< March 2007
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From: J.Crew
Subject Line: Style tip: add a monogram
Date: Thursday, April 26, 2007
Speaking of relevancy, this photo is brilliant. It hits all the Mother's Day cues - pink, roses... How much more effective is this than awkwardly-forcing a random monogrammed tote bag to be an MDay-appropriate gift?
I also think there's something to be said for the way J.Crew owns the inbox by filling all empty space with a background color. It draws our attention to their message and envelopes us in their brandworld. I'd like to see an A/B test comparing this design - cloaked in green - with a white background version.
From: PUMA
Subject Line: A New Twist On A Legendary Style
Date: Monday, April 23, 2006
I'm interested in this message because of the way it creates a three-dimensional space. The dropshadow on the logo and the receding blue stepping stones add a sense of depth that one doesn't usually experience in the inbox. I'm captivated by the idea of creating inbox spaces and environments a subscriber can inhabit, however fleetingly.
From: BabyCenter
Subject Line: Welcome to BabyCenter
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2007
BabyCenter is basically the bible to every new mom I know (and it seems like almost everyone I know is a new mom!) They recently underwent a brand refresh, and I am a major fan of their new logo; it reminds me of lollipops.
I signed up for their email program yesterday and received (immediately, for bonus points!) a very well-written welcome message. The copy body highlights the specific benefits of being a member of the BabyCenter community, while managing to make a person-to-person connection. (It's signed Tina Sharkey, Chairman.) The email also includes a number of intelligent links, including my profile, articles and online shopping.
Here are a few ways the campaign could be rendered even more effective, from top to bottom:
1) Above the logo and website navigation, add language similar to the below:
"View here if you're unable to see images in this e-mail.
To ensure receipt of our e-mails, please add babycenter-email@babycenter.com to your address book."
"View here" links to a hosted version of your newsletter, which allows users with disabled images to view graphics.
2) Include "Forward this email to a friend >" in the upper-right.
3) Add alt tags to your images. This will allow users with images disabled to get a sense of what they're missing, inspiring them to enable images or click through.
4) Break up your navigation items into separate graphics rather than a single, image-mapped graphic. Some email browser strip out image map links, preventing users from clicking through!
5) Jazz up the creative a little! Add some color to the "My Profile", "Quick Links" and "Shop" sections. Pair photo thumbnails or icons with each Quick Link. This will help to distinguish and draw attention to the messaging.
6) For your primary calls-to-action, try using HTML buttons as opposed to text links. They'll grab more eyes and generate a higher CTR.
7) There is a slew of "fine print" messaging that needs to be added to the footer below the creative, some of which has legal ramifications. The most important is to include an unsubscribe link, plus your company's postal address so that you are in compliance with CAN-SPAM. Something like the below should work:
If someone sent you this message and you'd like to receive BabyCenter e-mails, subscribe now.
Unsubscribe from BabyCenter e-mails.
Copyright © 2007 BabyCenter LLC | 163 Freelon Street | San Francisco, CA 94107 | View our privacy policy.
I'm feeling more welcome already...
From: Bag Borrow or Steal
Subject Line: Love The Devil Wears Prada? Borrow the Earrings!
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2007
In a woman's world, you are your handbag, and status bags are pricey. Enter Bag Borrow or Steal. It's a brilliant concept: they basically rent you accessories you can't otherwise afford. With gals everywhere laying out weeks of salary for the right hobo, I can see this concept being huge.
I think they generally do a good job with their email creative, but I'd like to point out a few things they could do to optimize their campaigns, from top to bottom:
1) Go a little larger with the logo. Since it's such a delicate script font, it's somewhat tricky to read at this size. Granted my eyes are going from too much screentime, but I do have my glasses on.
2) Try bringing the menu items up into the brown tint bar, on the upper-right. This will help separate them out from the main message, as well as conserve vertical real estate.
3) Render body copy in HTML rather than graphical text so it's legible in email browsers with images disabled by default.
4) Cut linked graphics separately rather than using image maps. Several email browser strip image maps, thereby preventing users from clicking through!
5) Add a little humor. There's definitely a "wink-wink/nudge-nudge" element to accessories rental. "It's our little secret." I say play that up and have some fun with it!
From: Built By Wendy
Subject Line: Who says a trash can can't make you smile?
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2007
We're all still dreaming up effective ways to link up the virtual and brick-and-mortar worlds. This Built By Wendy email is an interesting example of such efforts. Of course, you realize that alcohol consumption is proven to increase spending at a rate of 20% per drink. Just kidding. But probably not, right? Not a bad idea.
Looking for inspiration? After closely monitoring, observing, applauding and, in some cases, trash-talking the creative efforts of over 100 leading online retailers since 2004, I'd like to take a moment to recognize a handful of shining stars. It's not just about one or two standout emails: this group consistently delivers creative, innovative and memorable campaigns.
From: Apple
Subject Line: Great gift ideas to surprise your valentine.
Date: Friday, January 27, 2006
Apple won our 2006 Q1 EDM vote with their January 27 "Love is in the ear" campaign. And looking back, it's no wonder. The copy, the imagery, the layout, the theme. They all work together in a beautiful harmony. It's clever, elegant and most importantly…effective. There's no arguing that Apple had a stellar 2006. Can't wait to get my iPhone.
From: Crate & Barrel
Subject Line: Greens that Wow
Date: Monday, April 10, 2006
Smart, fresh and simple. Nominated for an award in Q1 and Q2 of 2006, Crate and Barrel consistently delivers aesthetically pleasing creative throughout the winter, spring, summer and fall. Their campaigns are honest and hardworking, with no crazy hooks, no flashing animations and no groundbreaking, medium-altering innovations. In a nutshell, they keep it real. While basic sometimes means boring, in the case of Crate and Barrel it means consistent, on-brand and best-practices worthy. No gimmicks here.
From: UrbanOutfitters.com
Subject Line: Take an Extra 25% off. This time, we mean it.
Date: Thursday, June 22, 2006
It's always good to explore the lighter side of life, and Urban Outfitters has proven that humor always comes out a winner. They win the witty vote, for sure. They throw traditional production values out the window in favor of a few good laughs, and it really works. There is a refreshing, human element to their campaigns. As a matter of fact, it feels like you're funniest BFF wrote the copy and created the layout.
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Wedges, Platforms + Boots - Barneys New York
Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2006
The standing ovation goes to Barneys for their generous use of humor. Their silly imagery, casually elegant handwritten font and dashed-off calls-to-action (Shut up and shop!) project a fun, attractive, devil-may-care attitude. Their creative is clean, welcoming and aspirational. It's always good to see the upper-class crowd taking themselves a little less seriously.
From: J.Crew
Subject Line: $4.95 Shipping. Gobble, gobble.
Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
J.Crew really found their voice in 2006. Their copy is intelligent, sassy, direct and convincing in a non-intrusive wink-wink, nudge-nudge, buy-now sort of way. And we love it! They rely heavily on copy to float their creative, and float they do. Their messages are always timely to the holidays, the weather and any other national event that they can tie in. Their sale emails are effectively persistent, without being demanding, which conveys a sense of real urgency to shop before your co-worker, friend or neighbor gets that perfect sweater before you do.
From: CB2
Subject Line: modern dinnerware in bloom
Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2007
I'd like to give CB2 a standing ovation for their work on this campaign. They took a relatively run-of-the-mill product - "verde dinnerware" - and married it to both the season and a holiday (Mother's Day) through photography and copy. As far as effectively using what we have at our creative disposal to form a coherent, visually-appealing, relevant message, this EDM is one of the few to make it into the same league as Apple's legendary February 2006 " In the Ear" campaign. It should inspire all of us to put more forethough and preparation into our email creative. Thank you CB2!
From: Williams-Sonoma Home
Subject Line: Free Gift from Williams-Sonoma Home
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2007
I see a lot of retailers struggling with how to use the email channel to drive traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. I think Williams-Sonoma Home does a great job here. The Free Gift promotion gives shoppers a reason to both visit and make a purchase.
From: fredflare.com
Subject Line: BEEP BOOP BEEP at fredflare.com
Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Lately there's been lots of talk about making email more personal. But usually we're referring to dynamically dropping a customer's name into a "Welcome" field. I'd like to stress the importance of making emails more personal meaning human.
In a virtual landscape increasingly dominated by customized avatars and tricked-out social network profiles, it makes more and more sense to make a conscious effort to inject personality and authenticity into our electronic communications. Fredflare.com does it here! Instead of just featuring a half-naked model surrounded by an array of merchandise a la Abercrombie, they congratulate their employee of the month by featuring her in an email and allowing her to showcase her picks. This has so much more meaning for me as a consumer. I actually feel happy for Julie. How often do you feel happy for someone when you open a marketing message? Ain't that nice? What can you do to inject a little happiness into your email campaigns?
From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Patent It!
Date: Thursday, April 5, 2007
I'd like to note that Barneys went to an 800 pixel width for this campaign. While a lot of folks are claiming that 600 pixels is still the best practice, I'd like to see some proof as to why. We test all the campaigns we produce - most of which are at 700 pixels - in a huge number of web browsers and email programs and haven't come across any problems.
BTW, this is a cute Subject Line.
From: Apple
Subject Line: Thank you for your interest in iPhone.
Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2007
I signed up to receive iPhone product updates the day the gadget was announced, but only received this Welcome message today. Of course it's beautiful, and almost because of that I have to point out that the bottom legal copy is misaligned in IE7. But who cares about PCs, right?
From: Customer Service
Subject Line: Garnet Hill requests your feedback
Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Customers have come to expect something from a marketing email. Whether it's a special offer or just an aesthetically-pleasing experience, we're opening campaigns with the hope of satisfying a need.
Here, Garnet Hill asks something of us. By now, almost all retailers occasionally use email to solicit customer feedback. But to do so without including a special offer, message personalization, or even a visually-appealing creative execution just doesn't cut it these days. If you really want customers' feedback, give 'em a little something for it.
From: west elm
Subject Line: easy living with the Walton Sectional
Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Here, west elm deals strategically with a high pricepoint item that's difficult to push via email: the sectional. They pulled out the double-combo: (1) free delivery (which is pratically a must-do at the moment for the furniture category) and (2) furniture diagrams, which engage the customer immediately in the process of selecting a configuration and envisioning it in their own home.
But of course, despite all the smart thinking here, when it still doesn't work, we've got the catch-all sale promo, which, for this campaign, will undoubtedly generate the most sales by a landslide.
From: shopbop.com
Subject Line: Gleaming Accents: Sunglasses, Shoes, Handbags & Jewelry
Date: Monday, April 2, 2007
What could be smarter than an email promoting four low pricepoint, high margin accessories categories? Being prepared enough to coordinate it! I want to mention shopbop again as being one of the best examples of a retailer who approaches photo intelligently. They shoot product across a span of categories and sources in the same environment, allowing them to successfully weave disparate items into tight visual stories, thereby managing to avoid the dreaded "garage sale" look of a cobbled-together campaign that has the marketing message down, but not the assets necessary to address it cohesively. I am a big proponent of shooting specifically for the email channel; it makes sense to push for it as email marketing continues to drive a larger and larger percentage of ecom sales.
From: CB2
Subject Line: create a cool gift registry
Date: Monday, April 2, 2007
CB2 does a nice job with their gift registry promotion here, infusing levity and delight into what can be a stressful process during a major shift in people's lives. I've heard one too many stories about engaged couples second-guessing their commitments based on flatware disagreements, so CB2's positioning the idea of "fork and knife" as fun is both refreshing and kind (as well as on-brand.)
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