February 2008 Archives

From: Coach
Subject Line: Introducing Signature Stripe: Online Today and In Stores Monday
Date: Friday, February 8, 2008

I'm a fan of the enviro-silo photo mix. Square-cut environment shots set the mood, bring lifestyle into the design and show product in use, while silhouette photography is great for featuring product details and close-ups. Visually, adding silos to the mix (as opposed to a grid of many square-cut shots) opens up the design and keeps file size light. Try it, you'll like it ;)!

From: J.Crew
Subject Line: The well-traveled tote (see video)
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

From: Louis Vuitton
Subject Line: The first Louis Vuitton movie : Travel and Emotions
Date: Monday, February 18, 2008

While it is still logistically impossible to embed actual videos into email messages, we have found that including links to videos noticeably increases clickthrough. Here, I like how J.Crew and Louis Vuitton extend that idea to the subject line, presumably hoping to up open rates as well. I recommend this; it's definitely worth testing. I also recommend including strong visual cues to indicate links to video; recipients respond best to obvious treatments like play buttons and frame treatments that look like Windows Media and Quicktime players. Both J.Crew and Louis Vuitton could have added more visual flair to draw attention the video factor here. (Video: so hot right now.)

From: J.Crew
Subject Line: Engaged?
Date: Monday, February 25, 2008

OMG - how did they know :)!?!? Is this just a crazy coincidence, or did theknot.com sell me down the river?

This is an interesting experience for me in that I am a believer in relevant messaging, but as, in this case, I was not the direct data source, the effect is unsettling as opposed to engaging.

From: Pottery Barn Kids
Subject Line: Shop the President's Day Sale - over 500 NEW items!
Date: Thursday, February 14, 2008

Everyone loves a sale, but most sale emails have started to look like most other sale emails: red and square. In this example, Pottery Barn Kids thinks outside the box by making a circle. It's still the same stuff - "SALE" in huge letters, a percentage off, a stack of categories - but the novel format is enough to make us look twice!

From: Me
Subject Line: Live from the Airport: EEC Email Evolution Conference Highlights
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Congratulations to the EEC team for putting together a fantastic event; the Email Evolution Conference was evolutionary. My five favorite moments:

(1) The inspiring and entertaining kick-off keynote, which included video, audience surveys and Craig Spiezle (Microsoft's Director of Security) in a USPS uniform.
(2) The illuminating discussion about how to set up a successful internal service bureau with Lauren Skena (National Geographic), Tim Norris (Gannett), Brian Schonherz (Conde Nast) and Christina Nicholson (Williams-Sonoma).
(3) The thought-provoking (and entertaining) conversation around subscriber list health between Bob Frady (Live Nation) and Clint Kaiser (Epsilon).
(4) The forward-looking perspectives on the future of the industry from Eric Kirby (Merkle), Loren McDonald (Silverpop) and Anthony Ginn (eHarmony).
(5) David Daniels' (Jupiter Research) introduction of the word "blastards," used to refer to out-of-control batch-and-blasters.

From: Me
Subject Line: Make a face!
Date: Thursday, February 7, 2008

Chad White of RetailEmail.Blogspot fame brought a hilarious effort to my attention: Project Grimace. It's essentially an attempt to get Gmail’s attention with a video showing the faces of frustrated email producers to help lobby for rendering upgrades. Sweet! Add your photos! Tell everyone you know! (Or everyone you know who would care, anyway...)
Read about Project Grimace >
See the photos! >

Aaron's picture is obviously the awesomest. That image expresses exactly how I feel when I see Gmail break things ;).

From: west elm
Subject Line: See the chicest new sofa in town
Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2008

User-generated content and product reviews are popping up in email more and more, with reports of success, proving that we do want to hear what people like us have to say about the brands and products we shop. But what to do if you're just not there yet technically, and/or you're a more aspirational/less democratic brand?

west elm has found good ground by including quotes and images of people like us (only perhaps slightly cooler!?) in their emails and catalogs. Alex brings personality and perspective to this mail, no Web 2.0 required. I actually read her quote, spending perhaps 10 seconds more with this message than I otherwise might have.

From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: BABIES win CAUCUSES!
Date: Monday, February 4, 2008

I have to admit that I'm burning out a bit on all the caucuses action, but this is quite relevant and ridiculous pre-super-Tuesday :). BABIES win CAUCUSES! LOL :).

From: FreePeople.com
Subject Line: Short Pants Romance
Date: Friday, February 1, 2008

Email + Social Networking = so hot right now! Yet despite all the talk, I haven't seen many retailers integrate email messaging with MySpace sites. Enter the notably-early-adapting Free People! (They've been blogging and RSSing forever.) Check out the hotlink to add them as a MySpace friend at the upper-right of this email. Kudos to Free People for sticking their toe into the Email + Social Networking pool! Although I'm not sure I'd recommend becoming an early adapter on the "Short Pants" trend. With construction boots? Yikes! Not hot.