21 Benchmarking Email Marketing Case Studies
In fact, statistics show that more than 80% of Americans check their inboxes daily , and 63% of them check them multiple times a day.
Despite its long history, email has not stopped growing. The number of email users worldwide has increased every year since email was first introduced , and is expected to surpass 4.2 billion by the end of 2022. That’s why great email marketing campaigns are so important. Social media and paid advertising are great ways to find new customers, but they don’t come close to the level of customer segmentation and effective email marketing campaigns that give you more control over the customer journey.
If you want to create a successful email marketing campaign, you need to know what a good marketing email looks like. Here are some of our favorite email marketing examples from independent brands that we’ve seen recently.
21 Email Marketing Examples
1. Poppy Barley
About the Brand : Poppy Barley is a retailer with stores in Calgary and Edmonton that specializes in leather shoes and accessories such as backpacks, wallets, and handbags. Poppy Barley has a similar branding to many high-end retailers that sell similar products, but with one key difference: their commitment to ethical business practices.
Poppy Barley’s goal is to rethink the ethics of the fashion industry from production to distribution. The brand uses only sustainable materials for its products and packaging, and only works with factories that meet ethical production standards (including human rights, gender equality standards, and workers’ right to organize).
Email Subject: Hello, new friend! (Hello, new friend!)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: In an email titled “Hello, new friend!” Poppy Barley doesn’t shy away from differentiating itself from other luxury retailers. In the header image, “New York” is cleverly removed and replaced with “Edmonton,” indicating where the product was designed. When listing where the product was manufactured, “Italy” is replaced with “Mexico.” In doing so, the email draws a direct comparison to luxury fashion companies based in big cities like New York or Milan.
This approach sets the brand apart. Good branding is all about telling consumers what makes them different, and Poppy Barley is quick to get this across. The email lists the company’s differentiating factors and uses calls to action (CTAs) to guide customers to find out more.
2. Doomlings
About the brand: Doomlings is a post-apocalyptic card game where players must survive in a post-apocalyptic world. Each round, a new disaster threatens to bring about the end of the world , and players draw cards with specific “traits” that help them defend against the disaster.
Doomlings is more than just a game, it’s also a hobby. The Doomlings e-commerce store sells the standard edition of the game, as well as expansion packs and card sleeves that fans can add to their collections or trade with other players.
Email Subject: Welcome to the end of the world! (Welcome to the end of the world!)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: Doomlings' welcome email already shows off its apocalyptic sense of humor before the recipient even opens the email. The ominous yet cheerful subject line has an appeal that's hard to ignore.
When you open the email, you’ll find a discount offer to encourage your first purchase, background information about the game’s founders, and a convenient link that takes you directly to the product collection. These elements combine to effectively encourage recipients to open the email and make a purchase.
3. Nonna Live
About the brand: Every week, Nonna Nerina invites her online viewers to her kitchen in a small Italian town to teach them how to make authentic Italian dishes in a cooking class called Nonna Live. Nonna Live offers a unique opportunity to learn from a professional who has been making traditional Italian dishes for decades.
In addition to group classes, Nonna Live offers private lessons and also sells her own brand of extra virgin olive oil made from olives hand-picked from her family's olive groves.
Email Subject: HURRY! Claim your 15% off discount! ⏳ (Hurry up! Get 15% off! ⏳)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: Nonna Live’s welcome email finds perfection in simplicity. Customers who sign up for the mailing list have already indicated that they want to attend Nonna’s cooking classes, and now all they need is a little nudge.
The email subject line gets straight to the point—“Get 15% off”—and the word “HURRY” adds a sense of urgency to the reader. The email includes a CTA link to book a class, introduces the team behind Nonna’s videos, and provides some background on Nonna and her olive oil.
Finally, Nonna Live's emails provide social proof through customer testimonials, leveraging the support of satisfied customers to drive new customers.
4. Schoolhouse
About the brand: Schoolhouse is a home decor company that sells a variety of products and accessories, including lighting fixtures such as chandeliers and wall lamps, as well as artwork, paintings, clocks, and bedding sets. As the name 'Schoolhouse' suggests, the brand's products are based on the basic principles of design, creating pieces that fit in anywhere and are timeless.
Email Subject: Welcome to Schoolhouse: Here's 10% Off Your First Order (Welcome to Schoolhouse: Get 10% off your first order)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: Schoolhouse’s call to action (CTA) promises users a 10% discount if they subscribe to their newsletter. This first email delivers on that promise with a no-frills subject line.
When you open the email, you’ll notice that it focuses on what the home looks like from the outside rather than focusing on a specific product. This is an interesting strategy, as it emphasizes that the company is selling a lifestyle, not a specific product.
5. Sundays
About the brand: Sundays is a brand that embodies the meaning of Sunday, a day of rest, symbolizing a time to rest, relax, and prepare for the coming week. This Toronto-based furniture brand shows a quiet and calm atmosphere in its branding, just like its name.
The furniture is designed for long-term use. The pieces are stylistically simple, timeless and built to last. The minimalist design makes them easy to adapt to changing aesthetic trends. The pieces are available primarily in black, white and grey, making them versatile in terms of style.
Email Subject: Welcome to the Dark Side (Welcome to the world of darkness)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: The title “Welcome to the dark side” is somewhat unusual for a brand that values comfort, but it effectively grabs the reader’s attention. Once the email is opened, the ominous nature of the subject line fades away, and the calm presentation of Sunday’s new black oak furniture line takes center stage.
The content of the email newsletter is concise, featuring a few selected products from the collection along with other products. Since this email is a promotional email sent to previous buyers, it is a clever strategy to enhance the customer’s shopping experience by offering products that complement previous purchases rather than products to replace.
6. Brightland
About the brand: Brightland is a California-based food company that sells extra virgin olive oil and vinegar without any additives or artificial preservatives. The company's products are made using naturally fermented fruits grown in nutrient-rich soil.
Brightland uses soft orange and yellow in its packaging, and the clean white bottle evokes the clear California sun while also showing the fresh orange used in the product. This dual imagery successfully combines two ideas into one comprehensive brand.
Email Subject: Enzyme obsessed (For enzyme obsessed people)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: The subject line, “Enzyme Obsessed,” is a marketing email promoting the brand’s raw balsamic and champagne vinegars. The subject line focuses on the chemistry of the products rather than their taste, which is what sets the brand apart from other food companies.
At first, it may seem surprising that this email is advertising a food product, but once you open it, the content turns appetizing, describing the brand's unique fermentation process using fresh oranges, blackberries, and grapes.
Brightland has a section called “Why We’re Different” that deliciously highlights the fresh ingredients in their vinegars. Olive oil and vinegar are both high-demand products, so many brands don’t differentiate themselves much from each other. Brightland clearly highlights the differences in their products, giving customers a reason to choose them over the competition.
7. Melt Cosmetics
About the brand: Melt Cosmetics is a bold makeup brand specializing in high-pigmentation cosmetics, including intense colors and ultra-matte lipsticks. For Melt, makeup is more than just skin care; it’s a full-on art form.
Melt Cosmetics focuses on cutting-edge products and pushes the boundaries of cosmetics. The images are shot in close-up detail, emphasizing not only the color of the product, but also its texture and design.
Email Subject: Slick Waterline Pencils 📆 1.28.22 at 12pm PST 🚨 (New Eyeliner Pencil Launching 📆 January 28th at 12pm PST 🚨)
Email Type: New product collection ( Introducing the new product collection)
Why Email Works: The key to this email’s success is its timing. The email was sent on the evening of January 27, meaning most recipients would have read it a few hours before the time and date highlighted by the calendar and siren emoji in the subject line.
The subject line states the new product, but it feels a bit cryptic. Are these products going to be released at that time? Are they available? Or are they no longer available? The only thing that is clear to the reader is this: If you don’t open this email now, you’re missing out. That’s the only message your subject line should convey.
8. Vapor95
About the brand: Vapor95 is a Los Angeles-based clothing company with a striking visual style that centers around the vaporwave aesthetic, a music and visual art genre that emerged in the early 2010s. Vapor95’s visual branding combines futuristic elements from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, creating a kaleidoscopic nostalgia for a time that never really existed.
Email Subject: Do Not Share This Email! 🤫 Special Discount Just For You! (Don't share this email! 🤫 Special discount just for you!)
Email Type: Promotional (subscriber-only discount) ( Promotional Email [Subscriber Only Discount])
Why Email Works: The subject line offers subscribers a discount, while the Shh! face emoji and the request, “Don’t share this email!” give it a sense of secrecy and exclusivity. Upon opening the email, users are asked to vote for their favorite retro tech item and have the chance to win their chosen item.
A creative twist on email is to have subscribers vote using a discount code for the item they chose. This is a smart strategy that strengthens the relationship with your brand, encourages customers to actively interact with your brand, and drives sales—all without feeling like an ad.
Vapor95 is a company that sells clothing, but you won’t see any products in this email. That’s because the purpose of these types of emails isn’t to sell a specific product, but to build a relationship between the brand and the customer.
9. Who Gives a Crap
About the brand: Who Gives a Crap is a cleverly named company that sells toilet paper, paper towels, tissues and napkins made from recycled materials and environmentally sustainable bamboo.
The company got its start through crowdfunding, with co-founder Simon Griffiths vowing to sit on a toilet and not move until the IndieGoGo campaign reached its goal. Who Gives a Crap donates 50% of its profits to build safe sanitation facilities in countries in need.
Who Gives a Crap is branded around charity and toilet humor. The brand name perfectly combines these two elements—it’s clearly humorous, but also asks the question, “Who cares?” and the answer to that question is the company and its customers. Who cares? We do.
Email Subject: “Why let a good thing go to waste?” (Why waste a good thing?)
Email Type: Promotional (subscriber-only discount) ( Promotional Email [Subscriber Only Discount])
Why Email Works: In this email, Who Gives a Crap partners with Imperfect Foods, a grocery delivery service that sells visually imperfect fruits and vegetables, to reduce food waste.
By partnering with like-minded brands and offering a sweet $100 off groceries, Who Gives a Crap shows its subscribers that its goal isn’t just to make money. It wants to change the way businesses operate, and it invites its customers to join in the change.
The email includes a photo of a Who Gives a Crap product, but it is not intended to market a specific product or collection, but rather invites users to learn more about the brand and its charitable work. When customers see that a brand is doing good, they feel more positive about buying from it.
10. Fable
About the brand: Fable is a retailer with stores in Vancouver, Toronto, and New York City that specializes in tableware and other dining essentials. Made from recycled clay and packaged in eco-friendly materials, Fable’s products are designed to be more than just a fad; they’re designed to be stylish and durable.
Email Subject: 2021, It's Been Fun 🥂 (2021 was fun 🥂)
Email Type: Newsletter ( Newsletter)
Why Email Works: This email was sent to newsletter subscribers as 2021 came to a close, highlighting all that Fable accomplished as a result of the support of our customers as the year came to a close. It highlighted the company’s growth, as well as the ability to donate meals and holiday gift sets to those in need.
Fable’s copywriting makes it clear that none of this would be possible without their customers. The emails don’t feature product images, collection highlights, or calls to action (CTAs). Instead, Fable uses this opportunity to focus solely on the success of their readers.
11. Immi
About the brand: Immi is a food company specializing in healthy instant noodles. The founders, Kevin Lee and Kevin Chanthasiriphan (hereinafter referred to as “the two Kevins”), grew up making and eating noodles while working with their families in Taiwan and Thailand.
After seeing some of their families suffer from health problems due to malnutrition, the two Kevins were inspired to create an instant ramen that was as delicious as the noodles they ate as children, but more nutritious.
Email Subject: You're in the running 🍜 (You're nominated 🍜)
Email Type: Welcome email ( Welcome Email)
Why Email Works: Instant ramen noodles are beloved for their convenience and intense flavor, but they are typically high in sodium and low in nutrients. Immi immediately differentiates itself in a competitive market by focusing on the added nutrients in its products in a welcome email sent to new subscribers.
Subscribers received this email after entering a giveaway to get a free year of Immi products, but the focus of the email is not the giveaway. Instead, Immi uses this email to tell the story of the product and connects that story to the product’s main selling point: its nutritional value.
Immi’s brand story is effective from a content marketing perspective because it highlights why the founders developed this product in the first place. Seeing what sets Immi apart from other brands is fundamentally important to understanding how the product came to be.
12. Marine Layer
About the brand: Marine Layer is a clothing company with stores in several cities across the U.S. In its 10 years of operation, the company has developed over 100 custom fabrics , all of which focus on using recycled materials .
Marine Layer specializes in casual wear with an emphasis on comfort. The brand evokes the laid-back surf shop of a sunny Californian beach. The brand’s tagline, “Somewhere else awaits,” sends a message to customers to escape and take a break from their daily routine.
Email Subject: Get what you actually wanted. (Get what you really want.)
Email Type: Promotional ( Promotional Emails)
Why Email Works: This email was sent to subscribers just after the holiday season ended. The subject line, “Get what you actually wanted,” almost winks at customers after a tiring few weeks, giving them permission to focus on themselves.
The email content includes a few product photos and a clear CTA button that links to the store, along with a short message that there is no need to pretend to be passionate anymore. Marine Layer doesn’t need to say much more, because saying more would ruin the brand’s lightness and easygoing image.
13. Mejuri
About the brand: Mejuri is a Canadian retailer of fine jewelry, leather goods and jewelry care kits. Jewelry is often marketed as a gift or something to be purchased for someone else. However, Mejuri takes a different approach and differentiates itself in a competitive industry.
Email Subject: Gift Your Damn Self (Give yourself a gift)
Email Type: Promotional ( Promotional Emails)
Why Email Works: The title, “Gift Your Damn Self,” gives holiday season fatigue a chance to reward yourself. Mejuri’s marketing email was sent just after the holiday season ended, perfectly timed to fit the brand’s overall message.
Self-love is at the core of Mejuri’s branding. Founder and CEO Noura Sakkijha explains the company’s philosophy on the “About Us” page :
“I founded Mejuri because I wanted to create a jewelry industry where women celebrate themselves, not a jewelry industry where men gift to women. To me, the truest expression of Mejuri is mutual enrichment: where we all support each other, where our community invests in itself, and as a result, the surrounding community grows as well.”
This email focuses on taking care of yourself, which is perfectly in line with the brand’s message. The timing of this email after the long holiday season makes that message even stronger.
14. Sixty Hotels
About the brand: Sixty is a hotel chain located in Beverly Hills and New York. Sixty's branding focuses on elegance and enjoying the night view of the area where the hotel is located.
Email Subject: We're A Pretty Great Back-Up Plan (We have a pretty good backup plan)
Email Type: Promotional (time-sensitive deals) ( Promotional Email [Limited Time Discount Offer])
Why Email Works: As the Omicron variant spreads across the United States, many travelers have been forced to cancel their travel plans, leaving them stranded for the holiday season. The title, “We’re A Pretty Great Back-Up Plan,” is a bit self-deprecating for a hotel chain that emphasizes elegance, but it connects with readers on a personal level.
This email is not intended to make customers change their plans, but rather to help them make the most of their situation. This email is speaking to a very specific user at a specific time, who is feeling frustrated and out of options.
15. Allbirds
About the brand: This New Zealand-based company was the first shoe brand to use fabrics made from sheep wool. Made from sustainable materials, the products are developed to provide optimal comfort and are sold in stores worldwide .
Email Subject: You Never Forget Your First (First experiences are unforgettable)
Email Type: Win-back email ( (Repurchase inducing email)
Why Email Works: This email was sent to users who signed up for Allbirds' mailing list but haven't made a purchase yet. This email is effective because it understands its audience and appeals directly to them.
A clever subject line (What was your first experience?) is enough to grab attention, but once you open the email, you’re giving your subscribers a compelling reason why they should buy your product. Allbirds shoes are made with a super-soft fleece fabric that no other company has ever developed, and they’re unlike any shoe you’ve ever worn before.
16. Zenni
About the brand: Zenni is a San Francisco-based eyewear retailer that sells prescription eyeglasses to a forward-thinking, tech-savvy consumer. Zenni uses a digital “virtual try-on” tool to allow users to easily see how their products will look when worn, and also offers the ability to customize the frames to the shape of the user’s face.
Email Subject: 👓 Get These Glasses, They Go with Everything! (👓 Take these glasses, they go well with any style!)
Email Type: Promotional (promotional email)
Why Email Works: The title hints at Zenni’s many product customization options and cleverly grabs the reader’s attention. Without mentioning a specific product, it says that all of its products are versatile and customizable, so they will suit any style.
The actual body of the email is concise. Since eyeglasses are a product with a relatively long interval between individual purchases, the goal of the email is not to induce an immediate purchase, but to remind the customer of the brand so that they think of Zenni when they need new eyeglasses.
17. Better Packaging
About the brand: Better Packaging, based in New Zealand, is a company that sells eco-friendly packaging supplies. The company offers a wide range of packaging supplies including small bags, envelopes, labels, stickers, tapes, garment bags, etc. In short, they cover all your shipping needs.
Email Subject: We're giving away 6000 mailers (We give away 6000 free shipping envelopes)
Email Type: Promotional ( Promotional Emails)
Why Email Works: The words “shipping envelope” may not sound enticing in a marketing email. The term usually conjures up images of unwanted flyers and brochures that pile up in the mailbox. But that’s exactly what makes the subject line so clever.
Better Packaging is not talking about junk mail, it’s about real products. Better Packaging’s primary customer base is other business owners. This email was sent in October 2021, just before the holiday season, to provide empathy and solidarity as this busy season is not only for Better Packaging but also for its customers.
The emails also include information about the giveaway, which is a great way to encourage brand engagement, but more than anything, they provide a sense of connection with your customers. Better Packaging understands how stressful the next few months will be for our customers, and we want to convey the message that we are here to support you.
18. Good Guys Don't Wear Leather
About the brand: Good Guys Don't Wear Leather is a shoe brand founded in Paris in 2011 that sells a wide range of vegan leather shoes. The Good Guys brand's goal is to create shoes that are completely free of animal products, sustainable, and ensure fair working conditions in their supply chain.
Email Subject: Thanks for visiting our Shop! (Thank you for visiting our store!)
Email Type: Abandoned Cart ( Shopping Cart Abandonment Email)
Why Email Works: This email is a shopping cart abandonment email, and its goal is to recoup lost sales. The email is personalized. It starts with the items left in the shopping cart, gently reminding the recipient of the items they almost bought. It also provides a convenient link to return to the store and complete the order.
Good Guys take a non-pushy or demanding approach to getting customers back into the store, which makes emails feel more like a friendly check-in with a friend than a salesperson who is annoying the customer.
19. Pacifica Beauty
About the brand: Pacifica Beauty is a cosmetics company specializing in vegan and cruelty-free products. They focus on sustainability, and even have a program to recycle used plastic into razors and toothbrushes that they sell on their website.
Email Subject: The wait is over! (The wait is over!)
Email Type: Back-in-stock ( Restock notification email)
Why Email Works: This email is a stock alert email, where the recipients have signed up to be notified when a particular product is back in stock. Customers who have signed up for stock alerts are likely to have bought the product, but their enthusiasm may have waned while they wait. Therefore, a good stock alert email should re-engage the customer and stimulate their desire to buy.
Pacifica’s subject line, “The wait is over!”, creates an immediate sense of excitement, aimed at piquing the reader’s curiosity and rekindling their interest in the product. This personalized email features an image of the abandoned product, and the body of the email is minimal, with a gentle reminder and a no-nonsense “Check it out” call-to-action (CTA) button.
20. Brightland
About the brand: Brightland is a California-based oil and vinegar brand, and this is their second appearance on our list of best email marketing examples.
Email Subject: Back in stock: LUSH 🍓 (Restock: LUSH 🍓)
Email Type: Back-in-stock ( Restock notification email)
Why Email Works: Brightland’s second email was written to let customers know that the fast-selling Lush Strawberry Vinegar was back in stock. Sometimes back-in-stock emails are best served with a simple, gentle reminder, but that wasn’t the case in this case.
Brightland's Lush Strawberry Vinegar is one of our most popular products. It takes time to produce and sells out quickly when it comes back in stock. So this news of a restock is worth getting excited about.
The title takes a slightly clever approach, using an emoji instead of the word "strawberry" and opening with the quiet phrase "Back in stock", before adding the word "LUSH" in capital letters next to it to create a contrasting effect, almost like a secret code for the waiting fans.
Brightland understands that scarcity is an important marketing tool. While the term “out of stock” can sometimes be seen as a negative, Brightland is making the most of this situation by framing it as a shortage of stock due to the popularity of the product.
21. Skull Bliss
Skull Bliss is a home decor company that sells wall sculptures made from real cow skulls. These amazing pieces are hand carved by highly skilled Balinese artists using traditional Balinese craft techniques , a skill that can take years to master.
Each piece is unique and can take several days to create. The elaborate decorations are a far cry from the typical home decor sold in traditional stores.
Email Subject: We did a little negotiating for you… (We did some negotiating for you…)
Email Type: Abandoned cart ( Shopping Cart Abandonment Email)
Why Email Works: In this cart abandonment email, Skull Bliss starts off by stating that they are willing to lower the price. It’s no surprise that most customers abandon their carts because of price, especially when this product can be a bit pricey. Skull Bliss knows exactly what their readers are looking for.
The 50% off offer from Skull Bliss is attractive because it is a significant discount. Since Skull Bliss products are not readily available, the prospect who receives this email feels like they are getting a deal that is too good to be true.
Get inspired to create amazing email marketing campaigns
Email is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, but it still remains one of the most important marketing tools. While almost everyone has an email address, few people use all social media platforms regularly. That’s why an effective email marketing strategy is so important.
Social media platforms don’t offer the same way as email to completely “own” the customer journey from beginning to end. Social media and online advertising are great ways to find new customers, but email marketing is essential to retaining them.
Shopify users can use Shopify Email to design commerce-optimized branded emails, set up marketing automation, and track campaigns.
Email Marketing Tips FAQ
What are the 5 Ts of Email Marketing?
- Targeting: Segment your email list so you can send relevant messages to the right people.
- Timing: Send your emails at the right time to maximize open and click-through rates.
- Testing: Set up A/B tests to optimize your emails and ensure best results.
- Tracking: Analyze the performance of your emails to inform future campaigns.
- Technology: Streamline your email marketing process by leveraging the right tools and technologies.
What is the 80/20 Rule in Email Marketing?
The 80/20 rule of email marketing is a guideline that states that 80% of your company’s emails should focus on providing value to your readers—useful information, tips, resources, etc.—while the remaining 20% should be used to promote your company’s products or services. By providing useful content, you build trust and loyalty with your readers, which over time will lead to sales.
What are the four types of email marketing?
- Newsletter Emails: Used to provide customers with the latest company news, new product launches, and other updates.
- Promotional emails: Used to promote specific products or services and encourage customers to make a purchase.
- Transactional Emails: Emails sent to customers after a transaction is completed. These may include order confirmation, shipping notifications, and other information related to the purchase.
- Relationship Building Emails: Used to build relationships with customers and nurture existing leads. Often include helpful tips and advice, customer stories, and other interesting content.