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“They educate beyond the product to truly set themselves apart from competitors.”

I was immediately captivated by ARMRA's email featuring the powerful subject line "Accept No Substitutes." The clean branding perfectly complements the extensive consumer education that's true to the ARMRA brand. What makes this email stand out is how it transcends a basic product pitch, taking the time to educate consumers and clearly differentiate the product from competitors. The clearly displayed claims appear clean and cohesive, enhancing the product's credibility, while strategic CTAs throughout guide the customer journey effectively.

“It's fun engagement without the hard sell—just pure brand experience.”

This LUSH email caught my attention through its creative gamification of a tarot card experience, making for a genuinely engaging interaction. Rather than focusing solely on online conversion, the email cleverly encourages in-store visits, promoting an omnichannel experience by inviting customers to visit their local LUSH location for a similar tarot experience. I appreciate that it's simply a fun email—from the distinctive branding and imagery to the refreshing absence of a "hard sell" component.

“They make sustainability personal by sharing team members' own recycling ideas.”

Glossier's "Don't Toss It!" email resonated with me for its simple, clean branding and easily stackable content—a perfect format for cutting through busy inboxes. The sustainability focus particularly impressed me, as I value brands that consider their products' full lifecycle and actively involve customers in realizing their sustainability vision. What adds authenticity to the email is how it features ideas from Glossier team members, giving the message a personal touch while bringing the sustainability concept to life.

“I think consumers appreciate unexpected humor in their inbox.”

SET Active is always trying new designs, which keeps their emails fresh and fun to open. This one in particular was so memorable because of the humorous copy. I think consumers appreciate when the unexpected humor shows up in their inbox.

“I don't even have a baby and I love their emails!”

Bobbie emails balance informative content, design with a dash of sales. You can tell they know their audience and use emails to deliver content to help new moms in an overwhelming time.

“I check every week to see what the theme will be!”

We know Retention is more than just SMS and Email - it is a larger strategy and uses these channels to drive retention. I love to see brands like BudahGirl maintain engagement from customers through frequent drops. They have a themed Stack of the Week that they promote through their marketing channels. While so many brands may do bundles or weekly drops, BudahGirl pulls the thread through their site, photography, and copy. Without fail, I check every week to see what the theme will be!

“This uses a real employee to drive a user’s ‘aha’ moment…”

I absolutely love Unfabled’s emails (and brand). One of their latest uses an employee's routine to drive the user's "aha" moment on the type of self care regime you can follow yourself. The email copy is fun, the design is playful, using the employee's real image, text message format, notes list and all sorts of visual identity elements that speak to young, modern female audiences. They achieved a lovely balance between products and messages. 10/10 from me!

“Stop asking Dr. Google!”

Another lovely female care brand! Daye has striking designs and very innovative products that come to life SO well through their email campaigns. One of my favourites lately promotes their online health service, encouraging women to "Stop asking Dr. Google". The email hero shows an example of the experience of the tool, and the copy shares relatable use cases to make the service accessible. I love the way they demystify vaginal issues, and approach real medical conditions while keeping a friendly and conversational tone of voice. Ultimately both educating us and destigmatising feminine reproductive health. Another female founder rockstar, incredible products. I'm a true fan!

“Their curation and themes are so on point…”

Here’s an email from a B Corp that sells pre-loved books online called World of Books - they have very lovely email templates, and their curation and themes are so on point! I get really inspired and get choosing my next book with every email! For their thriller-themed email recently, they had this cute animation simulating a magnifying glass. Very playful, very well executed, a great example of "second-hand can be cool and sleek."

“Did I buy my husband a photo of us in a puffy heart frame for V-day? Of course I did. ”

I love how they sent this message just in time for customers to purchase V-day gifts. Their product offering was spot on for the occasion. And I especially loved that they included an option to bring a photo into one of their stores for instant framing at the end!

“The history they shared here is beautiful. It shows the brand's heart.”

This email felt different from everything else in my inbox that day. Brands don't often share relevant history like this, nor do most people know adorable facts like these! As a lover of both this historical figure and this brand, I was very impressed.

“It's sassy & so on point. J'adore.”

This email does SO MUCH. The copy is hilarious up top to draw you in, but then it actually educates you in a digestible way, dropping relevant products throughout. This is truly a 10/10 email.

“Glossier is the queen of UGC marketing.”

They master converting the success of the "GRWM" trend from socials to email.

“I love their use of sensorial images...”

I love their use of sensorial images to get across the flavor and scents of their products. It makes the emails so much more engaging than just showing a tube of lip gloss. We've found similar success at Boll & Branch (ie. using a Pink Rose in an image for our Dusty Rose color launch)!

“Shoppable, AND conversion focused...”

They take a seasonal moment (Valentine's Day) and are able to make an email that is shoppable and conversion focused, but also lets their brand voice shine through. Their copywriting is so smart, concise, and playful!

“The brand message invites shoppers to splurge on little luxuries, without guilt.”

The home of radical pleasure. This is Flamingo Estate’s brand manifesto and common thread throughout their marketing assets and experiences. The brand message invites shoppers to splurge on little luxuries, without guilt. The marketing wraps its arms around users, inviting them to experience a small piece of beauty with each item and join the personal community of others doing the same. It’s rare to shop a brand so consistent in both its message and execution, and that’s what keeps me coming back for more with this one (plus, there is such a surplus of content that I'm ever-curious to keep exploring what else the team is up to!). You can see this messaging in the wild through their luxury pop-ups, their viral moments, their website, and their culturally relevant emails.

“It's aspirational, yet welcoming... ”

Flamingo Estate's membership program perfectly ties back to their brand message. It's aspirational, yet welcoming and within-reach. The annual membership is just under $100 which unlocks access to concierge support, free shipping, member-exclusive products, discounts, seasonal gifts, and more. Not only is this program tailored to deliver top-line business results by driving repeat purchases and retention, but it’s also an affirmative experience for loyalists. It’s refreshing to shop a brand that treats their highest LTV customers with priority positioning. This personalized and membership-forward experience is their differentiator, and why their members have 2x the value of non-members. Checkout the program on their website, and highlighted as a global banner in the majority of their emails.

“The brand stands for something and isn't afraid to get political.”

It's commonplace today for brands to have some type of charitable / give-back arm as part of their marketing program, but many times, it's just that. A marketing play instead of a true give-back moment. Flamingo Estate is investing in three different programs (The Melipona Bee Project, The Jalama Canyon Project, and The Flower Infusion Project). The work being done across all three is utterly fascinating, and appears to be a legitimate investment in the environment that Flamingo Estate has built it's brand on. On top of this, the brand stands for something and isn't afraid to get political

“Such. a. vibe.”

In the fall, they dropped Retrospect: a perfume that's basically art in a bottle, accompanied by a stunning launch video. I love that they included this product in their BFCM sale, too.

“This made luxury feel human.”

They collaborated with Completedworks on jewelry, and celebrated with a dreamy NYC dinner that made luxury feel so human.

“What really gets me? The details.”

That signature bag they include with every purchase? They shrunk it down for holiday gifts (cute). Then at the beginning of this year, they dropped a full-sized tote (see below!) that made everyone lose their minds. Including me. Obviously.

“Stio knows their audience.”

The subject line (Gift Guide For Cozy Cabin Days) had me clicking into the email because cozy cabin days is something I'm looking forward to.

“This text made me click through. ”

Armada does a great job of bringing their brand to life through copy. While this text is short, their brand's voice comes through. This text made me stop, smile, and click through.

“I love to see brands utilizing their channels to drive traffic to their wholesale partners' doors...”

For many years I was in roles that focused on aligning D2C and B2B digital marketing efforts. I love to see brands utilizing their channels to drive traffic to their wholesale partners' doors, especially during key shopping windows.

“Their emails keep me hooked from start to finish.”

One of the best emails I’ve received recently was a holiday email from Juicy Marbles. If you haven’t subscribed to their newsletter, you’re missing out. For a plant-based meat company, they’ve got a meaty personality! Their emails are always bold, entertaining, and filled with hilarious little nuggets that keep me hooked from start to finish. One standout line: “Consuming all these recipes could result in: deranged carol singing, goodwill towards men, and/or meat sweats.” How can you not love an email like that?

“...the CTAs were so clear and concise…”

The best message I’ve received lately was a festive MMS from a local California small business. In a sea of holiday SMS messages, this one stood out. The image was super eye-catching and perfectly holiday-themed, and the CTAs were so clear and concise that I couldn’t resist clicking through. It reminded me how much a well-done MMS can cut through the noise!

“Super mobile-friendly, super scrollable, and eye-catching.”

Good Culture turned a text-heavy email into a convo in text bubble form. It felt like I was scrolling through a chat with a friend, not reading an email. Super mobile-friendly, super scrollable, and eye-catching. Proof that good design is like good gossip—it grabs your attention and keeps you hooked!

“I loved the inclusion of a video…”

I loved the letter format and the inclusion of a video to introduce new subscribers to the brand.

“Nuuds does a great job of hyping up newness…”

I think Nuuds does a great job of hyping up newness by highlighting the date and time that things are coming, allowing customers and leads to preview the collection.

“This is a great example of knowing your customer during the post purchase journey…”

This is a great example of knowing your customer during the post purchase journey and providing timely, relevant content. They reiterate a key reason customers purchase from them (making meal time easier), proactively provide answers to common questions, and plug some of their communities to help build loyalty.

“I've never seen something like this before.”

This email from The Inkey List is very unique, I am a huge fan because I've never seen something like it before. It was a gif that came through as a live chat about their newest skincare product. The approach caught my attention and the information in the chat bubbles was really informative.

“Converse took a different take on New Years…”

While I've seen other brands focusing on resolutions or getting organised, Converse took a different take on New Years with this email around the Year of the Snake. It's a really unique and engaging way to show the customisation options they offer. The email itself as well is very clear, the mix of lifestyle photography for the hero blends nicely with the specific product images below which are easy to link to.

“It's very short and sweet…”

This email was a reminder for my friend Susan's birthday. It uses customer personalisation really well including her name and birthday and arrived in time to get her card ordered. It's very short and sweet, and allows me to shop easily with card suggestions and different links for cards and gifts.

“This feels like a cop-out, but Reformation continues to impress.”

Not only is their brand voice consistent and unique, but their hyper-personalization and content hierarchy are ultra strategic. This email seamlessly messages three different content buckets (gift card reminder, Thanksgiving, and 25% off promo) without overwhelming the user and while maintaining brand voice uniformity.

“Rhode just knows how to churn out the perfect content…”

I love this Rhode SMS because it makes a really simple launch feel like a BIG DEAL. The brand leaned into (1) a partnership with a mega-influencer, (2) seasonal content, and (3) scarcity to drive up purchase intent. I also love what comes before this SMS via their email capture. The pop-up content matches the website content which matches the SMS content. Content remains king and Rhode just knows how to churn out the perfect content strategy.

“Their emails are crafted with a strong story-first, convert-second positioning, and it works!”

Flamingo Estate is a brand that I remain subscribed to even though my purchase intent is admittedly low. Their emails are crafted with a strong story-first, convert-second positioning, and it works! This particular email was introducing their holiday gift-sets and felt like a letter from a friend abroad. The writing gives users a legitimate look inside the founders' backstory without it feeling inauthentic. Building brand loyalty is rooted in trust, connection and authenticity; this email does a great job building on all three.

“Skatie nails the "best friend" tone...”

Skatie nails the "best friend" tone with that casual, excited language, making their messages feel warm and personal. The two-part sequence is clever, too—a teaser to build intrigue, followed by a reminder with an image that grabs attention. Leaning into fall seasonality while keeping it short, sweet and to the point. It's just the right amount of excitement to make you want to click and see what's new!

“Graza brings that new drop energy!”

Graza does a great job bringing that new drop energy! This email brings customers right into the excitement with an eye grabbing hero, culminating in an irresistible, fun “Yippeeee!” CTA. The link drops you into all the hype on Instagram, adding that “in-the-know” vibe that’s so hard to resist (check out that engagement 🤯). Even if you can’t pick it up locally, seeing the community buzz is almost as fun! The email even offers a mini “Costco must-haves” guide that’s both practical and playful, rounding out the email with the exact kind of value you’d want from this friendly, fun brand!

“…feels like a special club!”

ILIA's SMS for their exclusive VIP sale is spot-on! The “members-only” element instantly creates exclusivity, making it feel like a special club. The SMS also does a great job stacking the incentives—20% off, 2x points, and a free gift, which sweetens the deal and nudges people to act. Linking directly to their VIP page encourages sign-ups and boosts brand loyalty by giving non-members a reason to join.

“This time of year even if it doesn't make sense for me, this might trigger the thought of a future gift.”

Never not in style - Converse. I know Converse has done a ton of product expansion over the past few years, but at the end of the day their entire brand ethos is centered around the classic Chuck Taylor shoe. I liked this email because it really brings you back to the basics, using imagery that strongly aligns with this 'back to basics' messaging while promoting original designs. The bottom also shows more of their unique new designs, which I think does a nice job to also showcase these designs to a consumer like myself who only has a purchase history of classic styles. This time of year even if it doesn't make sense for me, this might trigger the thought of a future gift.

“Sending this email won't recover 100% of the lost revenue from their outage, but…”

We're Sorry for the Inconvenience - Here's 15% Off Your Next Purchase. Admittedly I don't know much about this business, short that I purchased my oldest brother a frame for his college diploma a very long time ago. This email caught my eye though for its honesty and transparency. The connection between your customer base, emails, and website is critical. If your website doesn't allow folks to check out (its main function for a DTC business) you've got a problem. Sending this email won't recover 100% of the lost revenue from their outage (especially with a discount), but being forward about a technical issue gives your customer base awareness to the situation and confidence that this was a one-off issue. We've personally experienced major issues that needed an honest, open resolution to (remember those sub zero January days? imagine shipping glass liquid products during it!) and our customers were extremely appreciative of us being upfront, many writing in to simply voice that feeling.

“…you don't need to have wildly designed, super optimized emails to be effective.”

Welcome to the Cult - Liquid Death. This is actually a mailing list I just joined, not so much because I'm super late to get on their huge wagon, but because as a brand that's quickly grown in CPG beverage, I'm interested in how their messaging has evolved. i.e. if they don't sell their actual products at their website, what's one to expect from their mailing list (and more specifically, the welcome email). The main reason first and foremost, they prove the theory that you don't need to have wildly designed, super optimized emails to be effective. This email is extremely limited in its design, doesn't have an immediate CTA, it's not all clickable, and even has plain old Calibri as its text.

“Retail email marketing is an area that continuously serves as an inspiration for me...”

and Detox Market does a great job in that regard. I love their ability to curate the customer email experience surrounding new product launches, seasonal gift guides and promotions. Detox Market meticulously crafts emails that take the customer through all online shopping touchpoints with easily digestible, actionable information that makes you want to shop.

“...a clever play on clothes swapping”

One of my favorite DTC brands that is simply just doing digital marketing right, is Set Active. I loved this email for a few reasons, primarily because it plays into the notion of "his hoodie is my hoodie" but this time the roles are reversed, and he wants to use our sets. Thought it was a clever play on clothes swapping and matching with your partner.

“Our email team consistently produces outstanding content!”

(and I don't say that just because I work at RMS). What inspires me most is our team's ability to cut through the noise in an inbox with strong creative direction, informative messaging, and engaging copy that create easily consumable, call-to-actions for customers to action on.

“Don't let family drama leave you sweating! is almost too relatable.”

You may know how much I love a plain text email by now. Especially when it's funny. I love how this early sale (which would normally annoy me) is tied directly to the time when you will need this product most. Sweating it out around the dinner table with your wild relatives. Duradry really didn't miss with this one.

“Exciting and meaningful? Jackpot.”

East Fork is proudly born and based in Asheville, NC. I love how they tied their roots to this new collection (which, by the way, is an absolutely mesmerizing color). They are donating 5% of all sales to grassroots organizations in their area through the end of the year, making sure to practice what they preach and really looking out for their community. I could not love this brand more.

“I appreciate how dependable & concise Everlane is during the holiday chaos.”

I was left feeling calmer after looking at Everlane's gift guide. Their categories were so useful and compelling. I felt like there was no gift I couldn't find simply by looking through their curations! I really want to reiterate how nice this felt to me, during a season chock full of noise, sales, and subpar gift guides.

“You don’t need to have any tech in place…”

Every brand is looking to do some gamification around Black Friday - this is an amazing example where you don’t need to have any tech in place. You’re getting customers to interact and then simply sending them to the collection page. Giving them choice, adding some fun, getting some data from your customer - then you also get more information to play with in future emails.

“They must know their audience really well…”

With Minor Figures, every email is different. Which is crazy. How many times can you talk about oat milk and make it interesting? But they always make it interesting and relatable. These emails can be quite niche, but their content totally speaks to their audience. They must know their audience really well. Even though I’m not constantly purchasing this product, I love following their brand.

“Like Reformation they always…”

They always follow the same formula like Reformation. Using these great formulas and beautiful graphics; it just works.

“The kicker? This email is for a product that isn't even out yet.”

I recently received this email from Merit and it had our whole team buzzing! The subject line (The fragrance industry is bigger (and more annoying) than ever) hooked me in and felt very journalistic. Once I opened the email I was pleasantly surprised to see a substack-style design written by Emily Sundberg. The kicker? This email is for a product that isn't even out yet. The CTA encourages customers to shop in order to get a free sample of their perfume that launches later in the month.

“It made me feel valued as a customer...”

I immediately took a screenshot of this SMS from Kopari Beauty to celebrate their birthday. It made me feel valued as a customer and I like that they highlighted the original products that their customers know and love.

“I love receiving Fishwife's emails.”

They're fun, they're colorful, and they're direct. I'm obsessed with how short and effective their emails are.

“Influencer stories are what typically get me to convert...”

This email hit my inbox at the perfect time — I had gotten the classic jar, was almost out of it, and was ready to branch out to a more adventurous flavor. Positing this product release as a new cult fave is both on brand and enticed me to believe people already were loving the limited edition flavor. This was confirmed when I saw they included UGC as social proof. Influencer stories are what typically get me to convert, so I loved the use of this format from a reputable creator whose content values are in line with the brand’s. On top of that, the layout is clean and straightforward with peeks of copy that made my mouth water.

“They clearly know their audience well.”

Graza has mastered the art of making notifications fun, transforming a standard shipping notice into an exciting event. As an avid home cook, the playful sensory copy inspired childlike enthusiasm and creativity during both my unboxing and cooking experiences with the product. They clearly know their audience well. After seeing them all over my feed, I didn’t think I could be more thrilled to try it, but this text did the trick! It’s short, sweet, and packed with personality — exactly what I want from a brand’s SMS.

“It feels more like a message from a friend than a marketing email.”

This email stood out to me for its stripped-back, personal touch — a relatable note from a member of their team that feels more like a message from a friend than a marketing email. By ditching their typical stylized designs and opting for a plain text email, its content (and its incredible offer) was an easy stand out. This email got me to convert after having an eye on this brand for a while.

“The subject line was "IT'S CABBAGE SALT!"”

I adore the playful nature of Aura Bora's emails. There are always engaging graphics, often a funny subject line, and overall such a strong personality behind this brand. This new flavor release was perfectly executed, and promoted with incredibly interesting customer reviews after it launched. Sometimes they even get weird, which is truly my favorite!

“My first reaction was, "is this even real?"”

And then I texted back and forth with Richard for a solid 15 minutes. This sort of personal attention can be shown even with a powerhouse brand like Flamingo Estate! But it's also worth noting that personally thanking a customer for their purchase can happen at scale. Something to think about.

“We love an IRL activation.”

Plus a hilarious visual, four extremely compelling selling points, and sharp copy? This is a master class in email marketing. Seriously, read the last line of copy. I didn't realize this was their slogan and my mind is blown.

“This is the text thread that never stops giving to its subscribers.”

The Nudge (https://www.nudgetext.com/) arguably has the best SMS experience of any brand at the moment. Firstly, they've officially joined Apple Messages for Business for a smoother, branded, and overall better UX experience for iOS. Not only is their content designed to be conversational, but their prompts, questions, and surveys are a fantastic CRM tool for personalization that they actually use. The more I interact with their texts (which all offer suggestions for activities to do in your area, the better and more personal they get. Sign-up involves choosing your city and your neighborhood, which helps them segment you right out the gate. They partner with local events and restaurants to offer exclusive deals in addition to just telling you about nearby activities you can enjoy for free. They let you choose what time of day you'd like to receive your texts (I prefer mornings.) Plus, the gifs and memes are all from popular TV shows and movies, making their content more relevant.

“Politics aside, the Kamala Harris for President Campaign text experience is one all marketers should watch. ”

Their SMS marketing team is making the most of their budget by sending ONLY MMS and using up much of their 500 characters to tell personal stories from different POVs of public figures. Each text includes a selfie, headshot, or gif of the public figure who is "texting" you personally. I love that they lean hard into lengthy texts and storytelling the way a BFF might message you about a date that went wonderfully right. They don't try to keep texts short and vague with a hard CTA. Plus they always have opt-out instructions "Stop2Quit" to stay compliant with the fewest characters possible. This format is so against the grain right now in SMS marketing that it stands out and engages folks in a new way. Brands should take notes here and consider breaking from the mold of what sms marketing is doing right now.

“Time and time again, brands feel the need to add way too much text to their gifs when often less is more.”

The Skinny Confidential offers an exemplary roadmap for DTC eCommerce SMS marketing! Sending roughly 2x per week, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays, they strike a great balance of SMS message formats- including customer quotes from product reviews (which I love and highly recommend for SMS), personal messages from the founder, fun giveaways and activations, and product upsells. So many brands get stuck in a rut sending SMS with hard sells and product features. The Skinny Confidential pushes product and happenings in a fresh and diverse way. Plus, their CTAs have a uniform, signature feel: always written in all-caps to draw the eye + using fun, diverse CTA language about the benefits of the product (i.e. "DEPUFF ON THE GO:" or "EXFOLIATE + STIMULATE:") before dropping a product link. My hunch is that their marketing team AB tested this versus a non-all caps "Shop now:" and saw strong results. I highly recommend you test it with your audience too! Lastly, when they use MMS, they always send branded gifs and images with brief copy that is not repeated in the message copy.

“This email has everything you look for in a product launch and more…”

Loved this launch email for the GetSet Pressed Powder. I'm already a big fan of their design, and this email continues to impress. It has all the fun branded elements that are familiar to Tower 28 from the color palette to the logo pressed into the power, which echoes the logo on the hero headline. I also love the subtly blurred text—it's such a cute touch. You can clearly see all the product options available in the second slice, and below that there are GIFs showing social proof, married with ingredient and benefit callouts. This email has everything you look for in a product launch and more - in particular the kicker that calls out an exclusive online offer.

“The welcome email from Fishwife is so fresh and cute.”

…continuing my love for clever design elements! Email flows are critical, especially the welcome offer, as they introduce you to the brand and what it’s all about. Fishwife nails this, with the offer clearly stated at the top, designed to look like a cracker— it's so fun and eye-catching. The email then guides you through real-life applications of their products with recipes, followed by the health benefits of their products, and finally an explanation of the brand’s ethos. It's playful without being overly flashy, and the communication is to the point and clear.

“I especially love the way the models speak to different body types.”

The "Shorts Story" from Girlfriend Collective is another excellent example of a concise email that's smartly designed and clearly communicates key selling points. The hero image gives you a great 360-degree view of the shorts and I love that the background matches the color palette of their clothing, it's very visually appealing storytelling! Just below you get a technical breakdown of why this product is perfect for outdoor activities. Lastly you get a product block of four tops that pair well with the shorts. I love how clean this email looks overall and especially love the way the models speak to different body types.

“Crown Affair introduced their new mousse so beautifully.”

I love how they give the instructions depending on your hair type so I know that his product will work for my hair.

“This text got me good…”

This text from Tata Harper got me good with strong clinical results presented in a clear visual. My eyes just jump to those high percentages on a bright blue background!

“The visual makes me confident that I’m getting my money’s worth. ”

Dae emails have such strong visuals. The 'how to use' broken out in 3 steps gives me an understanding of the product. Also, the visual of the Fairy Duster dry shampoo bottle telling me how many pumps makes me confident that I'm getting my money's worth.

“I love the subject line of this email because it is so unbothered: "Michal, your order is incomplete."”

"Obviously", you tried to make this purchase and pay for it because you wanted this item and we are just letting you know that it is not complete. Based on this, I added the word ‘notice’ to The Sak’s card abandonment emails. In an A/B test, this more transactional style subject line outperformed the existing one with +4% higher open rate and +1% higher click rate.

“These campaigns can run forever and I don't have to worry about inventory or seasons changing...”

A big initiative for The Sak was to send triggered campaigns based on the category and the color of item that the person abandoned. After allowing the customer to go through normal abandonment flows, we implement color- and category-retargeting. These campaigns are evergreen and are built using dynamic product catalogs. This means that they can run forever and I don't have to worry about inventory or seasons changing.

“In my inbox, the most relevant automated emails that I am getting are from Zillow.”

CRM is all about sending the right person to the right message at the right time. New property listing in my area of interest and in my price range. Right person? YES, Right message? YES! Right time? Not in this economy I look at CRM as a muscle and a practice that can be basically applied to any industry - if done correctly. I was inspired by the zillow campaigns to apply it to The Sak - based on customer's searches and browse categories, I created the Category-Retargeting-Triggers that are always displaying relevant styles that are in stock right after someone searched for them.

“Sure, maybe they are featuring my two fave scents front and center…”

Sure, everyone knows I love Snif, and sure, maybe they are featuring my two fave scents front and center (Sweet Ash and Vanilla Vice) but the clean monochrome color scheme paired with the easy to shop product blocks make this email so easy on the eyes. I also love how on mobile the entire email appears above the fold so you don’t have to scroll for content or to shop.

“This is one of those emails that demonstrates how less is more when it comes to copy.”

Here is one of my latest favorites from Hammies. I always love their emails, but this “French Edit” really caught my eye. The play on the “French summer aesthetic” is so on trend, plus the photography and layout itself is incredibly editorial. The small bits of text overlaid onto the image allow the shots to speak for themselves.

“I always look forward to Fashion Brand Company’s emails.”

They read like you are having a conversation with Penelope and her team. I love how this email goes from editorial shots to an almost catalogue style grid, then into some UGC and a fun, hilarious video from Penelope herself. FBC always brings a lightness to my inbox that I truly enjoy.

“I always leave their content ready to purchase from a brand I know aligns with my values.”

Working at a brand where sustainability and transparency are paramount, I'm constantly searching for those values in other products I consume. Davines emails once persuaded me to purchase from a very Italian-countryside focused 'about us' send years back, and they keep me opening with emails like this. I love the easily digestible statistics paired with the adorable hand-drawn iconography and soft color palette.

“They’re championing real rescue pets in a way that feels authentic to them as a brand.”

They are championing real rescue pets, donating 100% of profits to a rescue pet foundation, and still promoting their products in a way that feels authentic to them as a brand. It creates loyalty in a lovely way. Not to mention the email is incredibly designed, I always love when their bright colors and fun fonts show up in my inbox.

“Ripton is continuously reminding me I'm a sucker for plain text emails.”

It's reinforced by a subject line that you simply can't scroll past without opening up: Please Take Our Car (reply immediately). Pair that with their constant use of jort-focused language (see their fun unsubscribe at the bottom), and it's a forever fave in my inbox that feels like it's coming from an old friend.

“"...the perfect mix of wholesome and sweet, while still being educational!"”

As someone who loves love, this email made me smile! Papier did a great job tapping into the customer’s Ethos. I love the personal element of the “Something Old” feature, where Papier grandparents share their “secrets of love.” Additionally, the email is informative, explaining what the consumer can gain from using Papier in their wedding. This email is the perfect mix of wholesome and sweet, while still being educational!

“"The headline 'Want better skin, Hallie?' grabbed my attention right away."”

As someone who takes skincare seriously, the headline "Want better skin, Hallie?" grabbed my attention right away because yes, I do want better skin! I also love a personalization quiz, so any time I can take a quiz and find the perfect routine for me, I will do so. Lastly, when shopping for skincare, I always make sure the products are rooted in science. The scientific facts Prose provided were easy to digest as a consumer and gave me the final push to convert.

“"Jolie’s brand voice always shines through."”

In my opinion, the reason why Jolie’s marketing is so successful is because their brand voice always shines through. Jolie’s emails are educational, with a bit of a fun edge to them. The images Jolie uses are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, so opening this email almost feels like opening Pinterest. Additionally, this email was perfectly timed - it was sent just before the July 4th holiday weekend, when many people enjoy time in the pool.

“"Genius creative concept."”

Rhode's recent Pocket Blush launch. I'm admittedly a skincare/beauty obsessive so I am a tad biased. However, I thought the creative concept was genius and extremely creative. I love how they played with scale and that came across in all elements of the campaign. I admire this brand in general because they could easily just lean on celebrity, but you can tell they are really invested in both product and brand in a way that most celebrity-backed brands are not.

“"SET ACTIVE is killing it recently."”

I LOVED their recent campaign around the 'Spicy' restock. Everything about it was extremely compelling, and I love how integrated their content strategy was across all touchpoints including Email, SMS, and organic social. So impactful.

““They just GET IT.””

Pretty much anything from Reformation. Their tone of voice is spot-on (witty and culturally-relevant but concise). Visuals and product styling are consistently A+.

““I love the before and after concept for products that you may not be able to try before you buy.””

I love this email from Dae because it shows the effectiveness of their products using impactful imagery. The design and copy complement each other beautifully - showing that their products work. Dae also does a great job of keeping their emails consistently aligned with their branding and color scheme, which adds another dimension to customer trust. To me, this shows they know what they're doing when it comes to style and I'd trust them with my hair. Overall, I love the before and after concept for products that you may not be able to try before you buy. Great job, Dae!

““Subject line: It's Giving Modern Day Bridgerton””

I love this email in particular because they reference relevant trends to get your attention in the subject line (‘It's Giving Modern Day "Bridgerton"’), then connect the photos to the copy seamlessly. The imagery is stunning and the words are minimal. All you have to know is that this collection looks like the costumes in Bridgerton and whether you've watched the show or not, you’re immediately intrigued. This email aligns with my theory that simple copy and formatting are most effective, and beautiful imagery that adds meaning and depth to the messaging will take care of the rest. To me, this simple formula adds a layer of human connection to the brand or products and is what makes a good email great.