The Alchemy Worx inbox was brimming with excellent examples of email craft this quarter, making the job of picking three category winners tougher than ever. Now it’s over to you. Help us choose an overall winner by voting in our Subscriber’s Choice Award. And if you’ve seen or sent something you think is impressive, email it to us. You might even find it up for nomination next time. Your Q1, 2012 winner Pizza Express’s Valentine’s Day mailing scooped the Subscribers’ Choice Award for Q1, with an impressive 72% of the vote. For more sparks of email inspiration, check out the Q1 shortlist.
Best Creative
Winner: Brooks BrothersCampaign: $2000 Polo Box Set
Why we chose it
This simple design showcases brand and product extremely well. The creative entices recipients to scroll to the end of the mailing, where the offer and the full range of colors are promoted. Brooks Brothers have ignored best-practice advice by producing a very long email with CTAs well below the fold, but the inventive execution ensures their message stands out in the inbox.
Why it’s great
Who: Branding in the top left-hand corner makes clear who this message is from, while clever use of imagery reinforces the brand identity throughout, with each polo top presenting an extra opportunity to display the company logo.
What: The offer (44 polo tops for $2,000) is well communicated through succinct copy and colorful imagery, while design showcases the full range of colors available.
Why: After scrolling to the bottom, recipients are presented with three CTAs, offering direct links to the deal of their choice. For those recipients who don’t have a $2000 budget, the option to buy ‘Just One or Two’ polo tops features prominently in this area. There’s even a short timeframe to convey urgency and drive immediate action.
Best Copy
ZipcarCampaign: Subscriber newsletter
Why we chose it
Zipcar’s copy really stood out to us this quarter – not for one particular mailing but for their overall approach to copywriting. The mixture of humor, playfulness and every day, conversational English successfully builds personality for this short-term vehicle hire firm. Their tone of voice is cheerful and personal without sounding overly contrived, and, importantly, it is applied consistently and religiously to all copy pods in each mailing, as well as to every mailing over time. This consistency, which can be difficult to achieve with multiple contributors and approval processes, effectively builds and reinforces the Zipcar brand. To top it all off, the copy is tight, tidy and error free.
Why it’s great
Who: The Zipcar copy is a key element of their branding. Their tone, which is used across multiple media, ties all communications together, while building a richer brand identity. Copy is 100% brand-focused, yet feels natural.
WHAT: In their quest for personality, the copywriters have not forgotten the main purpose of the email: to encourage car hire. A good balance is struck between brand tone of voice and key sales messages. Copy is offer-led, consumer focused and aligns itself with recipients by appearing to be written by driving enthusiasts -just like you, rather than a cold corporation. However, the writers don’t let tone get in the way of delivering simple instructions. The writers at Zipcar are pass masters at articulating what can at times be quite complicated processes in simple, straightforward English – a deceptively difficult task. Mindful that employing long copy can be dangerous, the writers offset this risk by using short, punchy sentences (hero copy averages around 6 words per sentence). Use of the active, rather than passive voice, further aids the flow and pace.
WHY: Zipcar writers have gone down the route of engagement – exploring the emotional aspects of driving, the fun to be had with family and friends, the adventures you go on, the places you can explore. The tone across all these emails is overwhelmingly positive – almost breathless. Zipcar sound as excited as we are about having fun with driving, or about getting out on the roads to explore, have adventures and check out events. The enthusiasm is infectious.
Best Strategy
Winner: TescoCampaign: Personalized Favorites
Why we chose it
Tesco’s strategy here is twofold. First, overcome the tricky challenge of making everyday grocery items seem exciting. Second, encourage repeat online business from their more active, loyal customers. In terms of the first, it was the subtle use of customer data to personalize the mailing, and particularly the products displayed within, that impressed us most. This brings to life what would otherwise be a rather standard montage of groceries, and immediately makes a connection with recipients. Meanwhile, the central offer (£20 off) keeps the focus on repeat online business, using a slow reveal of the offer details to tease recipients through the email. By the time the email finishes explaining how to take advantage of the offer, recipients are greeted by a list of their personal favorites and an invite to start shopping.
Why it’s great
WHO: This email does the basic things well, with the Tesco brand logo, as well as the grocery department, clearly communicated through the logo, imagery and navigation included in the mailing.
WHAT: Copy and imagery clearly communicate the ‘Save £20’ offer, making clear even to skim readers what this mailing is about. The ‘Personalized Favorites’ section directly under the offer showcases five frequently purchased items and brands for each subscriber. The message here is that your favorite items are ready and waiting without you needing to search but their inclusion is also likely to have a more subtle influence on subscribers. These are products that are likely to resonate. They buy them regularly, so obviously like them, and most likely see them on a daily basis in their homes. This gives a grocery mailing from a large retailer an extremely personal feel, giving subscribers the sense that Tesco know who they are and what they like.
WHY: This personalization builds brand affinity and provides an effective prompt to subscribers to buy a specific product, and in turn a larger online grocery order.
And the Wooden Spoon goes to…
Without naming names, we also received some campaigns this quarter that we felt could be improved. Abandoned basket mailings offer a great opportunity for marketers, but care should be taken to ensure the logic used does not alienate potential purchasers. This online retailer appeared to be doing all the right things – like asking for email address early in the purchasing process and setting up and deploying an automated, timely abandoned basket mailing. Then it all comes apart in the execution by mailing the exact same message every day for 15 days, with no ‘unsubscribe’ option. At Alchemy Worx, we’re big advocates of the high-frequency approach, but only when you have something to say. Tailoring these messages – or at least the subject lines – and including a time-sensitive incentive at certain points could have increased the effectiveness of the campaign, and reduced the likelihood of alienating potential customers.
Last updated: Oct 17, 2016 admin
