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Design Report Card: The Best Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Beefree team
Beefree team
Feb 22, 2017
Design Report Card: The Best Valentine's Day Email GIFs
Design Report Card: The Best Valentine's Day Email GIFs

In the world of email design, special occasions have come to mean one thing: Getting animated!As in, including ananimated GIF in your email design. The big takeaway: email marketers increasingly see animated GIFs as a must-havefor volume-heavy email days.This Valentine's Day wasno exception.In fact, we saw so many Valentine's Day themed animated GIFs in emails that they're going to be our primary focus today. Check out how brands are using animations, and consider these email design GIF tips for thenext big campaign on your calendar.

Dior Valentine's Day Email GIFs

GIF from Dior's 2017 Valentine's Day email

Why use an animated GIF in email?

As we've written about previously, GIFs and email go together like peanut butter and jelly. Here's why:

Still, email marketers generally agree that too much of a good thing isn't always positive.As a result, animated GIFs are still used sparingly in emails.Brands don't typically animate a promotion email or a newsletter. Instead, animated GIFs are used for special occasion emails—like Valentine's Day—when they'll add the most value.

The Valentine GIF-scape

Here's how brands used animated GIFs in emails this Valentine's Day.

GIF Method 1: Hook your audience with an animated hero image

Adding a little animation to your email's hero image is one way to level-up a simple email design. Hipmunk, the travel company, animated itscute chipmunk mascot for V-Day.

Hipmunk Valentine's Day Email GIFs

The full email uses great design simplicity: no clutter from a navigation menu or secondary CTAs, minimal text, and an easy-to-spot CTA button.

Hipmunk Valentine's Day Email GIFs

The e-commerce site Uncommon Goods took a similar approach, using llamas to show the "llove."

Uncommon Goods Valentine's Day Email GIFs

We appreciate thebreak from cliché pink-and-red—and how the brand isolated the animated portion of the image to decrease the size of the GIF image file.

Uncommon Goods Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Our GIF Grade: BThe simplicity of the hero-image GIFworks: without clutter,your GIF gets the attention it deserves—and will hopefully driveclicks. But, this method is also a basic approach, and as brandsincreasingly use GIFs for holiday campaigns, we expect to see GIFs used more cleverly.

GIF Method 2: Create a curiosity gap

We often talk about how the best emails are made up ofteaser content. You don't have to say everything in anemail—just enough to intrigue your audience to click through the message. This Valentine's Day email design from MOO is a perfect example of that technique. Here's the animated GIF:

MOO Valentine's Day Email GIFs

And here's the full email:

MOO Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Can you tell what's in the box? Or what the promotion is? Nope! The only way to do that is to click. Plus, the header and CTA button work together to help encourage you to do just that.Our GIF Grade: A+Used sparingly, this GIF method is one of the best ways to engage your audience members. The email, promotion, and message are all more interactive—and fun!

Method 3: Show off your products

Animated GIFs are useful for featuringproducts in a way that can be more engaging, effective, and space-efficient than a series of static images. To promote last-minute gift card purchases, Bliss creates a simple rotation GIF as its hero image.

Bliss Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Here's the full email:

Bliss Valentine's Day Email GIFs

As for Estée Lauder, its Valentine's GIF flashes between images of lipstick and the lipstick in use.

Estee Lauder Valentine's Day Email GIFs

See the full email here:

Estee Lauder Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Of course, showing your product in a rotating series of images isn't the only way to use GIFs. Grovemade, which makes wooden tech accessories, thought outside the box by using its products to create this beating-heart animation.

Grovemade Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Check out the full email:

Grovemade Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Our GIF Grade: A-GIFs are great for showing off products, but they're even better when you show them off in an unexpected way (like Grovemade) or in a way that demonstratesthe product. Image carousels and product tours in emails also allow readers to get more information without navigating away to a landing page. When customers can quickly and easily see how your product works, that transparency can help lead to a purchase.

GIF Method 4: Drive attention to a video

With Apple’s launch of iOS 10 last fall, we were excited to see the return of HTML5 video to email. Still, video in email support remains limited and technically challenging. In the meantime, brands are turning to animated GIFs to help readers preview a full video. Here's a recent example in Sephora's V-Day email:

Sephora Valentine's Day Email GIFs

And here's the video GIF in the full email:

Sephora Valentine's Day Email GIFs

The message has a lot going on, so it's easy to see how the GIF mightget lost in the shuffle. Still, we like how the video GIF is supplemented with products used to achieve the look, giving readers a chance to browse within the email.Our GIF Grade: AAnimated GIFs are a great alternative to including video in email. Think of a video GIF like a mini trailer for the full-length piece. If you can show a little bit of teaser content—and create a curiosity gap—you can encourage readers to click through to the main site.

GIF Method 5: Focus on the numbers

Brands offering a special holiday promotion can use a GIF to keep the email focused on the discount. That's the technique Paper Source uses to promote their 50% off sale:

Paper Source Valentine's Day Email GIFs

And here's the full email:

Paper Source Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Similarly,Petsmart has a rolling discount GIF, showing the amount you can potentially save:

Petsmart Valentine's Day Email GIFs

See the full email here:

Petsmart Valentine's Day Email GIFs

This approach also creates a curiosity gap because readers won't know how much they might save until they click through to the site to shop. If something is intriguing enough, readers will want to satisfy theirinterest.Our GIF Grade: BSome numbers-based GIFs don't serve much of a purpose but others, like the one from Petsmart, do more to get readers excited. If you're doing to go with a simple animation centered on your discount, see if there's a way to add a layer of curiosity or meaning.

GIF Method 6: Keep it sweetly subtle

Plenty of animated GIFsadd a simple flourish to emails without being the center of attention. That's the approach Loft takes in their V-Day email design:

LOFT Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Our GIF Grade: B-Sinceoversized GIFs can be slow to animate and eat up data plans onmobile, we like that these GIFs don'ttake up a lot of space. Still, it's hard to measure their value, since they don't serve a direct purpose in the email. To checkif a simple GIF like this makes a difference for your audience, make sure to do an A/B test!

GIF Method 7: Need a GIF in a jiff? Try user-generated content

Not every email you createneeds to go through painstaking rounds of design and development.With a trusty template and some creative thinking, a good email campaigncan be assembled quickly—even with animation. One way to do that? Simply source user-generated content from aggregation sites like Giphy. This is most likely the approach Subscription Addiction took for their simple Valentine's Day email design, which features a popularmeme from Parks and Recreation:

Subscription Addiction Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Here's the entire email:

Subscription Addiction Valentine's Day Email GIFs

Our GIF Grade: COf course, everyone enjoys a good meme now and then. While using one isn't the most creative or unique approach, it will still do when in a pinch!

Design your next email with an animated GIF and go Pro!

Will you be adding an animated GIF to your email marketing campaigns in an upcoming holiday or special occasion? Design your email message in our easy-to-use, drag-n-drop BEE editor. No HTML knowledge is required, plus your email will be mobile responsive. Sign-up for a BEE Pro free trial!

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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.

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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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