From: Kohls.comSubject Line: FREE SHIPPING. 3 Days Only!
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
From: J.Crew
Subject Line: INSIDER SALE reminder. Ends tomorrow. 20% off your order of $150+.
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
From: Lands' End
Subject Line: Up to 65% off + Free Shipping: in-season Overstocks
Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I'm a little confused, Kohl's. What is it you're trying to tell me?
Just kidding.
This email brings up an interesting question. We all know large headlines and colorful graphics are best practices for email marketers. But is bigger and brighter always the way to go? Not necessarily. This Kohl's email, for example, does violence to my eyes, and that's not good. The message itself is fine--free shipping is a great angle for the pre-holiday season--but between the neon background, the huge text, and the animation, I feel like I'm being yelled at.
So let this be a cautionary tale: if you're going to go the "one box, one message" route, don't overdo it. J Crew puts out great one-message emails that use rich (but viewable) colors, classy typefaces and just a smidge of clever banter to get their message across without the virtual bullhorn. Similarly, Land's End uses a dark background to make their text really pop. Maybe Kohl's could take a pointer from these two companies so their next email doesn't have me reaching for the Excedrin.
