video for Van
Date: Thursday, December 17, 2009
I have to give it up - Obama's stellar team of campaigners continues to impress. There has been a proliferation of personalized videos in the past few months such as Gap's Cheer Factory to Land's End's Big Boston Warm-up. Last Thursday, Obama sent me a holiday card and I LOVE IT.
These videos take personalization to a new level, placing dynamic content such as a name in different parts of video clips. This effect has such a great impact. I've gotten used to seeing my name in the email salutations, but not in a streaming video. Who doesn't like seeing their name on a card signed by the President?
Great job, Obama team!
December 17, 2009
From: Harry & David
Subject Lines: 1.) FREE as FREE Can Be: Christmas Delivery for ALL Gifts + Bonus Offer Inside!
2.) JOHANNA, We'll give you FREE Christmas Delivery + 20% OFF Fruit-of-the-Month Club gifts!
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
 
The urgency of 'hurry' is cluttering up my inbox these days. Everyone is fighting for my attention, even emails from my own mother are getting lost in the shuffle. Some retailers are getting a little aggressive in the inbox and I'm not sure if I'm a fan or not...but I'm more likely to look at the messages they are sending me. In the case of Harry & David, I'm actually purchasing thanks to the repetitive messaging. Harry & David always has beautiful emails, simply based on photography of fruits and chocolates. My mouth might be watering just a little thinking 'bout their pears. Recently though, Harry & David's urgency -- HURRY, FREE, JOHANNA! -- is overwhelming my inbox more than most other retailers. In one given day I received four different emails from Harry & David with all messages in caps.
At first the urgency is slightly annoying, but then the shopper in me takes over and I can't miss out on this big savings taking place TODAY ONLY! Also, they have "Blitzen Deals" that last 24 hours on specific products. I flipped through the messages, visited the website, and even purchased a few items for friends as holiday gifts. So, even though I'm annoyed, you win Harry & David. You're like a nagging friend reminding me to do something good for others. THANKS!
From: Brookstone
Subject Lines:
1) FREE Sitewide shipping with $95 minimum purchase
2) Hurry, only 4 hours left for FREE Sitewide Shipping at $90!
3) Deal of the Day: $20 OFF our Men's Fleece Heated Vest plus Sitewide FREE SHIPPING!
4) Discover this year's hottest holiday gifts plus FREE Sitewide Shipping!
Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Brookstone has stepped into one of the most common holiday traps: over-sending.
I have received up to four emails in one day from Brookstone, and an average of more than one email per day overall. While a small handful of people may enjoy getting blasted by that many emails, I think you're more likely to lose subscribers by over-sending.
Make sure if you're sending more than one email a day that the messages differ enough to make it worthwhile. On 12/15 I received two postcard-style emails, a deal of the day AND a general product collage email. The two postcard emails were essentially the same: Free Shipping on orders over $95, and the other, Free Shipping on orders over $90 - baffling. The other two emails mentioned the free shipping offer again in a top banner. Were four emails really needed for the free shipping promo? I doubt it.
If you're not sure how many emails to send, I would suggest creating a "my account" option where the subscriber can login and choose the amount (and type) of emails they would like to receive. If you already have an option like this on your website, make sure to include a link in each email to "change my email preferences." If that's too much work (on you or your subscribers), place a survey at the bottom of each email with a simple one-click answer. EXAMPLE: How many emails would you like to receive from us?[ ] More than two per week [ ] Two per week [ ] One per week [ ] Bi-weekly [ ] One per month
If you give the customer a chance to control how many emails they receive, you'll be more likely to retain your subscribers by giving them a program that fits their personal needs.
From: Email Experience Council
Subject Line: Happy Holidays From the eec & Smith-Harmon - 2 Gifts Inside
Date: Thursday, December 17, 2009
I try not to get high on my own supply, but check out this
AWESOME horizontally-scrolling, animated email the team here at Smith-Harmon created in partnership with the Email Experience Council! Shoutout to Ali Swerdlow of the EEC, and to S-H team members Sara Zin and Raleigh Briggs for bringing holiday inspiration to the inbox!
Speaking on which, get inspired about email in the new year! Sign up for the EEC 2010 Email Evolution Conference >
Get $200 off when you use the code HOLI by December 31. I'll see you there!
From: Fresh Pair
Subject Line: The 12 Thongs of Christmas + Shop Our Biggest Sale of the Year
Date: Friday, December 9, 2009
I want to thank the Smith-Harmon team for building a great blog and allowing us to contribute. It's an honor.
I don't know about you, but I have a ton of emails pouring into my inbox right about now and it takes a lot to get me to open them. The subject line of this particular email made me smile, but more importantly, it got me to open it. 12 thongs of Christmas is a funny theme and it definitely made me want to find out more - isn't that the perfect formula for a winning subject line? 80 percent of respondents decide whether to click the "Report Spam" or "Junk" button without opening the actual message, while 69% base their decision on the subject line. (Source: A survey conducted by the ESPC and Ipsos).
Once I opened the email, the theme and the copy "Getting a little cheeky for the holidays" made me laugh. I'll admit the ornaments in the wreath are racy - and the landing page made me blush - but my level of engagement was up. I would have posted this to my Facebook page, had Freshpair included a SWYN (Share With Your Network) option next to their other social options in the email. I really wanted to talk about this email, so I forwarded it to three friends instead.
Another feature that I really like about this email is how Freshpair created a sense of shopping urgency, and then anticipated my questions about shipping dates for getting my order processed in time for Christmas. Contact information for their Customer Care Specialists is also very easy to find.
I'm looking forward to the next Freshpair email. :)
December 15, 2009
From: Staples Subject Line: Check out our new look! Date: Monday, December 14, 2009 I just can't decide if the timing on this email was a hit or a miss. On the one hand, it offers a break from all the holiday madness hitting my inbox. And since Staples isn't exactly where I do my gift shopping, maybe it was smart to offer a breath of fresh air that doesn't scream HOLIDAY. On the other hand, by sending this email during peak holiday times they run the risk of people overlooking it completely as they search for FREE SHIPPING, SAVE, SALE, etc. etc. Starting out the new year with a new look would have made so much sense. Especially as people get back to the office and realize they need more post-its, pens, folders and what not. Stepping back from the timing debate, I think the design and copy of this email are stellar. I love the simplicity and easy-to-see callouts that point to the new features. Best of all, when you click on the Visit Staples.com button, you're taken to the homepage where the first story you see supports the new look messaging. I heart follow-through.
December 14, 2009
From: Mileage Plus
Subject Line: Happy Holidays from Mileage Plus
Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009
Always glad to see a holiday greeting, and always happy to find fun animated GIFs in the inbox like this one from United:
Look mummy, there's an airplane up in the sky > (Cue Pink Floyd Laser Light Show)
December 11, 2009
From: Chase
Subject Line: Your Communities. Your Vote. Our $5 Million.
Date: Friday, December 11, 2009
As we're all rushing to buy and wrap presents, decorate our homes and offices, snap that all-important family picture and figure out what to do with Great-Aunt Esther's annual fruitcake [insert your choice of atrocious holiday tradition], I'm reminded to take a breath and appreciate the small things that bring us holiday cheer. I was jolted back into a true appreciation of the season with an email forward from a coworker on a viral email that was making the rounds. Many of you have already seen this email or read about it on the blogosphere, but if you haven't - I urge you take a look at video.warmup.com.
I was reminded of this effective strategy today. My bank teller at Chase wished me a happy holiday, but instead of her usual reminder of other Chase products and services, she asked me if I supported any local charities and if so, to check out Chase's effort on Facebook to give away $5 million dollars this year to customers' favorite charities. When I signed into my bank account, I saw the following banner ad. Chase has set up an ingenious effort to generate "fans" and spread this goodwill and holiday cheer by asking users to "vote" for their favorite local charity and put them in the running for a $25,000 grant. I voted for my favorite local organizations as well as spread the word throughout my network by posting my "vote" on my wall.
I was grateful for Chase's effort to help me slow down and think about these other acts of giving. I won't ever receive the much-needed gift of time from an email or an online marketing campaign, but they can cement my brand loyalty and loosen my purse strings. Now, if only a company could figure out how to email me idiot-proof instructions to assemble my kids' dollhouse ...
December 4, 2009
From: Williams-Sonoma Subject Line: 1 Day Only: 50% Off Ebelskiver Filled Pancake Pan Online & In StoresDate: Friday, December 4, 2009 I always thought this was a Mae West quote, but The Googles informs me that it was actually attributed Oscar Wilde. But that's besides the point... :) During the holiday season I get such a ridiculous amount of Emails, that it really takes something special for me to take notice. This one from Williams-Sonoma totally did it for me. I was completely drawn in by the scrumptious looking hero image featuring those little chocolate-filled pancakes drowning in caramel sauce (I think I'm gaining weight just looking at the picture!). Also, the marketing aspect is completely spot-on with the 1-Day Deal 50% Off - I'm excited to see if there will be more 1-Day Deals. In any event, I totally feel the sense of urgency... must get now! And I'm not the only one: two fellow Smith-Harmon bloggers (who will rename nameless) are planning to stop by their nearest Williams-Sonoma after work today to buy said Ebelskiver pan.
November 25, 2009
From: Teva
Subject Line: Mush-The Perfect Stocking Stuffer
Date: Monday, November 23, 2009
I am a big fan of Teva shoes; they're comfortable and very durable. Their email, however, leaves me a little confused. After reading the subject line, I agree, Mush sandals are a great idea for a stocking stuffer. However, after opening the email, I'm not reminded of the holidays - I'm whisked away to a tropical vacation. I like the email copy and design, but I find the subject line and primary message disconnected. I think the timing of this email would have made more sense to me if there were some copy about tossing them into my suitcase for a holiday beach getaway. Without it, I feel stranded.
This email would've made more sense to me if I read something like this -
If a tropical paradise is calling your name this holiday, pack a pair of Mush sandals. See new colors and styles of Mush at Teva.com.
November 11, 2009
From: Anthropologie
Subject Line:Our niftiest gifts & cleverest contraptions.
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
There's no lack of love for Anthropologie on this blog, but this gift guide in particular is really nicely done. I love the dimension created by the combination of art and photography and the way each tumbles over the other. Everything about the design of the email is fresh and, indeed, marvelous. I love how they've redesigned the little Twitter and Facebook icons at the bottom so they fit with the look of the email.
Another thing I appreciate about this is that it avoids Christmas clichés that, come November, seem to multiply like fruit flies in my inbox. After so many "Tis the Season" and "Holiday Cheer" emails, it is refreshing to open a beautifully designed email that takes a different approach. There's nothing wrong with seasonal advertising, but isn't it nice to see an ad that imagines a world where you give gifts just because you want to?
November 4, 2009
From: fredflare.com
Subject Line: 30% OFF + a dancing kitten
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Check out this very cute and savvy Holiday Preview from Fred Flare. Do you want to see that dancing kitten? Yes! A million times yes!
I am always impressed by the way Fred Flare keeps things sweet and positive while maintaining a cheeky irreverence. Their emails are never short on delight, and this one is no exception. Here, they present a funny twist on the "favorite picks" trend with a list of gift suggestions picked out by the adorable Charlie Fuzzy Caterpillar. Click on his picture and you'll be taken to a cute series of photos of Charlie doing a pirouette. I'm hooked already!
Here's the sneaky part: by placing Charlie's photoshoot down the center of the page, the reader is prompted to keep scrolling until-voila!-they've viewed the entire blog post, which is chock-full of links to other parts of the website. Even though you've just viewed a lot of content, it doesn't feel like a trick.
November 3, 2009
From: Etsy
Subject Line: Etsy Finds: Trick or Treat
Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Etsy.com is a bastion of offbeat, cool-girl style, so it's no wonder they put the "personal picks" trend to such good use. In this email, part of the Etsy Finds series, Christine, an Etsy seller and blogger, handpicks her faves for Halloween.
What makes this email stand out from others like it is the way Christine's personality is emphasized: she's perfectly Etsy-esque, but she's real--she likes pranks, she has a weird mom, and she's discovering new things on Etsy every day, just like the rest of us.
Everyone seems to agree that putting a human face to your brand is a smart idea, and it's one we've written about several times on this blog. Etsy puts a twist on this concept by using the perspective of a seller, rather than a more formal spokesperson, which ultimately synthesizes two lovely trends in one EDM--personal picks and reader reviews. The result is a friendly, intimate conversation with Christine, and it makes me want to find out what other Etsy treasures she might uncover.
My lone complaint about this email is that I received it much too late. I received this Halloween-themed newsletter on Halloween--why would I order any of this stuff now? The sloppy timing of this mars what is otherwise a very charming email.
July 31, 2009
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.
January 15, 2009
From: Smith-Harmon
Subject Line: Holiday Retail Email Volume Sets Record
Date: January 15, 2009
The holidays may be over for regular folk, but for us email marketers, not so much. We're still culling through all the data to get a detailed view of the '08 holiday stats and facts. Thanks to our resident research expert, Chad White, we now have a new FREE reportlet to help us sort through the mountain of numbers and focus on the biggest stories.
Check out some of the stats he's uncovered:
Retailers ratcheted up their send volumes by 43% during the holiday email season
Retailers sent approximately 3.9 promotional emails during the week of Dec. 19
The Retail Email Index was up 15% year-over-year during the holiday email season
This season, 15% of retailers more than doubled their email output
And that's just the short of it. Chad goes into great detail to explain the results of the holiday email hoopla that sent retail email volume through the roof. This 6-page reportlet discusses trends around the overall frequency increases during the holidays, the breakdown of weekly holiday vs. pre-holiday send volumes, and the impact of pre-holiday frequencies on holiday frequencies.
Ready to dig into the data? Download the free reportlet now.
January 6, 2009
From: Smith-Harmon
Subject Line: Retail Email Year-End Trends for 2008
Date: January 6, 2009
If you're in the midst of planning your 2009 email marketing strategy, this free reportlet from Chad White, Smith-Harmon's research director, is a definite must-read. It's packed with stats, trends and charts about the overall retail email volume, frequency and timing among the top online retailers in 2008. Want to know which days of the week were most popular to send retail emails? Interested in the top 20 retail email days of the year? Ready to learn what the SECOND biggest retail email season was, behind Christmas? Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a few surprises.
Download the free reportlet now to get the panoramic view of what happened in the world of retail email in 2008.
January 5, 2009
From: Tommy Bahama
Subject Line: Relax
Date: January 5, 2009
I love the imagery and sentiment of this Tommy Bahama email, which hit my inbox today. On the plus side, it totally makes me want to plan a mid-winter escape to some place warm and sunny. On the down side, I think they should have dropped the "spirit of the season" idea and focused on "Happy New Year". The holidays are definitely over, so the copy of this email feels a little late to the party. Kudos to the subject line though, which simply says: Relax. The perfect mantra for the first back at my desk.
December 30, 2008
From: Anthropologie
Subject Line: Joyous wishes from Anthropologie
Date: December 23, 2008
From: lucy
Subject Line: Happy Holidays from lucy!
Date: December 22, 2008
'Tis the night before the night before Christmas and my inbox has been strangely silent. After three weeks of hurricane-force emails pelting me all day long, how refreshing it was to receive these two emails yesterday and today that simply wished me a happy holiday, no strings or free shipping attached. What class acts. Makes me want to cuddle up with some hot cocoa and dream about the new outfits I'm going to buy from Anthropologie and Lucy.
December 22, 2008
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: A Horrible Tale of Holiday Ingratitude by Simon Doonan
Date: Saturday, December 20, 2008
In an inbox FULL of last-minute shipping offers, this subject line POPPED like crazy!:
A Horrible Tale of Holiday Ingratitude by Simon Doonan
Ha! Check out the horrible tale here >
From: Smith-Harmon
Subject Line: Merry Email Marketing MAD LIBS from Smith-Harmon
Date: December 22, 2008
Remember how much fun MAD LIBS were as a kid? Take a trip down memory lane with Merry Email Marketing MAD LIBS from Smith-Harmon! Chad White, our research whiz, has put together some festive fill-in-the-blank fun with a special email twist. No one's really working this week anyways, right? (Just kidding, Lisa and Aaron.) But seriously, download these merry makers and share them with your coworkers for a laughternoon break. When you’re done, post your stories as a comment to this blog entry for all to see.
Download Merry Email Marketing MAD LIBS >
P.S. Here's mine!
Dear Santa,
I’ve been very bossy this year. Using my silly email marketing strategies, I drove ten dollars in sales, which everyone agrees is industry-leading. In fact, during my annual performance review, my boss, who we’ve secretly nicknamed GoGo, said I'm the bestest marketer she has ever met during her five-year career. During the Valentine’s Day season, one loudly crafted email sold out the gold-plated Tickle Me Elmo that we outbid WalMart for. And during the back-to-school season, one of my emails sold a record number of horse-print jeans. Because I’ve been so nice, I hope you’ll grant this gorgeous Christmas
wish and destroy Earthlink with a hail of frozen shoes.
December 12, 2008
From: Nike.com
Subject Line: Score the Perfect Gift Early and Get 30% Off
Date: December 11, 2008
Retailers have definitely made it easy for me to “Shop by…” anything! I can shop for her, for him, for outdoor enthusiasts, for gifts Under $25, for friends you only see twice a year, and the list goes on. And all these options have always been laid out for me in neat, tidy predictable grids.
Until now!
Nike.com’s gift guide is a roulette wheel of gifting options. And I win with every spin! It doesn’t hurt that their creative this season is nothing short of magical. Yes, they could throw a purple running jacket in their hero and I would instantly swoon, but I love that Nike.com has taken my shopping experience and turned it into a game. Maybe I’ll help Santa out and get one of my own gifts!
December 10, 2008
From: Neiman Marcus
Subject Line: So, you need a gift? Look no further + Free gift wrap & free online shipping
Date: December 10, 2008
From: Neiman Marcus
Subject Line: FINAL HOURS! FREE $100 NM GIFT CARD with online purchase + Free gift wrap & free online shipping
Date: December 9, 2008
From: NM Store
Subject Line: Take an extra 30% off at Neiman Marcus stores
Date: December 10, 2008
As a follow-up to my December 8th posting, I thought I would share the latest NM news. I received three emails from Neiman Marcus in ONE DAY. Yes, that's right. 1-2-3 in 1 day. While I understand that good things come in threes, I'm not so sure it applies here. And while I also understand that two were from Neiman Marcus proper and one was from NM Store, they all look like Neiman Marcus to me. And check out the subject line lengths! The only word that comes to mind is: Unsubscribe. Otherwise, I'm speechless.
December 8, 2008
From: Crate & Barrel
Subject Line: Free shipping from our kids' company!
Date: November 28, 2008
Land of Nod (the kids' company owned by Crate and Barrel) has always taken a whimsical approach to their copy, and this email is no exception. Rather than settle for the same ole promotional approach around free shipping that every other retailer uses, the clever elves at Land of Nod created a memo from Rudolph. It's definitely a fresh breath of air in a claus-trophic inbox. As a writer, the copy is my favorite, right down to the disclaimer line that says: Offer excludes furniture. Have you ever tried flying around with an armoire on your back? It's not a pretty sight. On another best practices note, they created several places to click through: the eye-catching red nav bar and two links in the body copy. Plus, the whole thing is anchored by their Shop by Personality gift guide. I just wish they'd been a bit more playful with the subject line. It would have been fun to see something like: Memo from Rudolph: Free shipping on kids' collections!
From: Neiman Marcus
Subject Line: Free $100 NM GIFT CARD with ONLINE purchase + Free gift wrap & Free online shipping
Date: December 8, 2008
I'd been putting off my inbox cleaning for too long, so I spent some time this weekend filing over a thousand emails away into my archive library. After first sorting all my emails by the "from" field, I noticed something very interesting. Without realizing it, I've been receiving an email a day from Neiman Marcus since at least October and maybe even longer! I was shocked. At first I thought that maybe I'd missed checking a preference box or something when I signed up for emails originally, but when I tested my theory with a different email address, I was never given a frequency option. So, this leads me to believe that Neiman's default is to send an email a day to subscribers. Interesting. Then, lo and behold, when I clicked unsubscribe, I was given the option of getting a weekly email vs. a daily email. I did choose the weekly option rather than unsubscribe from all, but I have to wonder how many other people unsubscribe all together out of sheer frustration at receiving so many messages. I'd love to know if this everyday delivery strategy is working for Neiman's. I would think that the unsubscribe rate would be HUGE, but then again, I'm not exactly Neiman's target customer. Let's open up the discussion: What are your thoughts on email frequency?
December 5, 2008
From: Smith-Harmon
Subject Line: Chad White's Cyber Monday Report
Date: December 5, 2008
Online retailers put a lot of bank behind Cyber Monday this year, and the big question is: Did it pay off? That's a big ole YES from Chad White, Smith-Harmon's new Research Director. His latest FREE reportlet, Cyber Monday Sees Record Retail Email Volume is packed with much more than just retail email volume and messaging stats. This 11-page gem gets into a full-on discussion of messaging trends with creative samples.
Download the free reportlet now to get the complete story on the biggest day in online shopping.
December 1, 2008
From: Arden B.
Subject Line: We're Lowering Our Prices...Get the Moto Jacket for Only $59 + Get $10 Off Every $50 or $25 Off Every $100 You Spend
Date: Monday, November 17, 2008
In the midst of these tough economic times, retailers have been looking for ways to entice shoppers to buy. I expected to see offers with discounted shipping and/or deep discounts. Arden B. surprised me with this message, that they were lowering all of their prices. A few weeks ago Harry & David sent out an email announcing reduced shipping costs and I've seen certain retailers offer some fairly substantial discounts but that's about as far as I expected retailers to go. I would imagine this tactic by Arden B. has hopefully increased their sales. I can't help but wonder if they lowered all their prices in hopes that they wouldn't have to offer deeper discounts to their customers. What are your thoughts on the subject, was this a good or a bad tactic for Arden B.?
November 26, 2008
From: Pottery Barn Kids
Subject Line: From Me To You.
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2008
From: Eddie Bauer
Subject Line: An important message regarding Eddie Bauer gift cards.
Date: Monday, November 24, 2008
From: Pottery Barn Kids
Subject Line: You're Invited
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Dear Reader:
While not quite as "personal" as an email sent directly by an actual sales associate, I'm interested in Pottery Barn Kids' and Eddie Bauer's efforts to "personalize" communications using a letter format, particularly with regards to difficult, fear-assuaging messages such as – in essence – "times are tough, but shopping is an expression of love" and "don't listen to what NPR says, our gift cards are A-OK". I'm curious about your thoughts with regards to this "me to you" style-communication. Have you tried it? What were the circumstances under which you sent this type of message? What type of response did it elicit?
From me to you: Happy Thanksgiving! Have a fantastic holiday. Go buy some gift cards ;).
Lisa Harmon
Principal
Smith-Harmon, Inc.
November 21, 2008
From: Sephora
Subject Line: 1 box, 10 gifts.
Date: November 16, 2008
I L-O-V-E Sephora's version of last year's Elf Yourself. Talk about creative. From start to finish, it's a seamless experience that even the most tech-challenged girl can navigate with ease. Here's the skinny: After you've uploaded a pic of yourself, you go through a series of steps where you outline your eyes, mouth and face shape. Sounds complicated, but trust me, they've made it blonde-proof. (It's okay, I can say that because I'm a blonde.) Once you've finished with the outlining, the real magic begins. Within seconds, you have four fun and fabulous looks to choose from: Smokey Sugar Plum, Merry Berry, Santa's Little Temptress and O, Tannen-Babe. It's your face all glammed up in four festive ways, complete with eye shadow, mascara, gloss and more. All that's left is for you to add a personal message and send it on to your fellow glamour gals. You'll get a sweet little email that lets you know your Mistletoe Message has been sent, and best of all, the savvy team at Sephora includes a promotion code in the confirmation email for a free set of lashes or a sample size of Sephora Lip Attitude with any purchase. Simply brilliant.
Want to see my Mistletoe Makeover e-Card?
Check it out here.
From: Anthropologie
Subject Line: A holly jolly good time.
Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I love how well Anthropologie has integrated their holiday messaging into their regular creative style. This email is so clearly holiday, but nothing about it is cliched or off-brand for Anthropologie. The subject line, the snowy cream color, the whimsical copy and the quirky candle animation are all so Anthropologie, and also all so refreshingly holiday.
From: kate spade
Subject Line: decorate! with accessories for enchanted evenings
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Every year I look forward to seeing what Kate Spade's creative team comes up with for their holiday mails. They definitely didn't disappoint this year :) They always come up with creative ways to use typography and it looks like this year they used actual 3-D type blocks! The soft, pastel holiday colors really contrast against that BEAUTIFUL purse (and I am not a purse girl) to make the product POP! Definite kudos to the creative team at Kate Spade, I look forward to seeing the rest of your holiday mails!
November 5, 2008
From: Williams-Sonoma
Subject Line: Holiday Pie Baking: Favorite Tools
Date: November 5, 2008
BTW: See the animation here >
I love apple pie, and I love this Williams-Sonoma top nav Shipping/Countdown animation. Way to add visual interest while simultaneously messaging two timely promotions, all within the first few pixels of prime preview pane real estate. Well done!
See the animation here >
October 31, 2008
From: Me
Subject Line: Happy Halloween from Smith-Harmon
Date: Friday, October 31, 2008
For your entertainment: the Smith-Harmon team in costume! Oh how we've grown since the 2007 holiday... From left to right: Rachel and Deckard from Bladerunner, a Hippie, a Panda Bear, a Mad Mechanic, Juno, Sarah Palin, a Friend in France, Velma, the Grim Reaper and 'Tippi' Hedren. Share your Halloween photos with us!
October 16, 2008
From:DWR
Subject Line: Something new every day for five weeks
Date: October 16, 2008
With the Holidays fast approaching it's time for retailers to get creative with their email campaigns. Design Within Reach is first out of the gate with a fun limited time offer for their subscribers. They are enticing their subscribers to sign up to receive an additional emails for a five week period starting on November 10th. These emails will feature limited production items for purchase or auction available only to the subscribers of these emails which, in my opinion, adds to the anticipation of receiving those emails! I definitely signed up :) I would be interested to know how well this campaign performs for them over the next few weeks, any DWR email marketers out there? :)
August 26, 2008
From: Me
Subject Line: Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season
Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
This just in: the Email Experience Council just released the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season! Last year, the eec tracked more than 3,300 emails from more than 100 top online retailers during the fourth quarter and released daily reports on strategies, tactics and trends via the Retail Email Blog. Based on that monitoring, they've created a helpful roadmap to the email holiday season so retailers and other B2C companies can better formulate their campaigns this year. This is a hugely valuable resource: make sure to make it a part of your holiday planning! Learn more about the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season here >
January 8, 2008
From: UrbanOutfitters.com
Subject Line: Neither Naughty Nor Nice...
Date: Friday, December 14, 2007
From: UrbanOutfitters.com
Subject Line: Slackers: You can STILL get it there on time!
Date: Friday, December 21, 2007
Digging out from under the pile of holiday mails I received last quarter ;)...I like Urban Outfitters' take on the classic "Shop By Category" and "Shipping Deadline Extended" communications. By adding humor (and a talking camel), the messages come across as being more authentic than formulaic.
December 12, 2007
From: Louis Vuitton
Subject Line: Let Louis Vuitton help you find the perfect gift
Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2007
While the copy is awfully flat (I'd guess the designer, without a writer, "did their best"), this is beautiful creative. Nice and concise.
November 20, 2007
From: Neiman Marcus
Subject Line: FREE GIFT WRAP ON THE BIG 100 & A chance to win one + FREE SHIPPING AT ANY PRICE
Date: Tuesday, November 13 2007
Here's an interesting way to compel recipients to click quick: Neiman Marcus offers subscribers the opportunity to win a handbag - but only if they respond by 11AM CT!
From: katespade.com
Subject Line: shop pop & color
Date: Tuesday, November 20 2007
I agree with Shannon Milar, who loves this message for it's "unique vision for holiday." Like kate spade's fall imagery, their holiday photography feels fresh and fun. It's so easy for us to fall into blahliday mode, slavishly aping last year's creative (only redder!), but this campaign illustrates the opportunity to consider how we can mix our unique brand elements with traditional holiday visual cues to bake up something new.
November 14, 2007
From: BananaRepublic.com
Subject Line: The holiday gift guide has arrived
Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2007
It was refreshing to see this email from Banana Republic today. Their creative had been feeling somewhat stale these past few seasons, but here the combination of color, ornaments, ribbon and model movement makes for a happy change. I particularly like this gal's Dr. Seuss-illustration-like facial expression and enormous hair. I want that hair. It's rad.
October 31, 2007
From: Me
Subject Line: Happy Halloween from Smith-Harmon
Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Halloween is my favorite holiday. What other time of year practically requires us to dress like freaks and eat tons of candy? We got into the spirit here today at Smith-Harmon. Cowboys, beer cans and bunnies - oh my! Plus, check out my Halloween post on the EEC blog.
October 29, 2007
From: Crate and Barrel
Subject Line: Thanksgiving Countdown Ideas. Free Shipping, too.
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2007
From: chefs
Subject Line: Day 1: Countdown to Thanksgiving Free Shipping Any Size Order
Date: Monday, October 29, 2007
Thanksgiving is a super-prep-heavy, gear-intensive holiday - one I personally plan to never ever host. The crazy-complicated big-budget Hollywood movie production nature of the feast gives retailers a number of angles from which to approach it. Enter the email series! Both Crate and Barrel and chefs kicked off a Thanksgiving series this week, which makes for an interesting comparison.
Let's start with subject lines. They both boiled down to the same thing - "Thanksgiving Countdown" and "Free Shipping" - only chefs' SL unfortunately had a relatively "Me Talk Pretty One Day" ring to it: "Day 1: Countdown to Thanksgiving Free Shipping Any Size Order". Is that grammatical!?
Moving into the creative, I was charmed by chefs' tip about how to set the table. It's embarrassingly true that I'm always uncertain as to where to put the fork, and I appreciate that they were willing to get so basic. But I was disappointed that the content tidbit was totally unrelated to the imagery featured below it. Why not show place settings!? And while chefs' clearly read Chad White's "All I Want for Christmas Are Daily Deal Emails" Reportlet, I would have loved to have seen the deal relate to the story as well. (A pastry blender couldn't be more random!)
Conversely, Crate and Barrel did a beautiful job weaving together content with relevant imagery; their message has a very editorial feel. I love the "N weeks" graphical header, which I assume we'll see as a visual tie between each email in the series. I also enjoyed the lead-in to next week's topic, "talking turkey." Still, call me a "marketer's designer" all you want, but I don't think it would hurt too much to add a few obvious points of click-through to encourage sales? C'mon, kids! Think of it as a form of customer service...
Last point: while I've been constructively critical, I do want to hand it to both chefs and Crate and Barrel for two signs of email program maturity:
(1) Planning far enough in advance to even conceive of an email series and
(2) Having planned it, executing it, despite an email or two that may not generate as much short-term revenue as - say - a sale message might. Hooray for saying no to email crack cocaine!
Last point less: I personally do not enjoy turkey. However, that leaves more room for multiple servings of dessert. My Thanksgiving prep tip: don't forget the punch n' pie!
October 24, 2007
From: Me
Subject Line: WhatCounts to Publish Holiday Loyalty Marketing Practices Whitepaper
Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2007
This just in:
Visit WhatCounts.com this Friday to download their hot-off-the-press whitepaper on Holiday Loyalty Marketing Best Practices. I got a sneak peek earlier this week and was impressed by some of the innovative ideas included, particularly around RFM data and points-based email loyalty programs. There's been a good deal of talk about loyalty lately, and of course a huge emphasis on holiday, but this is the first time I've seen both topics considered simultaneously. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the paper!
Enjoy,
Lisa
December 24, 2006
There is something truly decent about sending out non-promotional holiday wishes. Snaps to all of you out there who were willing to risk losing a little revenue in the short term in order to express long-term good will. And with that, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
From: Built by Wendy
Subject Line: Happy Holidays from Built by Wendy!
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2006
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Merry Christmas from Barneys New York
Date: Sunday, December 24, 2006
From:CHEFS
Subject Line: Season's Greetings from CHEFS
Date: Sunday, December 24, 2006
December 14, 2006
From: Restoration Hardware
Subject Line: Give the Perfect Last Minute Gift – Shop Gift Certificates
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2006
This is a brilliant piece of copy: "Give the Gift that's Never Re-Gifted". That should have been the subject line of this campaign, too. So many retailers are pushing gift cards this season, and this is the first promotion that's really turned my head. Lackluster creative, but very compelling copy.
December 13, 2006
From: American Eagle Outfitters
Subject Line: Get Gifted with Great Gifts under $30
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2006
While it's a challenge we face all year long, avoiding the dreaded "garage sale" mish-mash of product photography becomes particularly difficult during holiday, when strategy calls for random groupings of product to be featured together under various promotional umbrellas such as "free shipping" or, in this case, "under $30". But American Eagle Outfitters has done something extremely intelligent in order to avoid that. They've photographed all of their giftable product in a super-holiday environment, which, rather than playing up the "garage sale" factor effectively neutralizes it. Think about the amount of work and hassle this saves: creative no longer needs to fake backgrounds to make products shot in different environments look as though they were shot at the same location; business and creative don't have to argue about what products can be tastefully featured in tandem. This is total genius! Let it inspire us all to do better photo planning for Holiday 2007. Let's photograph absolutely everything in front of a Christmas tree, then rest just a little easier for the the rest of the holiday season. High five, AE!
P.S. AE, if you actually did a great job of PhotoShopping these products onto this background, think of how much easier it would have been if you'd photographed them all this way in the first place!
December 7, 2006
From: PUMA
Subject Line: Play the game. Win PUMA prizes.
Date: Thursday, November 7, 2006
Here, PUMA does a nice job using white, as well as incorporating holiday without blasting us with red. (I am SO SICK of seeing red in my email inbox! Winter will be a welcome sight.) ... Although, is that Michelle Yeoh hovering ghostlike behind the body copy? That's weird.
And what the heck is this "Round Three of our Holiday Heroes puzzle" thing? People are so busy this time of year and their inboxes are so crowded; they don't have time to read multiple paragraphs of contest rules, and they don't have the interest to keep up with more than one "Round" of information. So do us a favor and keep it simple: give us a few good gift ideas and a free ship offer, please.
December 6, 2006
For those of you unacquainted with giggle, they're a baby/new parent store, offering a product assortment "pre-sorted to include only the most healthy, stylish and innovative" items. I think they've done a great job distinguishing themselves from both branding and merchandizing perspectives.
As far these EDMs go, I love the design template; the stripes and the dropshadowing around the border make for an unexpected, fun combination. But are we so overloaded with product that we don't know where to look? As a $-friendly designer, I'm all for showing the widest breadth of assortment possible, but how many elements are "too many"? At what point do we overwhelm a user into overload? Do too many click-through opportunities cancel each other out entirely?
From: giggle
Subject Line: Spooktacular Halloween Treats
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2006
From: giggle
Subject Line: 50 amazing gifts under $25, plus FREE gift wrapping
Date: Wednesday, December 6, 2006
December 5, 2006
Enormous dueling superheroes! Which of the two would you click through? (C'mon, help me out, I'm hurtin' for comments here...) I'd have to go with Pottery Barn's "Free Shipping" offer. (Didn't you know? Nobody pays for shipping anymore!)
From: Restoration Hardware
Subject Line: Introducing Our New Holiday Catalog
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2006
From: Pottery Barn
Subject Line: FREE shipping on more than 60 items
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2006
December 4, 2006
From: Lacoste
Subject Line: Happy Holidays to Lacoste's Friends and Family
Date: Monday, December 4, 2006
It's snowing gators! Look out!
This holiday season, I've received a flurry of "Friends & Family" special offers like this one, all from retailers that are not my family nor my friend. While I understand the desire to make customers feel special and deals seem exclusive, it doesn't make sense to claim an intimate connection with a subscriber who's never made a purchase before.
That won't stop me from using the discount though. Keep 'em coming.
November 30, 2006
From: Crate and Barrel
Subject Line: Gourmet chocolates ready to give
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2006
This is what I'd call a good old, honest, hard-working EDM. There are no crazy hooks, no flashing animations and no groundbreaking, medium-altering innovations. However, what this email does illustrate are several very basic, measured best practices, which, in combination, will match the performance of any gimmick. Crate & Barrel promotes conversion by:
1) Featuring relevant, giftable product.
2) Including "FREE SHIPPING" in red in the top nav.
3) Adding a link to their Holiday Delivery Schedule.
4) Submessaging a Gift Guide, Gift Cards and Free Shipping: three very trusty catch-alls for follks who aren't as interested in fondue.
5) Keeping the overal design clean, simple and digestable.
It's not rocket science, folks: it's good customer service. Make shopping easier for your subscribers by giving them real reasons to click through.
November 22, 2006
From: The Land of Nod
Subject Line: Free shipping on orders over $150!
Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
This is cute! I didn't know Rudolph could type. Maybe I could get my cats to write my emails, and just Cc: me.
Rudolph was sneaky, though: The Land of Nod is a home furnishings business promoting free shipping on everything but home furnishings. (See the asterisked disclaimer.) It's "just not right" to give us global free shipping and then take it away, even when it's couched in cute language. Bad Land of Nod!
November 16, 2006
From: Ann Taylor
Subject Line: Style for Every Event, and a Special Online Offer
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2006
I like the use of the calendar element here. Ann's customer is an organized woman, and visually correlating event dates with outfits gets her into planning (and purchasing) mode for sure.
December 19, 2005
From: Eddie Bauer
Subject Line: Guaranteed Christmas Delivery With No Rush Charges.
Date: Monday, December 19, 2005
Eddie's pushing five different messages simultaneously, with very little creative distinction between each, employing the same colors, fonts, and even the same red ribbon treatment. Reads like a rush job to me. The email browser incompatibility (in the out-of-alignment red promo) confirms it.
December 15, 2005
From: UrbanOutfitters.com
Subject Line: Time's not on your side: Shop now for holiday delivery!
Date: Thursday, December 15, 2005
Almost everyone offered amazing last-minute shipping options this holiday. I think sending out a message specifically calling out the cutoff dates is a great idea, and am curious about the kind of revenue it generates. Combined with a FREE SHIPPING offer, it could be extremely powerful.
December 8, 2005
From: holdeverything
Subject Line: web exclusive: 5 days only, free shipping on book-cloth
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2005
Tasked with merchandizing a decidedly "not hot" gift at holiday time (How many folks even know what book-cloth is?), holdeverything did something really smart that you don't see too often in email campaigns: they bulleted the technical virtues of the product. Real product info, topped with a free shipping promo - what a great solution to a tough sell.
December 6, 2005
From: giggle - healthy. happy. baby. store.
Subject Line: find the perfect gift at giggle!
Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Giggle's got such a clean, boppy brand. Everyone's doing "Find the Perfect Gift" messages this holiday, but this is a notably nicely-executed one.
December 1, 2005
From: Ann Taylor
Subject Line: Cashmere, Buy One Get 50% Off Second plus Free Shipping
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2005
I don't know about you, but I experienced deja-vu every time I opened an Ann Taylor EDM this holiday. While it's important to give campaigns a consistent "look" throughout any season, I've seen either that garland or those gift boxes in what seems like every message Ann Taylor sent November 1 through December 25. Provide more help to customers by showing a variety of gift recommendations and imagery both within each campaign and throughout the season. In a cashmere message, at least show us a few sweaters!
November 28, 2005
From: Coach.com
Subject Line: Find Charming Holiday Gifts at Coach
Date: Monday, November 28, 2005
These past few years, Coach has done such an amazing job of going from boring to boppy. This campaign is just another example of the bright, happy new presence they've become. The idea of buying charms as holiday gifts NEVER crossed my mind - until I saw this EDM and immediately purchased three.
One suggestion: leverage your brand recognition and newfound popularity by rocking a big old logo! "Coach.com" only appears here as one of several small menu navigation items.
November 22, 2005
From: American Eagle Outfitters
Subject Line: Shop early and take 15% off
Date: Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Proof that it's possible deliver multiple messages in one EDM without confusing customers, American Eagle Outfitters gives us a product-specific sale, a one-day-only sale, an in-store sale, a sweepstakes offer AND a gift guide without making our eyes cross.
Love the "Get Together" seal they employed throughout the season, as well as the wood texture used in this particular message.
November 9, 2005
From: west elm
Subject Line: this season's glimmer and glow: gifts from west elm
Date: Wednesday, November 9, 2005
Unfortunately my screeshot doesn't capture the rotating imagery in this email, but imagine the photos and copy boxes swapping out to create a glittering grid. It's a great use of effect to support a "glitter and glow" message. One wish: that the images and copy block colors matched more closely. There's a lot going on here, and a common color would have helped the grid feel more uniform.
November 2, 2005
From: Aveda Online
Subject Line: aveda gifts to stir up the senses
Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Gift sets are great for the holidays, but the thumbnails pictured here are too tiny for anyone with a standard screen size and resolution to get much of a look at them. Instead, the prime real estate is occupied by a graphical text treatment which is cute, but would work better as a purely graphical sale message. Here, it exclipses the featured product, and doesn't even include a call-to-action.
October 31, 2005
From: Pottery Barn
Subject Line: Celebrate! From napkin rings to soup tureens, our holiday guides cover it all
Date: Monday, October 31, 2005
Love this. The color, pattern, type and imagery work, and the "by party" links are clear and practical. PB does what it does best.
One note: I'm confused about the new menu navigation - it kind of reminds me of welding tools or something. What are we going for there? (See September 19, 2005 entry to compare with previous menu navigation.)
October 17, 2005
From: Williams-Sonoma
Subject Line: Williams-Sonoma Business Gifts: 10% Discount and Free Gift Wrapping
Date: Monday, October 17, 2005
Good lord, have you ever tried the Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark!? It's DANGEROUSLY GOOD. I'm warning you, you'll eat the whole tinful in one sitting. Be very careful!
September 19, 2005
From: Pottery Barn
Subject Line: Everything you need for fall entertaining
Date: Monday, Septebmer 19, 2005
This EDM is so grand. Pottery Barn sounds the trumpets and I almost expect to see racing horses burst into gallop. But seriously, the use of script and pattern is lovely here, and the large hero image surrounded by smaller product shots works beautifully in this context. Love it!
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