fall 2011 Email GallErylook Book

iNTroDUCTioN

Looking for a little creative inspiration? You’ve come to the right place! Take a break and peruse our snapshot collection of emails that caught our collective eyes. Discover how the right blend of creative, copywriting, subject line writing, and design made these 26 email marketers tops on our list! Walk away with best practice tips to enhance your next email campaign. Once again, the Look Book returns with its popular back-and-forth critique. Hear what our experts have to say about the hottest email marketing tactic: horizontal emails.

NEW! In this edition, be sure to check out the Look Book Email Scorecard. Members from Epsilon’s Strategic Consulting and Advanced Analytics Group scored each email according to a list of industry best practice. Roll over the checkmark next to each email and see how marketers fared for their ability to get noticed in the inbox, to generate click-throughs, and for their use of creative design. Scores were distributed based on the following criteria: open rate, sender name, subject line, pre-header text, preview pane optimization, open rate, total clicks, Web visits, navigation, creative appearance, layout, and messaging.

Email Institute’s Fall 2011 Email Gallery Look Book awaits...

Take your email program to the next level with Strategic Services from Epsilon – find out more!

SCorECarD

New for this edition, Email Institute is featuring a Scorecard rating system throughout the Fall 2011 Look Book. Each email has been rated on a scale from 1 (needs work) to 10 (strong) across three best practice dimensions:

The InboxThe Goal: Getting noticed in the inboxAspects: Sender Name, Subject Line, Pre-header Text and Preview Pane Optimization

Content & Creative:The Goal: Generate clicks and Web visitsAspects: Overall Layout/Design, Image Suppression Optimization, Copywriting, Call-to-action, Cross Platform Rendering

Targeting:The Goal: Optimize value exchangeAspects: Familiarity, Personalization, Dynamic Content, Exclusivity, Value Exchange

P Hover over the checkmark to view the Scorecard on each page.

s u b j e c t l i n e

CampiNG CUiSiNE & So mUCh S’morE

Tablespoon sure knows how to satisfy my cravings! The Consumer Packaged Goods brand whets subscribers’ ap-petites with mouthwatering creative and snappy copywrit-ing designed to please the finickiest readers. The appeal-ing content offers signaling calls-to-action to direct end users to specific content of interest. Strong sub-headers act as content dividers to make the email easily digestible and pleasing to the eyes. The hero image really grabs my attention (my stomach is growling just looking at it!). And the tabbed elements provide additional opportunities for engagement. With emails like this one, Tablespoon has left me asking for seconds and thirds.

from: Tablespoon industry | CPG: Food & Beverage Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

BUrGErS, BarS aND BlooDy maryS

Are you hungry for a good email? Betty Crocker fills your appetite with this sample. The snappy subject line lures readers in for a closer peek and Betty Crocker doesn’t disappoint. Vibrant photos make this email shine. The brand helps recipients navigate the content by including modules with sub-headers and sharp background color. Not only does the email promote social media, but it includes a fun poll and intriguing Q&A to keep people engaged. Multiple calls-to-action keep readers interested and craving more!

from: Betty Crocker industry | CPG: Food & Beverage Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

EXTra, EXTra! iT’S ThE CroCk CoUNTry ChroNiClE

It’s not everyday that you come across an enewsletter that you want to savor for a bit. But Country Crock invokes that very feeling thanks to the look and feel of its “newspaper” enewsletter. What’s not to love? The email is not only aesthetically-pleasing, but it’s functional as well. Readers can easily scan the content, just like a newspaper, for the latest news from the brand. The creative nicely ties in well into the brand’s ‘country’ theme. Beyond the appealing layout, the copywriting is what makes this enewsletter rise to the top. The inclusion of social media and link for a coupon make this one an all-time favorite in my book.

from: Your Friends at Country Crock industry | CPG: Food & Beverage Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

molly ShaNNoN <3’S NEW SkiNNy CoW ChoColaTE CaNDy

Moove over ladies, there’s a new girl in town. Comedian Molly Shannon serves up her latest role as a spokesperson in this light-hearted Skinny Cow monthly enewsletter. The use of a well-known celebrity gives this email the star power it needs to reach its target. The vibrant colors really make this email pop! Skinny Cow knows the importance of informing subscribers by including visible calls-to-action. While the pre-header text is a little lengthy, the organic grid design and the well written text make reading this enewsletter a true pleasure.

from: Skinny Cow industry | CPG: Food & Beverage Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

EaSy oNE-DiSh BakES & CroWD-plEaSiNG CaSSErolES

Did someone say dinner? That’s music to my ears. Kraft makes mealtime a snap with its engaging and scrumptious-looking enewsletter full of recipes and other sweet treats. The Consumer Packaged Goods brand nicely breaks its content into buckets in the vertical scrolling message to aid readability. What makes this enewsletter stand apart from the pack are the user reviews and video tutorial. The rating scale and comments give the recipes credibility and offer that needed push to persuade subscribers to try the dishes out for themselves. With this enewsletter, Kraft definitely satisfies my yearning for some good recipes.

from: Kraft Recipes | Food & Family industry | CPG: Food & Beverage Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

happy BirThDay from CiTi!It’s always thoughtful to be remembered on your birthday. It’s especially nice when email marketers take the time to send along some well wishes. In a rare move, Citibank borrows a page from retailers to acknowledge a subscriber’s birthday. Citibank uses the birthday-themed message to upsell its Extra Cash program, and sweetens the offer with a special birthday incentive. The image of the birthday cake helps reinforces the celebratory theme. This well-executed email is cutting edge for the financial services industry. It’s a practice you don’t find many competitors following. But this is something I want to see more of in my inbox!

from: Citi Cards industry | Financial Services: Banking Email Type | Birthday

s u b j e c t l i n e

ComiNG SEpTEmBEr 15Th! prEViEW oUr NEW WEBSiTE

Let’s face it. Generating excitement about new website features can be a bit of a challenge for any company, especially for those in the financial services industry. But Chase set the right tone with this email. Using detailed imagery, the company effectively communicates the coming changes to its website and immediately pulls subscribers in. The visual elements make what would normally be considered a bland email stand out. While Chase could improve the creative elements of the message with colored framing, the email is a good sample of what competitors should reference in their own website update communications.

from: Chase Freedom industry | Financial Services: CC/Banking Email Type | Retention: Announcement

s u b j e c t l i n e

EUpDaTE SEpTEmBEr 2011

There are a number of important components that make up a good email, but one key to success is organization. AAA highlights its knack for organization with this monthly example. The enewsletter is chock full of information from everything to travel destinations and discounts to insurance offers and home solutions. While the message is content heavy, AAA nicely packages the information into little chunks to guide subscribers through the email. The exquisite creative also helps readers pour though the content. This is a great approach for marketers, but it’s important to test and question how the outcome may impact your GPI. And in AAA’s case, it’s appears to be a home run.

from: AAA Colorado industry | Insurance Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

USaa SECUriTy ZoNE fiGhTS Email fraUD

In this day of email fraud, it pays to be careful. USAA shows subscribers just how concerned it is about protecting their accounts by offering an enhanced security feature. The subject line commands attention, alerting readers that this is one email that shouldn’t be ignored. The inclusion of the subscriber’s first name offers a sense of one-to-one communication to help personalize the email. What the email lacks in creative brilliance, it quickly makes up for with useful security tips and other helpful information. USAA illustrates that emails don’t always have to include beautiful images to be effective.

from: USAA industry | Financial Email Type | InformationalInsurance,

s u b j e c t l i n e

fEaTUrED haNDBaGS + aCCESSoriES: GET 10% off + frEE ShippiNG

It’s not always easy to make an email shine, but Ecoist knows how to dazzle end users...literally. The secrets to the retailer’s success are video and stunning product shots. Vibrant creative and crisp products shots go far to make a message pop, but Ecoist heightens that notion in this email. The retailer also includes a video with control bars to offer viewers an all-important interactive component to the message. The clear calls-to-action and easy-to-follow navigation further complement the email’s look, and pulls subscribers in for a closer look.

from: Ecoist industry | Retail: Apparel & Accessories Email Type | Retention: Promotional -

Incentive

s u b j e c t l i n e

iNTroDUCiNG mEN’S apparEl. lEVi’S. BEN ShErmaN. DiESEl. aND morE.

Introducing a new product line always creates a sense of anticipation. But it’s important to match that level of excitement with an email of the same caliber. Take a cue from Piperlime. The retailer takes a “no-holds barred” approach introducing a new men’s apparel line displaying numerous brands and product images in the background. The email offers a unique approach to illustrate different buckets of products. It’s a shopper’s dream! What I like best is Piperlime’s humor to entice shoppers to update their preferences with the ‘E-Male’ pun. That’s a classic! While the email may contain too many images for some subscrib-ers, Piperlime does a great job of showcasing the breadth of its products.

from: Piperlime industry | Retail: Apparel & Accessories Email Type | Retention: Promotional -

Acquisition

s u b j e c t l i n e

yoUr ShoppiNG CarT iS So NEEDy...

I’m usually not the forgetful type, especially when it comes to shopping. But everyone needs a reminder once in a while. Zappos does a great job with its friendly prompt to help me complete a missed purchase. The shoe retailer adds the right amount of levity in its subject line to capture attention. The email’s transactional appearance is a great approach to abandoned shopping cart emails. By including item descriptors, pictures, and pricing, Zappos makes the check out process a breeze. Now, all I have left to do is to find something to match my new pair of shoes.

from: Zappos industry | Retail: Apparel & Accessories Email Type | Reminder

s u b j e c t l i n e

holD mE CloSEr yoGi DaNCErCalling all yogi dancers! Lululemon catches subscribers’ eyes with an enticing subject line that plays on a well-known Elton John song. The email uses many best practices, including pre-header text and options to view online and within mobile. Lululemon places the main call-to-action, for the reader to check out yoga essen-tials, above the fold. It also includes customer feedback on items the brand deems essential and gives readers the ability to immediately determine if it’s a must-have item for their yogi closet. As you scroll through the email you’ll come to an eye-catching box inviting you to be a fan on Facebook. Lululemon not only invites email subscribers to join its Facebook page but it does a nice job on Facebook of inviting fans to sign-up for email. An email essential!

from: Lululemon Athletica industry | Retail: Apparel & Accessories Email Type | Promotional

s u b j e c t l i n e

hoW iS yoUr NEW paTaGoNia GEar WorkiNG for yoU?

Looking for a way to make your retail emails sizzle? Try using dynamic content. Patagonia hits a home run with this survey email. The targeted email includes dynamic content specific to the recipient requesting feedback (positive or negative) on a recent purchase. It’s always impressive when retailers include images in an email of items that custom-ers purchased. It makes the content not only relevant, but worth a closer look. What’s more, the pleasant tone of the message makes most people want to offer their opinion. The copy is neither imposing nor demanding. The clever subject line also does a great job of piquing the recipient’s curiosity. It certainly caught my attention!

Brand | Patagonia industry | Retail: Apparel & Accessories Email Type | Survey

s u b j e c t l i n e

yoU. NiNE friENDS. ThE pErfECT fEaST.

Email invitations always pique my curiosity. I just have to know what’s inside. And UrbanDaddy doesn’t disappoint. The retailer goes to great lengths to make its invite feel extra special. This well-executed message exudes a blend of elegance and importance that you might typically associ-ate with a “typical” paper invitation. How clever! Prominent calls-to-action offer several ways to access the content via images and text hyperlinks clearly make this email a winner. The simple, clean subject line and appropriate messaging quickly communicate that subscribers are in for a treat! UrbanDaddy can count me in!

from: UrbanDaddy industry | Retail: Discount Email Type | Acquisition - Invitation

s u b j e c t l i n e

STEamBoaT GETaWay for 2

As a Living Social subscriber, I’m always searching for a good deal. And that’s just what I saw, and more, in this email. Living Social assembles a nicely organized email pitching get-away escapes that one usually dreams about. The black frames do the email justice, helping direct readers to the meat of the message. The crisp images give the email its visual appeal, enticing recipients to have a closer look. While Living Social could have condensed the main cell to allow for additional content, the email accomplishes its goal of encouraging clicks.

from: LivingSocial Deals industry | Retail: Discount Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

opUS rESTaUraNT: fiVE-CoUrSE DiNiNG EXpEriENCE for TWo ($150 ValUE) aT opUS rESTaUraNT

Groupon knows what it takes to create a good enewsletter: a good subject line, plenty of calls-to-action, and a sharp layout. Groupon entices subscribers with a clever subject line designed to boost open rates. The clean, block design makes scanning the email a breeze. It’s a refreshing change of pace. While the enewsletter seems to lack alluring creative you might find in other emails, sometimes simplicity is best. Groupon strikes the right chord with this enewsletter to keep me as a long-time subscriber.

from: Groupon industry | Retail: Discount Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

SiZZliN’ SUmmEr CoUpoNS, piCNiC rECipES & BEST BUrGEr ToppiNGS

Now here’s an eye-catching enewsletter! H-E-B puts the fun back in email reading with this refreshing example. The supermarket chain grabs readers’ attention with a snappy subject line. Once opened, sharp calls-to-action direct subscribers to a variety of actions intended to boost click rates. There’s so much to choose from, everything from recipes and wine choices to a sweepstakes and list of sundae toppings. What I like best about the email is its appearance. The inclusion of white space surrounding the creative and modules gives the enewsletter a clean, uncluttered look. For me, the only thing this email lacks is some catchy pre-header text, but the content more than makes up for that!

from: H-E-B industry | Retail: Food & Drug Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

s u b j e c t l i n e

$1 ShippiNG ToDay oNly! + ThE WorlD’S BEST hoUSEWarmiNG EVENT SEpTEmBEr 17Th

Invitations always catch my eye, so it’s no surprise why this email from Bath & Body Works drew my attention. The retailer uses stunning creative to invoke a welcoming feel to promote its in-store (and online) housewarming sale. (Can’t you just smell the pumpkin treats?) I love how the company sets expectations of the day’s event with a mini agenda. The email includes a sense of urgency to spark excitement and generate interest. While emails that are designed as one large image don’t follow best practices, Bath & Body Works executes this message flawlessly with its block layout and enticing offers.

from: Bath & Body Works industry | Retail: Health & Beauty Email Type | Invitation - Multichannel

s u b j e c t l i n e

Top-BraND CampiNG GEar + SaVE Up To 30% oN CloThiNG

Camping anyone? REI illustrates some of the finer points of camping “REI style” with this clever email. The mes-sage sells a story to subscribers offering “Everything But the Sunrise” with a strong lifestyle image and prominent call-outs designed to make any outing a success. It nicely anticipates image suppression and lets end users shop with or without images. Beyond the creative, the sharp copy-writing propels this message to the top of the list. What’s more, the email complements a direct mail piece to extend the campaign’s reach. It seems the only thing REI can’t do with this email is guarantee the weather.

from: REI Gearmail industry | Retail: Sporting Goods Email Type | Retention: Promotional

s u b j e c t l i n e

WElComE To BaCkCoUNTry.Com

Backcountry.com rolls out the red carpet to new subscrib-ers with this brilliant welcome email. The brand smartly keeps its “Welcome” theme as the primary message while at the same time it thanks consumers and communicates the brand’s benefits. The email offers the WIIFM - “What’s In It for Me?” factor with its “Here’s What We’re All About” and “What’s Different” copy. Backcountry.com sets expec-tations from the start by telling recipients how often they can expect to receive an email. There’s nothing better than a strong welcome to greet consumers to an email program. And if supplementary emails are as solid as this warm welcome, Backcountry can count me in as loyal customer for the long haul.

from: Backcountry.com industry | Retail: Sporting Goods Email Type | Acquisition: Welcome

s u b j e c t l i n e

friENDS & family EVENT - 2 DayS oNly!‏

As an avid shopper, it’s hard for me to resist a good sale, especially when it involves coupons. Atmosphere features a full page coupon in its email to drive recipients in-store. While some retailers can create some confusion about coupons, Atmosphere uses a clever scissors icon and large call-to-action to make its coupon cut-out obvious for us-ers. The discount savings gives the message the prominence it needs. While the email is a bit sparse in the creative department, there’s no uncertainty about the goal behind this message for both consumers and the retailer.

from: Atmosphere industry | Retail: Sporting Goods Email Type | Retention: Promotional - Multichannel

s u b j e c t l i n e

WElComE To ThE NEW & improVED BUilDaBEar.Com + SaViNGS iNSiDE!‏

Traditional welcome emails can go a long way toward building a relationship with customers. But Build-a-Bear Workshop offers a new spin on that approach by introduc-ing the brand’s new website in this beautifully designed “welcome” email. It’s a tactic not enough marketers practice and a wonderful addition to my inbox. The bright email captures readers’ attention, and the block text layout makes the content easy to read. While one large image in an email traditionally goes against email marketing best practices, Build-a-Bear Workshop pulls this message well.

from: Build-A-Bear Workshop industry | Retail: Toys & Hobbies Email Type | Retention: Announcement

s u b j e c t l i n e

SEE hoW WE’rE ShoWiNG oUr lUV To oUr CommUNiTiES & CUSTomErS

Companies that send out enewsletters often run the risk of jamming so much information into the message that it makes it difficult to read. Southwest Airlines is one clear exception. The company designed an impeccable enewsletter that features a simple format that’s sure to please. Each section of the email highlights a specific call-to-action to encourage clicks. Individual dividers, which prevent content from bumping up against each other, give the enewsletter a clutter-free appearance. This is one enewsletter that I’ll look forward to seeing in the inbox.

from: Southwest In A Nutshell industry | Travel & Hospitality: Airlines Email Type | Retention: Newsletter

From: The AAdvantage Dining Program

Industry | Travel & Hospitality: Airlines

Email Type | Retention: Promotional

s u b j e c t l i n e

EaT, drInk and Earn aadvanTagE mIlEs nEarbyFrom a purely creative perspective, I think both theHelzberg Diamonds and Rewards Networks (for theAmerican Airlines AAdvantage Dining program) horizon-tal scrolling emails are very well done. It makes sensethat each has the horizontal layout, given the extendedcharm bracelet concept for Helzberg and RewardsNetwork’s restaurant dining order concept.

I’ve seen some horizontal scrolling emails that used the creative treatment just for the sake of doing some-thing different, without a logical tie-in to the product or service. Neither of these emails suffers from that problem. I especially like the amount of detail and personalization in the Rewards Network email. It customizes the restaurant selections based on the subscriber’s Zip Code, and is a great example of using geo-located targeting.

While the Helzberg email doesn’t seem personalized to the individual subscriber, it is still very relevant to the numerous life events that make for great charm gifting ideas.

One area of creative improvement I’d like to see on both is a stronger call-out to “Scroll” right. Each hasthat direction, but it gets lost among the other creativeelements. Given that most email subscribers are notused to seeing horizontal scrolling emails, it’s criticalthat they know there is more content to the right.

From a strategy perspective, I’d be curious to see howthe emails perform relative to regular emails. Whilethe horizontal scrolling is a novel concept, is it payingoff in terms of higher click rates?

The Rewards Network email suffers from a notable lack of prominent calls-to-action, so it seems like it would be harder to compare performance versus the usual vertical scrolling emails. The Helzberg email at least has some prominent calls-to-action as you scroll to the right. Some of my clients have used horizontal scrolling emails, but the performance often doesn’t match up to the creative “wow” factor.

We know that about half of all email readers won’t scroll down in an email. I’ve seen similar, or slightly worse, behavior for horizontal emails, since a lot of subscribers don’t know to scroll right. My sincerehope is that whenever anyone is considering this typeof layout, it’s important to test it head-to-head againsta standard email layout and validate that the “coolfactor” matches the click rate.

From: Helzberg Diamonds

Industry | Retail: Jewelry Email Type | Retention: Promotional

s u b j e c t l i n e

CElEbraTE WITH EXprEssIOns + an EXCITIng nEW addITIOn

Consumers quickly grow accustomed to a brand’s standard email layout so horizontal emails, like the two featured here, can be a great way to interrupt the consumer experience, create excitement, and drive engagement.

Helzberg Diamonds and Rewards Network use the horizontal design to serve different purposes. In the Helzberg Diamonds email, scrolling isn’t necessary to fully comprehend the content. The primary message, a few examples of the featured charms and the main call-to-action, are all visible without scrolling. But the reader is probably willing to scroll right because the chain extends in that direction. The Rewards Network email uses a teaser approach to encourage the reader to scroll. You know you can earn rewards, but you have to scroll right to find out where.

Both emails are effective and I think it makes sense that each brand took the approach that it did. The Helzberg Diamonds email isn’t a regularly scheduled email so it was smart to make scrolling a bonus. The teaser approach is a little riskier because the reader could miss out on the personalized details, but Rewards Network applied this to an email that consumers receive regularly and are already familiar with the content.

Horizontal email design is certainly worth testing, but I’d stick to a maximum height of 550 to 600 pixels. You don’t want the user to have to scroll vertically in addition to horizontally. It’s also important to make sure the most important content is within the 500 to 600 pixel width.

As the world’s largest global permission-based email provider, Epsilon joins the latest technologies,

customer analytics, and digital expertise with creativity to help our clients achieve peak email

performance and response.

Find out What We Can Do For You.

Call 1.800.309.0505

Copyright © 2011 Epsilon Data Management, LLC.All Rights Reserved.