May 2010 Archives

From: UncommonGoods
Subject Line: Hire outside help this Memorial Day!
Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010

UncommonGoods has a very clever copywriter. I love how this email brings some life to otherwise common items like a grill, candleholders, and drinking glasses. Each product featured has a personality, like the bartender, "pretty to look at and always keeps its cool." All of the product descriptions tell you who to hire, why, and how they will make your Memorial Day party fun and well, memorable.

From: HR Baby&Child
Subject Line: Set Sail With Our Marlowe Panel Bedroom
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010

The text overlaying the light and dark parts of the background images makes this otherwise lovely email tough to read. Chad White posted a great Email Insider article the other day about how email designs are neglecting the needs of Baby Boomers - your biggest spending force, usually - by not having readable text. Other readability issues to watch out for include too-small text, low-contrast text and full caps. Make sure that people aren't missing your message just because they can't read it!  

From: Company Kids
Subject Line: Shhh! A secret offer just for you - up to 40% Off!
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010

Maybe I've been looking at Retail Emails too long, and perhaps I've gotten a little jaded, but I really can't help but wonder if the "random discount" is a great marketing strategy. It doesn't make any sense to me. First of all, why be secretive about a deal? Has the Company Store not heard about FTAF? I was enticed to click open the email by the second part of the subject line "...up to 40% Off!", but I know I would be disappointed if I only got 10% off my purchase.

And how do they determine the discount? Is it actually just "Buy More Save More", but with the dollar amounts in disguise, or does the person buying a couple of wash clothes have just as good a chance of hitting the 40% Off jackpot as the crazed pregnant lady who is nesting and feels compelled to buy new sheets and towels for her entire family? (I can poke fun - I've been there!)

Whatever the case may be, I have seen "Mystery Deal" emails before, so my guess is that they must have some relative success. Does anyone have inside information about this topic that they would care to share?

		From: JCPenny Subject Line: $4.99 Shipping! Make A Splash This Summer Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010 From: Ann Taylor Subject Line: Ann Taylor & InStyle Present Wear-To-Work Chic Trends + Enter For A Chance To Win A $500 Ann Taylor Gift Card Date: Friday, May 21, 2010 From: The Limited Subject Line: SAVE this Memorial Day Weekend With These Special Offers, Going On Now! Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010
I've noticed a new design trend: diagonal text. It can really add interest to a design when used properly. My suggestion is to keep text to a minimum and make sure the fonts are simple and large for readability. I also recommend only using this tactic on headlines while keeping your body copy HTML text to avoid images disabled issues.

From: Anthropologie Subject Line: Beach-bound outfits. Date: Thursday, May 13, 2010 Subject Line: Outfits, at once utilitarian and sweet. Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Subject Line: Frills and florals for your feminine side. Date: Saturday, May 22, 2010 Anthropologie has updated their look. New elements include a script headline, color splat, faded typewriter text and a broken up hero image. While the designs are nice to look at, I find the headlines difficult to read. Also, none of the fonts are HTML fonts, so images must be enabled in order to read the email. Is it worth having a great design if it means more work for your subscribers? I'd love to get other people's opinions, share your thoughts!

From: Ancestry.com
Subject Line: Thanks for your patience
Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010

From: Ancestry.com
Subject Line: A token of our appreciation
Date: Friday, May 21, 2010





Most of the time, I am Ancestry.com's biggest fan - I find it to be about 10 times more compelling than Facebook. All in all, they have one heck of a pretty slick package, ranging from their commercials (some of which are like works of art) and sponsorship of the TV show "Who Do You Think You Are?" to their website and email newsletters. Perhaps it is my complete addiction to Ancestry.com that caused me so much frustration this past Wednesday when the Family Tree member access portion of their site was down for nearly the entire day! Withdrawal is bitch.

I'm not overwhelmed with the apology emails that followed, as I don't think they went far enough. The first one was basically an announcement that they were back up and running and thanked me for my "patience" and being a "valued member". Hmmm. They shouldn't assume I was all that patient, and don't just thank me for being a good customer. I wonder if they received enough negative feedback from the first email to prompt them to send another apology email the following day offering a "token of appreciation". Emphasis on token. The second email was too wordy and mostly full of lip-service as it merely offered an extra day to the subscriptions of members. A small gesture (in their own words). I think that was the least they could offer, considering I couldn't access my "tree" for almost the whole day. If I were the "powers that be" at Ancestry.com, I might have offered something a little more generous, such as a free week's worth of membership or perhaps a one-time discount for any item from their on-line store (Ha! Then they could make money from their mistake!). I know that missteps will happen, but I really think that when they do, it should be used as an opportunity to make things better, and hopefully, your relationship with your client stronger.

All griping aside, I am still a complete junkie for Ancestry.com, and I'm right back to mainlining my favorite habit. :)

Thoughts, anyone?

From: French Connection
Subject Line: French Connection: California Cool
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010

French Connection's copywriter has provided the most interesting copy I've ever seen for a fashion retailer. It's quirky and shows a very distinct voice...with an accent. The headlines for "The Woman" campaign are full of humor, and I especially love that when I read them I can hear a French designer explaining the woman's look to me. The woman doesn't look like another bored model - she has a story!

As for the rest of the email, I like how colorful and simple the design is. It's light, airy, and goes well with what I feel is "California Cool." My one complaint is that the copy explaining the summer look is disconnected from the story about the woman. It has an entirely different voice and I feel like this message could be more interesting if that French designer was explaining retro beach style to me.

If you'd like to learn about French Connection's "The Man" campaign (it's also great), check out Martyn Miller's recent post here.

From: The Container Store
Subject Line: Have a summer camper? Send them packing in organized style
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010

When you think about summer shopping, The Container Store probably isn't the first destination that jumps to mind. This email is an awesome example of a brand finding ways to stay relevant to the summer season without offering bathing suits or vacation packages. Their tips for campers add value for the subscriber beyond the products and carve out a place for The Container Store in a parent's mental catalog of summer resources. In addition, summer is the perfect time to try out fun and risky layouts like this one - people are looking for fresh stuff and more open to your brand's playful side.

From: Patagonia
Subject Line: A candid look at production practices
Date: Monday, May 10, 2010

From: Patagonia
Microsite: The Footprint Chronicles









I'm really impressed by Patagonia's "The Footprint Chronicles" email and corresponding microsite. Patagonia takes a candid look at working conditions for people who build their products, sustainability, quality, and social and environmental responsibility.

The email and microsite show the environmental footprints of their products. Each product has a map that shows where the materials are from, where the products are made and shipped to. Patagonia also lists "the good" and "the bad" about their products and materials, as well as what they think about the overall footprint for that product.

I like that Patagonia not only highlights their effort to be environmentally and socially responsible, but shows the challenges they face in doing so and what they're doing to overcome them. I'm usually inclined to buy something if it looks good and the price is right, but now, I'll be more conscious of the overall impact clothing has on the world. Thank you, Patagonia, for the enlightenment!

From: INTERMIX Lust List
Subject Line: $150 Gift Card for a Few Minutes of Your Time (In Store Only)
Date: Friday, May 7, 2010 5:03 PM

I was a little bit amazed that INTERMIX offered me $150 to complete a survey! I'm used to "10% off"-type incentives. What do we think: is this a smart investment? How much are your customers' opinions worth?

From: giggle
Subject Line: more than just good looks
Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Giggle does such consistently strong work with their email creative that I just wanted to give them a shoutout. While the color scheme on this one seems a little wonky (to my non-designer eyes - and probably because of the color of the stroller), their copy nails it. From the subject line to the headlines on their submessage three-pack, the copy is fun, playful and professional, and it all sounds like stuff you might hear one hip mom say to another while sipping lattes at the playground. 

From: west elm
Subject Line: Tips for decorating with confidence
Date: Friday, May 7, 2010

I love that this email was not about the hard-sell, but instead provided helpful designing tips to subscribers. If you can inspire your subscribers to imagine how your product can benefit them, your job of selling will be a lot easier.

The tips were short and to the point, which was great. To inspire click-through, the email showed a teaser of three tips and provided a link to see all ten. The actual design of the email was also nice and light and had great flow.

The landing page also tied in nicely with the email design. One thing the landing page could have used: rollovers on the room images with product names/prices and the ability to link to those products.