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2017 Holiday Email Design Trends: 5 Ideas for a Bright Inbox

Beefree team
Beefree team
Dec 12, 2017
2017 Holiday Email Design Trends: 5 Ideas for a Bright Inbox
2017 Holiday Email Design Trends: 5 Ideas for a Bright Inbox

This time of year, it feels like Christmas morning in our inbox every day! The promotions, special deals, once-a-year offers, and creative, clever emails are rolling in. This season's holiday emails do not disappoint. There's enough inspiration here to last all year. We've been assessing brands' strategies over the past few weeks, and we've rounded up the top holiday email design trends and campaigns that caught our eye. There are definitely ideas here you can keep in your back pocket for 2018!

#1. Playing the Long Game: 12 Days of Gifting

With promotions changing from hour to hour, day to day, and week to week, it becomes harder and harder to grab readers' attention. How do you give them a reason to act now? Some brands have coordinated their holiday email campaigns by numbering promotions and letting readers know there will be 3, 5, or 12 days of deals. By doing this, brands let readers know what to expect—and to know when deals will end. This helps build excitement, create organization, and establish transparency and expectations. Here are examples of days-of-gifting campaigns in our inbox:

holiday email design trends inbox

Design-wise, there's a lot of fun to have with these day-by-day reveal campaigns. You can build oneholiday email template and then simply update it for each day. Here's an example from Everlane, who launched a "Five Days of Gifting" campaign, rolling out one item each day tied to free express shipping. This is Day 1.

holiday email design trends everlane

The hero image is a simple GIF:

holiday email design trends everlane gif

Similarly, Lucky Brand launched "Lucky 7: A Week Full of Deals to Bring the Holiday Cheer." This was their campaign kick-off email:

holiday email design trends lucky brand

Emails like this are most successful when the written and visual messaging is simple. Done thoughtfully, a single (animated) image with straightforward text is all it takes to create a little intrigue! And the simple approach ensures your template will be adaptable for each day of your campaign.

#2. Getting Social: Email + Instagram = A Perfect Pair

How can social media and email best interact with and complement each other? It's a big question, and brands continue to explore the answers. This holiday season, we caught a few companies breaking down the boundaries between social media and email in creative ways. Here's a recent email from Rent the Runway, for instance, where the brand promoted their Instagram giveaway via email.

holiday email design trends rent the runway

RTR lays out the contest rules in a numbered, easy-to-follow format, and it closes with a CTA (Nominate Now) that's linked to the associated Instagram post. Because emails are often read on mobile devices, linking to an app like Instagram can create a natural customer pathway, if a social media account is where you want the reader to go. Knowing your email campaign's goal is a must.In another email, REI used Pinterest to share its most-pinned products with readers.

holiday email design trends REI

Plenty of brands create gift guides for the holiday season (as we'll see below). But letting customers determine what's on your list is a smart way to go. It gives readers a sense that the selections are objectively desirable (by popular opinion vs. what you tell them is great). Pinterest is a perfect tool for this!

#3. Gifting Well: Not Your Ordinary Gift Guides

It seems like no brand bypassed on creating a gift guide this season. We understand why. Shoppers are so inundated with information, it becomes difficult to find the right gift, but guides take this burden away. They're a fun and creative way to help customers and showcase your most giftable items. That said, with everyone creating them, the challenge quickly becomes making your guide stand out from the rest. We thought this stocking-stuffer themed gift curation from Huckberry was clever and beautifully designed.

holiday email design trends huckberry

The email was really long (we trimmed it), showcasing each item or gift category one at a time. (Tip: if you know you're designing an uber-long email, check out our post on preventing Gmail from trimming your message). Using numbered headers and alternating background colors help delineate one module from another. And, the illustration-and-photography combined approach is one we always enjoy!In another stand-out gift guide, Parachute built this animated single-image guide. We love the movement, how playful it is, and that it has a simple call-to-action. But designers should be wary of sending single-image emails and of creating large GIFs that could be problematic on the receiving end.

holiday email design trends parachute

For a smaller, non-product focused GIF inspiration, we also loved this one from Madewell:

holiday email design trends madewell

#4. Drawing Attention: A+ illustrations

While holiday email campaigns are often about showcasing products, we also found some brands using beautiful, playful illustrations to harness readers' attention. Here's a cute, line-illustrated mistletoe drawing to accompany Suistudio's gift guide email:

holiday email design trends suistudio

We love theCTA button text and inverted pyramid layout, too. The simplicity lets the pretty illustration shine.Quip used a totally different style in an equally effective and lovely way. Their holiday gift-themed hero image is on-brand and cute. Plus, they added decorative lights to their logo.

holiday email design trends quip

#5. Zooming In: Single gift feature emails

Opposite to gift guides, some companies are sending special promotional emails featuring just one product. Instead of inundating readers with options, these emails essentially say: Here, we have one great gift idea for you! But, this doesn't mean single-product emails have to be boring! Take this colorful email from The New York Times.

holiday email design trends nytimes store

The GIF acts as a mini slideshow, showcasing three variations of the product while the text and CTA beneath remainthe same. This email is really clever, uncomplicated, and sleek.AllBirds got GIF-fy, too, with this reintroduction of their green-colored shoes. Again, the animation is simple, but you can tell that thought went into the creative planning.

holiday email design trends allbirds

Need to design a last-minute holiday email campaign?

We've got your back! Sign-up for aBEE Pro free trialand get access to holiday templates and easy-to-use, drag-and-drop design features. You can personalize, add dynamic countdown timers, and be ready to roll out your design in no time!

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Now, let's be honest—you’ve likely heard about all of these rotating for the last few years. While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 

Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

How to Leverage Email Campaigns to Gather Sincere Product Reviews

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What do customers think about your brand’s products? The best way to find out is to ask them directly, which you can do via strategic email campaigns.

Email makes gathering authentic product reviews quick and easy. By collecting sincere feedback, you can build trust, increase sales, boost loyalty, and innovate product improvements. 

That said, requesting reviews via email requires precise timing, personalized messaging, and lots of engagement optimizations. But don’t worry—we’ll walk you through some key steps to create email campaigns that deliver the valuable feedback you need.

Why product reviews matter

Product reviews do more than confirm that you're meeting customers’ needs. Sincere feedback drives loyalty and sales, offers valuable customer insights, and helps you develop a strategic product development roadmap.

  • Fosters customer loyalty: Requesting and listening to feedback makes your customers feel valued and heard. It demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction, which helps you build stronger, long-term relationships. Review requests also act as re-engagement emails by starting new conversations with customers.
  • Increases sales: Social proof drives sales. According to a recent survey by Power Reviews, 90% of potential customers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. In fact, reviews have more influence over purchasing decisions than product prices. Turning product reviews into customer testimonials and encouraging reviews on third-party sites can significantly boost sales.
Image sourced from powerreviews.com
  • Builds Customer 360 insights: Customer feedback delivers insights into customer needs and sentiments, enriching Customer 360. Exactly what is Customer 360? It’s a unified, 360-degree view of customer data. It empowers you to tailor products and customer experiences to meet individual needs and preferences. 
  • Drives product improvements: Sincere customer feedback reveals what target customers like/dislike about your products. It provides key insight into their value, functionality, and usability, unlocking large-scale development opportunities.

How to create an email campaign to collect product reviews

Want to unlock the power of product reviews? Let’s explore how to create email campaigns that encourage customers to share their feedback.

Segment your audience

Like promotional emails, product review requests shouldn’t be sent to every subscriber.

If subscribers haven’t had the chance to try your product, product review requests will feel irrelevant and may trigger unsubscriptions. So, only send review email requests to customers recently trying your product.

You can do this by segmenting your email list based on where customers are in the buying cycle. Target loyal customers, recent purchasers, and first-time buyers with tailored email campaigns. This ensures that you’re sending emails to customers most likely to respond with insightful feedback.

Write a compelling email subject line

According to Superoffice, 33% of people open an email based on the subject line. 

Image sourced from superoffice.com

To get the click-through rates you want, your email subject lines should be personalized, relevant, and engaging. Here are some examples:

  • Did you love [product]? Or hate it? Let us know!
  • We value your opinion — help us improve!
  • We want YOU to help us make our product better!
  • Up for a discount? Share your feedback for 10% off! 

Learn more > Tips for writing open worthy subject lines.

Optimize for customer engagement

A successful email marketing strategy relies on customer engagement. Here are some key email elements you need to encourage interactions.

  • An attractive email design: With the right layout, color scheme, typography, and images, you ensure easy readability and promote interaction. Use these engagement-boosting email design best practices to help you create a design that boosts conversion rates.
  • Gratitude and value: Thank customers for reading the email and explaining why their feedback is so important. Also, consider including a personalized Gmail email signature with your content details to build trust and encourage customers to engage with your review request. 
  • Personalized, relevant content: Personalized email content motivates engagement. Use customer data platform (CDP) data to tailor messages to individual customers. What is a CDP? It’s a centralized platform that collects and unifies customer information, building comprehensive customer profiles. 
  • Incentives: Offering a small discount can motivate customers to leave reviews, especially first-time buyers. That said, incentives can (sometimes) generate insincere reviews, so stress the importance of honesty. 
  • A strong call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA should direct readers straight to the reviews submission page. Use clear CTAs with bold buttons and typography to make it stand out.
  • Mobile responsiveness: If your emails are slow to load or don’t display correctly on mobile devices, your bounce rate will spike. Leverage solutions that offer advanced mobile optimization features — such as Beefree— to create responsive emails every single time.

Ask specific, concise questions

Complex, drawn-out questions that are too open-ended can disengage customers. So, get straight to the point with concise, direct questions. Here are some examples:

  • What did you think of [specific product feature]?
  • How often do you use our product?
  • What are your favorite/least favorite features?
  • How likely are you to recommend this product?
  • What could we do to improve our product?

Use a mixture of closed and open-ended questions to increase your chances of receiving meaningful responses.

Make it easy to respond

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more responses you’ll receive. So, make the process as seamless and convenient as possible. One way to do this is with survey emails.

Email surveys have high response rates. They can be completed within the email with minimal effort, which is a big plus for busy customers. And, they can generate a wealth of quantitative data and metrics that are quick to analyze, leading to faster improvements. BeeFree has an extensive collection of email survey templates to suit every need.

For longer review requests, include a CTA that directly links to the review submission page. Review forms should use simple, clear language, be optimized for mobile, and have a progress bar. 

You could even provide your telephone contact details to allow customers to leave a review via telephone. It’s the preferred communication method for 55% of Baby Boomers according to Hubspot, so it’s worth considering. 

Leverage small business telephone services from Vonage to access call center capabilities like virtual receptionists and CRM integrations, streamlining processes.

Also consider directing customers to leave reviews on popular review sites, such as Google and Amazon.

Optimize email timings

If you send product review requests too early, there’s a chance your customers won’t have tried your product yet. But if you send them too late, your customer might have forgotten their experience. 

So, when’s the best time to request reviews? 

Aim to send review requests within 7-14 days post-purchase. This gives customers a chance to try the product a few times, leading to more sincere, meaningful reviews. Plan for seasonal surges such as Black Friday and incorporate them into your schedules.

Key takeaways

Do email campaigns work for gathering valuable product reviews that drive improvements, boost trust, and increase sales and loyalty? 

Absolutely — but they need to be strategic.

To generate sincere reviews and valuable data, ensure your marketing emails are personalized, engaging, and optimized for convenience. And, use email list segmentation and marketing automation to ensure they’re sent to the right customers at the right time.

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