March 2010 Archives

From: west elm
Subject Line: west elm is...
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010 3:20 AM

I hadn't opened a west elm email in a while. This one hit my inbox this morning, and the Subject Line inspired an open. The phrase "west elm is..." invokes a certain sense of curiosity. What's the big news?

I wonder whether this email was sent to west elm's entire audience, simply as a brand differentiation reminder, or whether it was sent specifically to me, "the unengaged," as a reminder as to why I might want to re-think my relationship with west elm. Following on from the smart subject line, we read the clever headline, "what makes us we?", which is part literal (the "w" and "e" in "we" being west elm's initials) and part philosophical koan, reaching into west elm's asian style influence.

I have but one hang-up, and it has to do with parts of speech:
west elm is STYLISH. Check.
west elm is MODERN. Check.
west elm is SIMPLE. Check.
west elm is... VALUE? The switch from adjective to noun here is tough for me. I understand, though, that value messaging is very important "in these degenerate times", and I honestly can't think of an adjective substitute that would fit this situation.

Any suggestions? I think we could all use some help with innovative new ways to deliver the value message.

From: Serena & Lily
Subject Line: Our Top Picks for Girls
Date: Monday, March 23, 2010

I'm a new subscriber to the Serena & Lily email program (thanks to senior writer Darrah MacLean for the tip-off) and I'm excited about their awesome copy. The product grid is nice but quite simple, so it's really the color block with the strong headline that ties the message together. The headline is concise, clear and fun, and I love the body copy.

While clicking the color block takes you to a girl-stuff landing page, I do still wish they'd added a strong primary CTA button or an arrow icon, just to make it a bit clearer. The landing page also has a cute blue CTA in the corner that calls you to "See the Boys," which might have been a nice addition to the email, giving the parents of boys a place to click through, too.

From: Fandango
Subject Line: Oscar winners and losers
Date: Monday, March 8 2010

I received this message the day after the Oscars, so if you haven't heard anything yet about the winners, losers or the actress with the worst dress (what was she thinking?!), no worries - Fandango has all the Oscar buzz you need to know.

The Oscars are long over but this email still sticks out for me. I think the best feature in this message is the hero with the sealed envelope. I really like that Fandango has taken on the Oscar tradition of announcing the winners in this way, there are no spoiler alerts or in-your-face photographs with the happy winners. It doesn't feel like a tabloid and it carries on the elegance of everything "Oscar." If you haven't heard anything about who won, you can simply click, let the anticipation build and see the results.

My only disappointment is the subject line. I think it's pretty boring, even though all of the information I need to know about this email is right there. I would've been even more excited to open this email if the subject line was as intriguing as the headline.

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From: The London NYC
Subject Line: A Suite Spring Escape - From $279
Date: Monday, March 22, 2010 8:37 AM

When I visit New York, I like to stay at The London NYC. It's chic without being scene-y, and the rooms are cool without being uncomfortable. The suites I've stayed in are covered in a wallpaper much like the background of this email message. I like that The London brought the print into the creative; the detail brings me into the hotel even before I book my next stay.

From: Anthropologie
Subject Line: Rooms with a view
Date: Saturday, March 20, 2010

Leave it to Anthropologie to come up with this quirky, fresh and unexpected design. It's like a breath of fresh spring air delivered directly to my inbox. I absolutely LOVE how the products pop off the cardboard backgrounds in the hero. That said, there are a few tweaky things that stick out to me. The shop links are perfectly placed albeit they're not the strongest calls-to-action. IMHO, clear and direct would have been a better way to go. The soft language and style of the links make them appear as part of the editorial copy vs. shop now entry points.

I'm a fan of the "papered planes" secondary message because it's really clean and a nice complement to the busy hero. (Notice the clear and direct CTA: Shop Wallpaper. That's what I think would have worked better in the hero). But the layer-cake effect with the bottom messages feels disconnected from the hero, even though the headline is "Home in 4 Levels".

The landing page goes for a "shop this room" approach that groups bedding, furniture, lighting and curtains together so you can literally select all the items in that room that you like. I guess it would have been cool to see that approach translated into email somehow vs. going with the looooong scrolling design.

From: Virgin America
Subject Line: Clarification: Next Up: Orlando! LAX from $149* and SF from $199*
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010

Interesting turn of events after I posted yesterday's blog about Virgin America. I got a second email a few hours later. The only thing they changed was the messaging at the top. The first version said, "SFO and LAX to Orlando From only $149". The second version got a lot more specific, "SFO and LAX to Orlando LAX from only $149, SFO from only $199." I'm guessing that maybe some people were expecting to get the $149 fare from SFO to Orlando, even though the fare prices were clearly outlined in the grid within the body copy. But, obviously, there was enough of a response to warrant sending out a second email. What's really interesting is that the subject line got A LOT longer and it had asterisks in it! That's pretty unusual and makes me wonder if this little email created the perfect storm for a few hours.

From: Gilt Groupe
Subject Line: Your Thompson London Order
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 12:10 PM

From: Gilt Groupe
Subject Line: Our apologies
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 2:08 PM

OK, so Gilt Groupe made a mistake; I didn't order the cuff links. (Sorry, Aaron!) Apology emails are good, we get it. What I'm more interested in with these messages is the treatment of the email background and preheader text. The dark grey background and even darker grey preheader type makes these more functional messages feel like the pop-up windows appearing before a dimmed background, like those one can create on web pages using jQuery. I like that these utility messages feel similar to how they might if they popped up on a website.

From: New Look
Subject Line: Open me quick for Free P&P - Ends Midnight tonight
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010

From: New Look Facebook Update


It's such a simple concept: One message - say it loud, say it proud. A fashion retailer from the UK has dug up this old tactic and executed it nicely with their new look. I love the time sensitive push in the subject line, it's so in-your-face. Hopefully, consumers are much like Alice in Wonderland who, when told to drink or eat something, will acquiesce in a heartbeat.

Free shipping as an offer is perhaps overused but do consumers still find it as much of a "treat?" Does it just concentrate revenue, which was already bound for your brand, into a single 24hr period? Possibly, but it also trumps the competition on that day by bringing in some extra cash which may have been spent elsewhere. They probably could have done with a bit more focus on the image, in fact, I can take or leave the two chaps who might be about to audition for some reality TV music show.

The balance of system text is also too much in favour of images - the personalisation at the top is a little hollow as it is not followed up or relevant to me. The email was supported by much Facebook and Twitter activity and created a dialogue around the offer and generated some community excitement, which is always well advised.

From: Virgin America
Subject Line: Next up: Orlando
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010

There are so many things I love about this email. Let's start with the subject line, Next up: Orlando. In just three words, Virgin America has told me that they've added a new route as well as what the new destination city is. Brilliant. Next let's talk about the clean and simple email design. The use of white makes it easy on the eyes. It's not cluttered. And everything is organized in a way that's easy to scan. Dreamy. Now onto the words. The copy is succinct and informative. Nothing is screaming at me (notice the lack of exclamation points!!!). And best of all, rather than take the boring route with a button that says "book a flight" they had some fun. "Grab a Seat" is the perfect example of how buttons can have some personality AND be directive at the same time. Another noteworthy addition is the juicy "Tweet This" button sitting front and center above the fold. I haven't seen anybody else do it quite like that. Clicking on the "Tweet this" button landed me right in my Twitter account with my tweet already populated for me. And it went a little something like this: @virginamerica Next Up: Orlando. Starting August 19, fly from San Francisco or Los Angeles. http://www.virginamerica.com/flights/orlando

From: Puma
Subject Line: 25% Off - Lucky You!
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sports-style brand Puma made a bold statement with its recent St. Patty's Day email. Often tame with its holiday creative--this heart-adorned Valentine's Day message comes to mind--Puma opted to forgo the predictable shamrock graphics in favor of something far more striking.

The creative features an image of a dozing leprechaun and his anonymous, stocking-clad guest, sprawled over one another in the remains of the evening's merriment, with the headline "You Don't Have to be Irish to Get Lucky." In the center of all this is a single sneaker, dangling on the woman's foot. I suppose this technically makes it an on-body product shot, and therefore one of the more provocative of its kind in recent memory.

Now, some may argue that this in poor taste (or even just stupid). There's probably a case to be made there. It's got the same kind of tongue-in-cheek, not-so-subversive fratty humor that you see everywhere from faux-thrift store t-shirts to men's body wash ads which, even if you find them funny, can be tiresome in their ubiquity.

Whether the creative appeals to you or not, however, it's undeniable that Puma takes a smart risk by shifting toward this type of edgier messaging. The brand speaks in a more relevant way to a coveted demographic, namely dudes with disposable income in their twenties and early thirties.

Puma has also created content that's interesting enough (or at least startling enough) to be shared and commented on by the same demographic. In our office, it was forwarded around and definitely became the topic of conversation--not because of the discount, but because of the imagery. This kind of conversation can both increase brand awareness and act as a vehicle to spread the sale message.

Additionally, Puma manages to differentiate itself in the inbox from similar brands and similar sale messaging. A significant fact to note is that this message was sent two weeks before St. Patty's Day, when the only evidence of the holiday seemed to be the Guiness display at the grocery store. By sending earlier, Puma got a jump on other retailers competing for attention around a similar type of message.

Ultimately, this type of messaging wont work for all brands and certainly wont resonate with all subscribers. You have to give credit to Puma for recognizing and speaking to a part of its audience, even with the inherent risk involved in moving away from safer options. No matter what your brand, it never hurts to examine new ways to make your messaging stand out and appeal to your followers. Who knows? You might just get lucky in a way you never expected.

From: Fairytale Brownies Specials
Subject Line: Free Shipping...at your request!
Date: Monday, March 1, 2010

By now, most marketers understand that social media channels function like a user group of your most loyal or most outspoken customers. They talk amongst themselves, about your brand and sometimes even with company representatives. By asking the right questions and participating in the conversation, you can let these avid fans shape your promotional strategy for the benefit of your entire audience. That's why I love this Fairytale Brownies message; they participated with their social network and reacted by presenting the most requested offer... Free Shipping.

I also love that they didn't just react by sending a free shipping offer but instead made it clear where the conversation took place and where you as a customer can have a direct conversation with them. Notice the call-to-action for social media, "What would you like? Join the conversation." This shows much more dedication to the channel than the typical "follow us on..." that most marketers employ.

From: Amazon.com & Netflix Subject Lines: Various Date: Friday, November 6, 2009 - Friday, March 12, 2010 If you're looking to increase user engagement & loyalty, personalization is sure to help. My advice: 1) Get creative. Think about what your subscriber would like to receive rather than what you want to send them. The more you know about your subscriber and use that information to target relevant messages, the more likely you are to hook that customer for the long haul. 2) Start a dialogue. Surveys are a great and easy way to find out what your subscribers are experiencing. If they report problems, work to correct them. 3) Seize the opportunity to add ratings and reviews to your website. They're sure to drive more traffic to your website. A good way to collect reviews: after a subscriber purchases a product, wait a few weeks (to give them time to test the product) and send them a friendly reminder to rate the product. Many people will be happy to share their good or bad experience. Two companies that I've noticed do an awesome job at personalization are Amazon.com and Netflix. Here are just a few examples of great personalization emails that they send: Amazon.com: Lets you to create a gift list for friends/family and sends you reminders when their birthdays are approaching. Allows you to be notified via email when a movie is available for order or pre-order, by request. Suggests product suggestions based on your browsing and order history. Netflix: Sends emails asking you to rate your movies. By rating your movie, Netflix can recommend other movies you might enjoy, based on what other users enjoyed who also liked that movie. And what's really awesome, is that they allow you to rate the movie with one-click in the email itself, simple & time-saving. Notifies you which movie has shipped and when you can expect it. Asks you when you mailed your movie to determine if they are sending/receiving movies in a timely manner according to their policy.

From: Southwest Airlines
Subject Line: Fly One, Get One FREE For Colorado Rapid Rewards Members!
Date: January, 2010

From: Southwest Airlines Landing Page

Not too long ago, I received an awesome email from Southwest Airlines. The 3 things I like most about this email are the fact that it's relevant, simple and truly rewarding.

1. It's relevant because I'm a Colorado resident, a Rapid Rewards member and I just happened to need travel booked in the month of January. How did they know? ☺

2. It's simple. The subject line explains what's in it for me. I recognize some marketers are hesitant to use the word FREE in a subject line, however, I believe this is a high value scenario when the benefits of using the word FREE outweigh the risk of content filtering. The 3 simple steps needed to book my trip were bulleted and straightforward. The registration landing page was short and sweet and had my rapid rewards number pre-populated in the form, it literally took me less than 5 seconds to read and click.

3. Taking advantage of this campaign was truly rewarding. I booked my flight a few days after I received this email and was excited about the perks of Business Select: a guaranteed group "A" boarding pass, Fly By Priority Check-in, security lanes at the airport and a drink coupon. Now that's rewarding. Luv'in Southwest.

From: CB2
Subject Line: Spring ahead of the times with CB2
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2010

I love how CB2 takes advantage of daylight savings to market their clocks. Not only are the clocks fun, but CB2's use of books to provide the background color is both visually appealing and appropriate for the product.

The simple copy makes the message seem almost like a public service announcement (which I like - it's so timely...). All the elements come together for a unified, relevant message.

Even with this email, however, I totally forgot about daylight savings until 11, which turned out to be noon. Oh well. They tried.

From: The Company Store
Subject Line: Last Day- Up to 75% Off Discontinued Colors
Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010

This Company Store email is an excellent example of how easily best practices can be undermined by a little bit of careless copy. There are a lot of good elements included here: the preheader, the nav bar, and the nice, big logo treatment are all great. However, I can't take this email seriously because it seems as though no one bothered to read it over before launching it. "You snooze, you loose?" Come on, folks. Editing saves lives! Well, maybe not. But it does save reputations.

From: net-a-porter.com
Subject Line: What's new for you on Monday
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:34 AM

In November, I shared my hesitations about NET-A-PORTER's designer preference-driven emails. I had been auto-signed up for Burberry designer updates because I purchased a Burberry ring, and was feeling relatively over-informed about Burberry products. Since then, I invested some serious time in selecting my true and varied preferences in NAP's robust preference center. Now, NET-A-PORTER is sending me some seriously relevant emails, and is making some serious cash off yours truly.

Basically, NAP sends me email messages so spot-on, it's like a personal shopper set up a dressing room just for me, filled with stuff I'm dying to try on. Not only do I open these emails, but I enable images, then wait for them all to download (all 2,660 pixels of them, in this case.)

No email comes too frequently and no email is too long if it's totally relevant to the recipient. In this case, it was the A.P.C. a-line denim skirt that got me.

Sidebar regarding shipping boxes: NET-A-PORTER's are beautiful, but Intermix's seem to be scented. An incredibly pleasant scent emerges when you open the box. Ah, package magic!

From: DKNY.com Subject Lines: Various Date: Monday February 1, 2010 - Monday, March 1, 2010 DKNY seems be stuck in a design rut. Since summer of 2009, I've been seeing a reoccurring trend in their designs (an image of a group of girls taken at the same distance & camera angle, paired with a headline). Every now and then they'll throw in a different email like a sale message or something for purses, but overall the repetitive design style has lost my interest. I might suggest trying some new & creative imagery, having the girls break out of the grid, adding in some color or additional imagery or trying a new template structure.

From: crewcuts
Subject Line: cooper's D.I.Y tips
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010

This is actually a spread from the physical catalog, but it completely grabbed my attention, and I'm hoping for crewcuts to create an email campaign based on the DIY idea. I have always been into crafting and all things creative, and particularly adore the ruffled seasaw dress with the dots. There's part of me that has an aversion to the idea of spending $64 for a kids dress and then messing it up with a marker, but really, the dot-finished look is like cuteness personified.