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    Email Blast Examples and Designs (for Top Open and Click Rates)

    Email Blast Examples Image

    Written By Jason Rowse - Digital Marketing Expert

    Updated: 09/06/2021

    Having already explored exactly what an email blast is, on this page we want to go over ten prime examples of what we consider to be fantastic email blasts. Note that many elements operate simultaneously within these examples, but each one offers a different focus for a different product or service to successfully reach its target audience. 

    Why do we use Email Blast?

    • Reach a large audience
    • Much cheaper than other methods
    • Correct efforts can be massively effective
    • Can be targeted to individuals

    10 Email Blast Examples and Why They Work!

    1. City Active

    The primary strength in this first example from Uniqlo came from how well the business understands and targets its customer base. The City Active line is focused on creating clothing for active individuals within the city who need a combination of style, comfort, and relaxed professionalism. This is not an easy goal to achieve, but the concise nature of this blast led readers to believe that not only did City Active manage that goal, but they were also confident in having done so.

    Cutting out as much extraneous information as they can, this email blast was analogous to a shrunken billboard as anything else. They say, "This is us, this is what we do and, if you want, come visit us for more." With two simple links located at the lower end of the blast, anyone wanting more could easily find their way to a website that is similarly clean and effective. A master-class in design, the City Active campaign achieved a great deal with very few words.

    2. Humble Reading Bundle

    When Humble Bundle launched in March of 2010, it quickly gained steam and became a worldwide phenomenon. It achieved significant market penetration through three means: the first was the low prices of the bundles, each far lower than the sum of its individual parts; the second was their insistence of donating money to charity; the third way that Humble Bundle accomplished such popularity was through user-friendly designs and systems.

    Each of these three aspects is perfectly illustrated within a single-page email blast. Users can pay what they want, a portion of the proceeds go to charity, and a reminder can be set for later if a person wants to engage, but does not have the disposable cash on hand at the moment of reading.

    All that information is delivered effectively and with very little reading required. Combined with the range of different and wonderful comic illustrations, the reader's interest is practically guaranteed. A great cause, and a fantastic design example.

    3. Zapier

    Zapier is a company whose products and services allow users to improve on how they integrate web applications into their professional and hobby work. Such a broad range, covering many large systems from other companies - including Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, and more - can open up many different marketing opportunities; but it can also make it difficult to decide on a particular target for an email blast.

    Rather than take a wide and ambiguous approach, they chose to close in on writing - an area where many businesses struggle. As a baseline, this ensures considerable levels of engagement. What raises this to another level is the design itself.

    Highlighted words within the text remind us of the redlines we see under typos, albeit a far gentler example. The image of a pen-edited paragraph gives a more direct example, but the slight blurring helps to build a barrier between us and the page, further sheltering the reader from unintentional frustration. Finally, a quote from Mark Twain illustrating his own foibles makes the idea of mistakes seem all the more standard.

    Combined, these factors take what could be a subconsciously annoying blast and turn it into a consciously welcome one.

    4. Fitbit

    As a device, Fitbit has been welcomed like few others into the world of fitness and health. With the simplicity of design and use, and a range of different systems available, Fitbit offers a line of products for people of any athletic level, and this is perfectly illustrated by their email blast design.

    In their advertising of the newest generation of systems, the team at Fitbit uses a combination of free space and focused text to bring the ideal of both ease of use and flexibility of function.

    With a range of different colors, the company lets us know that these devices have evolved beyond their early incarnations as their mastery has also allowed diversification into fashion. Combined with a small block of text quickly detailing some major features and advantages, Fitbit manages to explain a lot with a little.

    5. Spartan Race

    The Spartan Race took what might have been a tough sell, and quickly turned it into a worldwide smash hit. Beginning in 2007, the general idea was an obstacle course, designed for adults, and cranked all the way up to ten. The name itself is a prime example of this, instantly dismissing any ideas of childish play, instead relating the exercise to something a warrior might experience.

    The mail blast heavily leans into this idea. The major picture of the blast campaign shows people struggling with the course, while still showing competitors with achievable levels of fitness. It is tough, the blast shows, but not insurmountable. Adding to this is the large block text espousing this as a better activity than your typical kick around, with the words 'dominate' and 'team' still give an impression of fierce competition and cooperation.

    Rounding out the blast to this is merchandising credit - always a strong pull as a call to action - plus links to other popular related aspects of the competition, such as eating well and exercising. This blast draws readers in, and then shows more than an outsider might expect.

    6. Ad Age

    Ad Age is a modern advertising company with its fingers in a lot of different physical and digital pies. While this can mean they have a wide area of expertise, it can also necessitate fighting against any preconceived notions that they are masters of none.

    This email blast campaign to draw in participants is one that splits its offerings into a selection of different groups. Illustrated by the shifting color palettes, this helps give the impression that not just one sub discipline within advertising is important to the group. Many are. At the same time, maintaining consistency of placement with the different speakers, all of whom are dressed professionally, provides an overall cohesion of vision.

    Combined with bold colors and clean design, this blast is one that instantly catches a person's attention.

    7. Copyblogger

    Taking a different tack is this blast from Copyblogger. Rather than going for a professional-above-all-else tone, this one instead finds success through a more relaxed and conversational style. Starting from the top of the message, the inclusion of Simone’s picture lets us know this is more colloquial - or at least personal - than many other blasts.

    Moving onto the title, the phrase ‘Age of Creeps’ removes any doubt that a reader might have had about exactly where this email is going. The bulk of the text continues this pattern of comfortable banter. Short paragraphs and humor make this an unusual example, but one which can prove immensely successful in the right circumstances.

    Blasts with styles such as this are only really possible in the conditions that the developer knows exactly the type of communication that the potential readers will enjoy.

    Relaxed communications with a strictly professional reader will be easily dismissed. Likewise, an overly detached and professional blast sent to a relaxed reader can make their eyes glaze over.

    In this case, Copyblogger knew their audience beforehand and used a simple blast to achieve more than they could have otherwise.

    8. Inbound

    This blast from the Inbound marketing conference stands out for a couple of reasons. The first of these is the major portraits and details at the top of the email. The speakers are both women with immense accomplishments under their belts, which does a great deal to bring in professional-level interest.

    The other major contributing factor is the personalization of this blast. By starting the main body of text with a greeting to the individual, the reader is given the impression not of sales, but of one-to-one correspondence. This continues on through the rest of the email, which becomes much more personal for the effort.

    By gently assuming answers while never crossing the nebulous line of overt presumption, this fake back and forth sends its message effectively, and without the need for bombastic graphics or additional details. Also, by bolding the text and giving an enormous offer just before the call to action, an increased click-through rate is vastly more likely.

    9. Xtreme Xperience

    The longest email blast on this list succeeds because of, and not in spite of it, its length. Aimed at performance car enthusiasts, the natural assumption of this blast is that readers’ attention will first drift to the cars themselves. Scanning from top to bottom, as we naturally do, the first text to jump out at the reader is the large 'Free Gear' banner. With their attention captured, readers will likely take a couple of seconds to look at these free gear details.

    In this, $25 off as a coupon code is generous, but it is the details that really make the blast brilliant. In order to claim a bonus, the reader is required to invite a friend and attend the event. This is genius because of the strong sense of community shared in the automotive industries and their fandoms.

    Many people go with friends to these events anyway, and by taking advantage of this offer an even greater crowd, and thus more sales, are practically guaranteed.

    This blast plays the long-game, and in a way that openly benefits both Xtreme Xperience and their followers.

    10. Brickwell

    Rounding out the list brings us this top-class email blast from Brickwell. Focused on developing men's grooming products, the team at Brickwell specializes in products that are clean and effective, and come from natural sources. They embrace this idea at all levels of their business, including their website design and the appearance of the products themselves.

    This simplicity is the route which they have decided to follow for their email blast, to fantastic effect. Everything a reader needs to know about this advertisement is instantly understandable from a quick glance, with a clear and concise call to action given center-stage.

    Since this call to action is also a generous offer, it is little surprise that this blast has such a high open and click-through rate.

    Even the fine print, which many of us might otherwise be wary of, is an extension of generosity: free shipping and samples offer instant appeal.

    Aiding the purpose of this blast are the links at the bottom of the page which connect to Facebook, Twitter, and email. This simplifies the sharing process further, maintaining the message of the email, while still providing tools for the reader to utilize.

    Bottom Line

    The most common shared factor in all of these email blasts is that they all know their audiences. Understand your audience, appeal to them but never condescend.

    Simplify what is needed, avoid what is not, and always leave the reader wanting more.