As we fly past the halfway mark of 2014, we’ve taken a brief pause to round up some of our favorite emails from Q2. From the beautifully crafted to the perfectly timed, here are our picks from the months that saw Easter, Father’s Day and the World Cup.
Best creative
Winner: Notonthehighstreet
Subject line: Here’s 10% off for Father’s Day gifts with…
Why we chose it:
For the subtle details that push the boundaries of standard email design
Why it’s great:
The depth and level of detail in this Father’s Day email from Notonthehighstreet goes far beyond the one dimensional and boxy design of most emails. This is achieved through small but effective design touches. The keys seem to hang behind the photos rather than just alongside them, images overlap and backgrounds are used – from canvas to paint – to introduce texture and give an impression of layering. Extra charm is also added through quirks and unexpected touches, like the occasional off-kilter image and imperfect diagonal lines. These are all things that you don’t usually see in emails, where design can be inhibited by HTML limitations. And that’s the difference here, it feels as though it has been designed freely and then made to work in email, rather than being designed to the limitations of the channel. In turn, the complexity of the design and attention to detail make the email feel more content-rich and intriguing. And of course functionality hasn’t been compromised. It has live text, clear CTAs and a mobile-friendly structure. The functionality and interactivity is taken to another level though CSS techniques that allow links to underline when hovered over. All these small touches add up to a unique design that reflects the home-made and personal ethos that the company promotes.
Best subject line
Winner: innocent
Subject line: THIS EMAIL WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE*
Why we chose it:
It’s a brave and humorous choice that demonstrates a good understanding of subject line strategies
Why it’s great:
A subject line in full caps lock that makes a wild and inaccurate claim is an unlikely choice for our top pick. So why did we choose this one by innocent? Although it might seem unusual, and in fact uses two techniques that some say should be avoided in subject lines, we think it is actually very effective. The caps lock undeniably does the job of standing out in the inbox, but the message is humorous rather than pushy, and the sender name adds context to make it intriguing rather than annoying. The asterisk in the subject line is also a clever detail that further engages recipients and piques interest. The snippet then adds clarity and humour to this, by following up with the disclaimer *entertain you for at least the next 6 minutes – a great example of how the two elements should work in conjunction. Within the email, innocent point out that this is part of a subject line testing strategy, which clarifies the reason behind it. But even without pointing this out, innocent could have successfully used this subject line simply because their branding and tone of voice allows for it. This demonstrates the importance of your from name and your audience’s expectations in deciding what is or isn’t suitable as a subject line. It also shows that capitals and other common ‘spam’ techniques don’t necessarily mean poor delivery rates and a one-way ticket to the junk folder.
Best strategy
Winner: Asda
Subject line: Sorry, we made a mistake
Why we chose it:
A timely and effective apology email that ticks every box
Why it’s great:
The day before this email was received, Asda sent a mailing featuring a tablet which communicated an incorrect price – it was priced at £199 rather than £139.
So they quickly rectified it with this strong apology email. It does everything that an apology email should; it has an effective subject line, arrived within a day of the original email and has a clear and reassuring tone that points out the mistake, apologises and even highlights the benefits of the new price. But although we didn’t open the original email (and when we checked it out later, the image and alt tag both displayed the correct price), a positive error such as this wouldn’t usually require an apology. Nevertheless, Asda took the opportunity to send another email to remarket the product and the low price. And since apology emails tend to produce higher than average open rates and can be very effective when well executed, this small error may actually have worked in Asda’s favor.
Bonus section: World Cup points scorers
World Cup fever swept across inboxes in June and July, here are our pick of two standout campaigns we received in the early part of the tournament. These companies delivered imaginative, timely and reactive campaigns prompted by the competition’s most controversial moments.
Protein world
Subject line: Oh dear – little treat to cheer you up…
As England fans licked their wounds after losing to Uruguay, Protein World were quick off the mark to ease their pain. With a relevant subject line, nice typography and a simple offer, they reacted in record time – the email landed at 10pm BST the same night. It was part of a wider programme they ran offering larger or smaller discounts based on whether England won or lost. It’s a great example of how easily a timely message can piggyback on the current zeitgeist.
Betfair
Subject line: Let the Second Round commence
With a clever logo change and some foodie-themed intro copy, Betfair rebranded as Bitefair following the most controversial event of the contest – the Suarez bite. Landing while the topic was a hot talking point two days after Fifa issued Suarez’s ban – it was a humorous and subtle update to make an otherwise standard email stand out. Unfortunately it was hidden behind a generic subject line, so their impromptu rebranding may not have enjoyed maximum impact.
Last updated: Oct 17, 2016 admin
