BEST SUBJECT LINE

Winner: AchicaWinner: Achica

Subject line: 3,2,1 go! PANDORA on sale up to 70% off, hurry! Plus, Rituals gift sets, BODUM electricals, Snuggledown duvets & pillows, Copenhagen Candles & more

Why we chose it:

While symbols in subject lines aren’t novel anymore, it’s not often they are used to add meaning.

Why it’s great:

We’ve written previously about using special characters in subject lines and we believe that it is the way you use symbols, not simply the fact that you use them, that determines their value. In this subject line, the symbols go beyond eye-catching decoration and form a valuable part of the message itself. Countdowns are powerful motivators for consumers, so it makes sense to use symbols to highlight the urgency of the sale. It’s the key part of the message for the consumer and including it in this eye-catching way gives the message prominence over other emails in the inbox. The countdown message then leads scan-readers directly to ‘PANDORA’ and ‘70% off’, distilling the primary message of this multi-proposition subject line into 3 key words. This is a great example of how intelligent use of symbols can go beyond the use of sunshines in summer and love hearts at Valentine’s.

BEST CREATIVE

Winner: Schuh

Subject line: We’re well jel

Why we chose it:

Using billboard-style ads, Schuh have created an email that’s as much about brand impact as it is about selling their product.

Why it’s great:

Being original isn’t an easy thing to do. But by straying from the usual formula of the retail sector, we think Schuh have achieved it here. Rather than use a single e-shot style email or several small product images, Schuh has chosen to prominently feature three ad-style messages. Each product is displayed in a bold or unusual way, from the ‘jelly and ice cream’ hero image down to the flower petal animation. Though each section follows the same basic structure – headline, image, body copy, CTA – Schuh has not tried to enforce consistency between them. Instead each product dictates the style for its own section, for example a childish, handwritten font is used to complement the jelly sandals, while a chunky serif sits alongside the white shoes.Everything from the vibrant colours to the informal copy and cultural references have been chosen with the audience in mind, and the clean end result feels more like a billboard or magazine advert than part of a marketing email (even the navigation bar is subtly integrated into the image rather than sitting above it.) But great email design is not just about looking good – it needs to be functional too. While the design doesn’t follow every best practice – there’s no live text and no CTA above the fold for example – it does work for its mobile-focused audience. Big images, large fonts and easily-clickable CTAs mean it’s easy to read and interact with on a small screen. This results in an uncluttered and un-distracting experience for subscribers, which is rounded off with the fun animation at the end.

BEST COPY

Winner: Uncommon Goods

Subject line: The Goods: A Belated Valentine

Why we chose it:

Less is usually considered more when it comes to email copywriting, so this one from Uncommon Goods really caught our eye.

Why it’s great:

While most brands focussed on cashing in on the run up to Valentine’s Day, Uncommon Goods broke the mould by following up three days later with ‘A belated Valentine’s message’. The unusual approach certainly caught our attention, and probably that of many subscribers. Laid out in a traditional letter format, complete with salutation and sign off, the email appears important and service based. But despite the copy being a large block of text across the full width of the email, it is still light and easy to read. This is in part thanks to the large font, but it is also down to the varying pace and immersive introduction. With an unexpectedly informal tone and personal greeting, the introduction catches attention quickly. The unusual opening line, despite that whole groundhog thing, leads in to an engaging story that paints a very human picture.

The second half of the copy is dedicated to promoting the brand’s web content. This change in purpose is subtly and effectively marked with a heart symbol, which acts as a divide to signify the shift in content without disrupting the flow of the letter layout. All of the content in the letter also features beneath it in a traditional newsletter layout – each with an image, copy, and CTA. Duplicate messages in two different formats increases the chances that key promotional messages will be seen. In fact, despite its appearance as a special Valentine’s letter, this is the brand’s standard template for engagement pieces. It’s a great example of how you can use longer copy to set a different tone and expectation in your promotional emails, if it’s right for your purpose and audience.

Last updated: Oct 17, 2016  admin

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