To help you prepare for the upcoming shopping frenzy, we’ve curated a selection of ten standout email and SMS examples from successful Black Friday campaigns. These examples showcase effective strategies for engaging target audiences, creating a sense of urgency, and enticing customers with time-sensitive deals.

1. Make your Black Friday email promotions pop with countdown timers

A great way to drive clicks and sales is through urgency, scarcity, and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Adding countdown timers in emails gives a sense of urgency, and the design can make the email feel interactive and visually engage the reader.

Virgin Atlantic’s Black Friday email campaign is a great example of how to effectively use a countdown timer. The brand ingeniously combined an animated countdown timer with a boarding pass.

The whole ticket graphic looks personalized, with the first name field matching the email body copy. Now, imagine you’ve been searching flights to a particular destination, and then you get this email land in your inbox. Seeing your name on that ticket would certainly tempt you.

The email is undeniably on-brand and different from generic campaigns, so it stands out from the competition.

2. Showcase your brand values 

The Black Friday and entire Cyber Week period isn’t just about huge discounts. Campaigns that show your brand supporting a charitable cause or giving back to the community can be a refreshing change of pace that stands out and is well received by your audience, improving brand loyalty overall.

This campaign from clothing brand Everlane is as refreshing as the alpine air in the photograph used. The email lets readers know how their support of the brand has in turn supported cashmere farmers and the regeneration of Mongolian grasslands.

The brand shares what it’s doing for good, but doesn’t make it about them, rather about the support of the customers. It also educates, in a non-preachy way, letting people know why this is important.

The campaign’s mixture of blocks showing stats, meaningful copy, and real-life photography of gorgeous Cashmere goats makes it one of the best email examples out there.

3. Don’t be limited to Black Friday itself

This campaign from Thortful, a card marketplace, is a couple of years old now, but we still love it.

Black Friday is a busy day for inboxes, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and make your own occasion.

From November 24 to 27, Thortful introduced “Thortsgiving” – a celebration that gives back to its creators. This unique take on a Black Friday message sends a powerful message to customers: Thortful is not just a place to buy meaningful cards; it’s a tight-knit community that stands by its creators and supports small businesses.

Thortful skillfully establishes an emotional connection with its customers, using the attention around holiday promotions to drive sales and build deeper connections with its audience, all the while remaining true to its core values.

4. Create memorable copy

Writing memorable copy is important during the holiday rush. With so many messages fighting for attention, your goal should be to create copy that stands out and leaves a lasting impression.

Use persuasive language to stimulate your subscribers’ curiosity and emotions, and create a sense of urgency that encourages them to take action.

For instance, Coach was able to successfully target its SMS subscribers during Black Friday by weaving a sense of urgency into its message, without resorting to shouty ALL CAPS messages with lots of exclamation marks.

In the brand’s typical quiet luxury style, the urgency is conveyed, but not pressured, with the copy emphasizing that it was the final chance for customers to save big on their purchases before the deals disappeared.

Why use SMS for Black Friday sales

SMS gets a click-through rate seven times higher than email at 25.7%. You can learn all of the basics on SMS marketing here, written by our SMS expert, Lucia.

SMS lends itself especially well to flash sales, which are very popular during Black Friday. We know that Black Friday is a hectic time for marketers, so adding SMS into your channel mix isn’t much extra work at all.

If you want to send cross-channel campaigns but are short on time, Dotdigital’s AI tools mean you can convert your existing emails into SMS messages in one click. It will automatically adjust your message to fit the character limit, suggesting copy that aligns perfectly with your email content.

5. Offer exclusivity with VIP deals

Technically, this is another example of Black Friday campaigns not being tied to Black Friday as it’s about a ‘spring Black Friday’ offer, but the part of this campaign we love is the exclusive early access for email subscribers.

Making your customers feel valued and giving them perks for being subscribed is never a bad idea. Dotdigital’s recent survey of 4,000 global consumers found that 27% of shoppers want loyalty schemes to offer early access to new products and sales.

This example from PLUSH + OAK tells subscribers that they’re on the brand’s VIP mailing list, so they’re getting access to a big discount a whole three days before other people will even know about the sale. This is extra valuable to subscribers as the email highlights how the brand anticipates certain items to sell out, so this pre-sale window is a valuable perk for email subscribers.

6. How to say more with fewer words

On Black Friday, shoppers are eager to find deals from their favorite brands quickly and effortlessly. As SMS messages have a limited character count, getting your message across in just a few words is necessary, but you can still build excitement.

BCBG’s SMS campaign is a great example of how keeping things short and clear can really pay off. During its Black Friday promotion, BCBG sent out a simple and clear SMS message to subscribers that provided all the essential information about the offer, without overwhelming recipients with unnecessary details.

In just a few words, the message tells shoppers:

• The crux of the offer (40% off everything)
• Highlights that it’s for a limited time only
• Evokes scarcity and FOMO tactics by saying things are selling fast
• And ends with a simple and clear call to action and link

7. Have fun with it

One way to leave a lasting impression during the Black Friday email scramble is to avoid using basic, overused design templates.

By creating a unique and cohesive design that stands out from generic email layouts, you can set your brand apart and draw attention to the content within.

Vans’ Black Friday email campaign is an excellent example of innovative and fun design.

The email features a mountain-side ski scene that offers a playful interactive game feel in the styling of the design and CTA button placements.

When it comes to the content, the campaign has something for everyone. From regular shopping CTAs to helpfully curated gift selections sorted by price range, and even a holiday playlist option so that people not looking to shop still get something to enjoy from the email.

8. When and how to use emojis

Emojis are part of modern communication and can be perfect for adding emotion and personality to text-based messages.

SMS is still a channel that’s used for chatting with friends and loved ones, so using emojis along with a conversational and relatable tone here can make the message feel less salesy and more natural.

Youth to the People’s message added a clock emoji to deliver the sale information in a more visually engaging way and to show an element of fun to the campaign.

When using emojis in your SMS marketing campaigns, moderation is key. Using too many emojis can overwhelm your audience and feel spammy.

And always be sure that you’re on top of your character count, as some newer emojis can count as two characters instead of one.

9. Prioritize mobile optimization

Across the month of November in 2025, mobile saw 52.8% of all online orders, and on Cyber Monday it accounted for 57.5% of orders, so your Black Friday email campaigns need to be optimized for mobile users.

Your promotional emails need to look good on every device. Whether someone opens them on a phone, tablet, or desktop, a well-formatted email makes it much easier for them to click through and buy.

Most email marketing platforms have mobile optimization built into the email builder, so this doesn’t need to be something you think about too hard. The main thing to check is that elements like CTAs and side-by-side content blocks stack into a single column on smaller screens, making your emails just as easy to read on a phone as they are on a desktop.

10. Send last-minute reminders

Last-minute reminders are a great way to make the most of Black Friday hype and give anyone who’s been on the fence a reason to finally hit buy.

Snacks brand, Nuts, used this SMS to make one thing very clear: this was their last chance to shop the Black Friday sale. The loudspeaker emoji helped dial up the urgency without needing to say much more.

The key is to be clear about what’s ending and when. And keep those deadlines genuine; repeatedly extending a sale can quickly frustrate customers, who’ll see through the urgency tactic. In the EU, brands have also faced fines for misleading practices around fake discounts and deadlines.

A well-timed reminder can bring back customers who missed, forgot about, or simply needed one final nudge to take advantage of your offer.

Get Black Friday ready

As we approach Black Friday, now is the perfect time to start planning your marketing strategy. It’ll be upon us quicker than you know it, and anything we can prep in advance will make it a lot easier. We hope these examples can provide a springboard for inspiration when designing your upcoming email and SMS campaigns. And remember, you’ve got this.

A premium homewares brand built on craftsmanship, design, and customer trust

Wallace Cotton is a New Zealand lifestyle and homeware brand known for its approach to everyday living – blending timeless design, natural fabrics and effortless luxury across premium bed linen, home textiles and sleepwear.

Founded in 2005, the brand has built a loyal following through its considered aesthetic, quality craftsmanship and commitment to creating pieces that feel as beautiful as they are lived in. With a strong retail footprint across New Zealand and a rapidly growing ecommerce presence, Wallace Cotton continues to cultivate long-term relationships with more than 95,000 customers who value comfort, style and thoughtful design.

A Dotdigital customer since 2023, Wallace Cotton expanded its partnership in 2025 with the addition of Dotdigital Personalization, helping translate the same curated, on-brand experience customers love in-store into every touchpoint of the online journey.

Translating a premium brand promise into an efficient website experience, without resorting to discounts

Wallace Cotton has built its reputation on thoughtful design, premium quality, and timeless homewares. Customers come to the brand expecting a considered, considered, on-brand experience – one that reflects the care and craftsmanship behind every product. However, this premium positioning was not fully carried through to the website experience.

Without website personalization, every customer was met with the same generic journey, regardless of browsing behaviour, preferences, or purchase intent. This limited Wallace Cotton’s ability to guide customers toward relevant products, curate meaningful experiences, or increase average order value in a way that felt natural and on-brand.

Compounding the challenge, revenue growth could not rely on traditional retail levers like discounting. Protecting price integrity was critical to maintaining the brand’s premium perception, leaving little room to drive performance through promotional tactics without risking long-term brand value.

Turning the mini cart into a personalized styling experience with Dotdigital Personalization SmartBlocks

To create a brand world that communicated the premium brand promise and aligned it with the website shopping experience, Wallace Cotton partnered with Dotdigital Personalization to introduce website personalization – starting with a strategic focus on the mini cart.

In 2024, the team was first introduced to Dotdigital Personalization at a Dotdigital Masterclass in New Zealand. They were a perfect candidate – with Dotdigital already directly integrated, and a tech stack spanning Shopify & OnTempo, the decision was straightforward: one connected platform that could power email, SMS and website personalization without adding integration overheads. Dotdigital stood out in the selection process, offering a frictionless direct integration between 2 platforms.

The experience uses real-time behavioural data (e.g. products viewed, items added to cart, and previous browsing patterns) to intelligently recommend complementary and higher-value items aligned with each shopper’s interests.

The real time personalization opportunity allowed Wallace Cotton to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and instead guide customers toward thoughtfully curated product combinations – such as coordinating bedding, cushions, and accessories – that felt natural, considered, and true to the brand.

The mini cart became more than a transactional touchpoint; it evolved into a personalized styling moment that reflected Wallace Cotton’s attention to detail, craftsmanship, and customer-first philosophy.

Importantly, this level of personalization delighted their audience, allowing Wallace Cotton to increase average order value and drive incremental revenue. Rather than incentivizing customers with discounts, the brand used relevance and inspiration as its primary growth lever – reinforcing its premium positioning while delivering measurable commercial impact.

Dotdigital Personalization, has helped us create more personalized recommendations and experiences that resonate with our customers. We’re already seeing the value of using our customer insights in a more considered way, and with a strong roadmap ahead, it feels like we’re only getting started.

Ben Harris – Ecommerce Manager

The results highlighted the commercial impact of relevance-led website personalization, demonstrating that meaningful revenue growth can be achieved without relying on discounting.

• Average order value 20% higher than the site-wide average
• Measurable ROI over 800% in first 6 months
• SmartBlocks contributed 6% of total website revenue

Dotdigital SmartBlocks turned website personalization into a significant performance driver. Within six months, SmartBlocks contributed 6% of total website revenue, with customers engaging in personalized content consistently achieving an average order value 20% higher than the site-wide average.

Beyond topline revenue uplift, the programme delivered a strong commercial return, achieving an estimated ~800% ROI over the measurement period, driven purely by personalized experiences rather than promotional incentives.

Crucially, these results were achieved without compromising price integrity. By focusing on thoughtful, relevant product recommendations at moments of high purchase intent, Wallace Cotton was able to grow conversion and order value while reinforcing its premium brand positioning and long-term brand value.

Multi-platform expansion of personalization

Building on its success, Wallace Cotton plans to expand personalized product recommendations across the website and into email, delivering a more cohesive end‑to‑end customer experience. Key next steps include enhancing abandoned cart and re‑engagement emails with personalized product recommendations to drive relevance, re‑engagement, and conversion.

Millie’s Cookies has spent more than 40 years living off a single, reliable moment: the smell of fresh cookies pulling shoppers in on impulse as they walked through a shopping center. That moment built the brand. It also meant the business had almost no relationship with its customers beyond the till. As footfall declined and store count fell from around 150 to 45, that impulse-driven model stopped being enough to build a business on, and Millie’s had to become a brand people could find, join, and buy from without ever walking past a store.

10x+ return on investment

Dan Hall joined Millie’s in 2025 to lead that shift. “Our natural place in the market was in decline,” Dan says. “We had to pivot from a one-size-fits-all, in-store approach to something built around an actual, ongoing customer relationship.” The clearest proof that the shift was working wasn’t a big campaign. It was a free cookie.

Awareness was the real barrier, not appetite

Millie’s had run an online business for about a decade already, but most customers didn’t know it existed. “A lot of people still think you have to go into town to get a Millie’s cookie,” Dan says. “Even after ten years online, we’re still working against that assumption.” The challenge wasn’t convincing people to like the brand. It was convincing them the brand existed somewhere other than the shopping center.

Building a reason to go online

The team’s answer wasn’t a discount blast. It was the free birthday cookie: sign up to the database, get 10% off a first order, and a QR code lands on your phone good for a free cookie in any store within 30 days of your birthday. “On paper, giving away a free cookie isn’t particularly massive,” Dan says. “But it’s been one of the sharpest, lowest-cost moves we’ve made toward getting people to actually engage with us online instead of just walking past us in a shopping center.”

“It’s not the flashiest thing we’ve built, but it’s the one I’d point to first if someone asked what actually got customers to make the leap online.”

It worked because it gave people a real reason to sign up. Every redemption meant another verified, opted-in contact, captured and managed through Dotdigital, and another customer who now had an online relationship with Millie’s that didn’t exist a year earlier. Email, SMS, and WhatsApp all sit in one place for the team now, rather than stitched together across separate platforms, which Dan says makes it easier to actually build the journeys instead of managing the tools.

Proving the shift to the business

Getting a traditionally in-store business to invest further online meant proving the case first. “You show up with a small idea, a clear result, and you let the numbers do the arguing,” Dan says. Once redemptions started tracking alongside real online sales, the internal conversation changed. “The moment finance can see a straight line from a free cookie to online sign-ups to repeat online revenue, you stop having to sell the shift. You’re just reporting on it.”

Dotdigital has been the engine behind a 10x return on our CRM investment. It’s not just a platform, it’s how we finally built a real relationship with our customers.

Dan Hall, Millie’s Cookies

The numbers tell the story

The CRM program, run through Dotdigital, now returns more than 10 times what’s invested in it, evidence Dan points to whenever the business questions further investment in online channels over physical retail. “I feel as though Dotdigital has kind of been the engine behind that activity,” Dan says. More than a year on, roughly three-quarters of the online database remains actively engaged, well above what a typical reactivated list tends to hold onto, proof that the online relationship is sticking, not just spiking around a single campaign.

Looking ahead

Dan sees the biggest opportunity as still being awareness, not tactics. “Even after ten years of having an online business, we’ve still got a huge way to go in getting people to realize they don’t need to go to a shopping center for this,” he says. The plan is to keep building simple, low-cost reasons for offline customers to engage online, the way the birthday cookie did, while widening into SMS and WhatsApp, both a natural fit for a customer base that buys last-minute.

Co-branded partnerships, with the likes of Jet2, and conversations underway with other retailers, are stacking on top of that same goal: reaching people where they already are, and giving them a reason to find Millie’s online instead of waiting to walk past a store. “We’re still just scratching the surface,” Dan says. “The brand’s been around 40 years in people’s memories. Now we’re building the version that lives in their inbox.”

There’s no shortage of platforms out there. The hard part is working out which one is right for your team, your goals, and the way you work day to day.

That’s what this guide is for. We’ll walk you through everything worth checking before you commit, so you can make a decision you won’t be disappointed with six months down the line.

We’ll show you how to:

1. Review your current email setup

2. Know what your email marketing goals are

3. Check ease of use

4. Compare automation and personalization features

5. Explore reporting and analytics

6. Review integration with your existing tech stack

7. A platform that grows with you

8. Compare support options and learning resources

9. Understand security and compliance

10. Compare pricing and what you get for it

11. Trial platforms before you commit

12. Get insights from real user experiences

13. See if it works for businesses like yours

Step 1: Review your current email setup

Bear with us here, this one sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people skip straight to the demos without actually stopping to think about what they need. So, before you let someone tell you what your problems are, take a few minutes to figure out:

• Which parts of your current process work, and which make you want to scream?
• Where’s your time going? What feels repetitive with every send?
• What can’t you do right now that’s holding your results back?
• If you could fix one thing about your current setup, what would it be?

Step 2: Know what your email marketing goals are

Before you get dazzled by features in a demo, it helps to know what you and your team want to achieve. It might be getting more subscribers, improving engagement, or increasing revenue per send. The clearer you are on the outcome, the easier it is to pick the right platform. 

Match your goals to the features that matter

Once you know what your goals are, it’s easier to spot which features will help deliver those results: 

• Subscriber growth: sign-up forms, landing pages, easy segmentation
• Engagement: automated welcome series, drip campaigns, dynamic personalization
• Retention: triggered emails, loyalty integrations, win-back campaigns
• Efficiency: drag-and-drop editor, reusable templates, agentic AI
• Revenue: ecommerce integrations, dynamic product recommendations, conversion tracking

Think short-term and long-term too

What you need today might look very different from what you’ll need in 12 to 24 months. Maybe right now it’s email newsletters, but soon you might want to add:

• Transactional emails
• SMS and MMS
• Advanced personalization
• WhatsApp
• Social retargeting

Picking a platform with room to grow saves you from having to do all of this again in two years. 

Step 3: Check ease of use

Nobody wants to file a ticket just to change a subject line. You need a tool your team can pick up and use from day one, instead of waiting on developers or long onboarding processes. 

Look for:

• A platform your team can learn and use quickly
• Drag-and-drop tools and ready-made templates that help you get campaigns out faster
• Automation builders that make it easy to create and manage customer journeys

When a platform is easy to use, your team can work faster and with more confidence. You’ll spend less time solving problems and more time creating campaigns that drive results.

Quick tip: 

Don’t just try a demo – get hands-on experience with the platform. You’ll learn more from a twenty-minute trial, creating campaigns and building segments, than any feature comparison chart. 

Step 4: Automation and personalization

The best email marketing does two things well. It gets the right message to the right person at the right moment without anyone having to manually manage every step. And when it lands, it feels like it was written just for them rather than fired out to everyone on your list.

Here are some things to look for:

• Automated journeys for welcome emails, abandoned carts, or win-back campaigns
• Behavior-based triggers and dynamic content, tailored to the individual
• AI that suggests what to send, who to send it to, and when they’re most likely to open it

The more tailored the email, the better it performs. Automation saves time, while personalization makes emails relevant and thoughtful, helping your brand stand out in crowded inboxes.

Quick tip:

Map your most common campaigns and customer journeys to see if the platform can handle them out of the box or with minimal setup. If it can’t handle your everyday marketing, then it’s probably not the right fit.

Step 5: Reporting and analytics

You’ve sent the campaign. Now comes the fun part, with you, staring at a spreadsheet on a Monday morning, trying to work out if it actually worked. Sound familiar?

Good reporting shouldn’t feel like detective work. The right platform gives you a clear picture of what’s working, what isn’t, and what to do differently next time, without you having to piece it together from five different places.

Look for dashboards that go deeper than just opens and clicks. You want to be able to drill down into segments or individual campaigns, run A/B tests, and track conversions, so every send makes the next one a little better.

Step 6: Integration with your existing tech stack

If your email marketing platform can’t talk to your CRM, ecommerce platform, or analytics software, you’ll end up having to carry out data uploads yourself, which is how everyone wants to spend their Friday afternoons – said no marketer ever!

Strong integrations make sure your data stays clean, workflows run smoothly, and campaigns perform reliably. Look for native integrations in the email marketing platform or strong APIs that let you sync contacts, trigger automated emails, and pull in performance data without someone in your team becoming a part-time data engineer.

Quick tip:

Make a map of your current tech stack and check that any new email marketing platform can integrate with your most important systems first.

Step 7: A platform that grows with you

Your email needs today might not be your email needs in 18 months. A platform that grows alongside you makes sure you’re not re-platforming again when you buy new marketing tech. 

Look for a platform that can handle:

• A growing marketing list without sudden price jumps
• Adding new channels like SMS, push notifications, or transactional emails
• Managing multiple brands or accounts from a single platform

Flexibility matters here, too. The best platforms let you change your workflows, templates, and campaigns as your strategy shifts, so your team can stay agile and responsive.

Quick tip:

Check how easily it grows as your needs change, whether that means upgrading your plan or adding new features.

Step 8: Customer support that feels human

Every platform will tell you its support is great. But there’s a big difference between a chatbot pointing you at a help article and a real person who understands your setup, your goals, and what you’re trying to fix.

Look at what’s included beyond the email marketing software itself. That might be live chat, email or phone support, onboarding sessions, training materials, or an active community of users. Fast, human support in your time zone is just as valuable as a help center.

Also, check out third-party review sites to see how other marketers rate the platform’s support. Consistent praise for responsiveness and expertise tells you even more about your prospective email marketing provider.

Step 9: Look at security and compliance

You already know data privacy matters. What’s less obvious is that not every platform makes it easy to stay on top of GDPR, CPRA, or other regional compliance requirements. 

A platform that takes security seriously protects your data, reduces risk, and lets you focus on running campaigns instead of worrying about compliance or having 2 am panics about data breaches.

Check for real security certifications like: 

• ISO 27001 or SOC 2 compliance
• SSL encryption for data in transit
• Routine security audits
• Two-factor authentication for your team

Step 10: Compare pricing and what you get for it

Pricing varies widely between email marketing platforms. Some charge based on contact volume, others by feature tier, and some by both. Always read the fine print. 

Check what’s included in each tier. Are key features like automation, segmentation, or reporting locked behind higher plans? Costs will rise as your list grows or you add channels. That’s normal. What matters is whether the growth in cost feels predictable or like a trap door. 

Watch for extras like:

• Add-on fees for advanced features
• Charges for additional users or accounts
• Premium support costs
• Overage fees if you exceed send limits

The goal isn’t to pick the cheapest platform. It’s to choose one that gives you room to grow and delivers clear value for the results you expect from email marketing.

Step 11: Trial email platforms before deciding

Once you’ve made your shortlist, it’s time to try them out. Most email marketing platforms offer demos or free trials, so take advantage of them.

While you’re in there, test the stuff you’ll do every week, like:

• Building and sending campaigns
• Setting up automated journeys
• Connecting to your existing tools
• Pulling reports and presenting dashboards

Get your team involved, too, especially if they’ll be using the platform daily. They’ll spot any friction points you miss, before you’ve signed anything. 

Step 12: Get insights from real user experiences

Demos show you the best-case scenario. Real user reviews show you how people are using the platform day-to-day, how reliable it is, and what support feels like in real situations.

Skip the star ratings and read comments about things like:

• Ease of use once you’re past onboarding
• Whether it holds up on high-volume send days 
• What is support like when something breaks 
• Whether updates and new features actually help
• Any common pain points that show up again and again

Third-party sites like G2 or Trustpilot are good places to start. Patterns across reviews tell you more than any five-star post, and they’re a lot more honest than a sales deck. 

Step 13: See if it works for businesses like yours

Not every email marketing platform is built for the same kind of business. Some are made for ecommerce brands sending high volumes of promotional emails. Others fit B2B teams running long sales cycles and slow-burning nurtures. 

Look at case studies and customer stories, and see whether those businesses resemble yours in size, structure, or goals; not just industry.

It’s also worth checking:

• Whether the platform supports your specific use cases
• If it plays well with tools common in your industry
• How it handles the kind of data you rely on
• Whether multi-brand or multi-region support is available if you need it

One last thing before you go

We should probably mention that Dotdigital is an email marketing platform too. And not to toot our own horn, G2 has ranked us #1 for email marketing, and recognised us as a regional leader for 13 categories across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas, based entirely on reviews from marketers like you.

Here’s what many teams value most:

It’s easy to use

You can build emails, segment audiences, and launch campaigns without relying on developers. The interface is designed to feel easy, so your team can move quickly and confidently.

It connects with your existing tech stack

Whether you’re syncing CRM data or pulling in ecommerce insights, Dotdigital integrations are straightforward. With no more data silos, you can put your data to work faster.

It grows with you

As your contact list grows or your strategy expands into new channels, Dotdigital grows with you. You can manage multiple brands or accounts from our single platform and adapt as your needs change.

Support that feels human

From onboarding to ongoing optimization, you get support that’s tailored to your business goals. You’re not left alone, trying to figure it out.

Security and compliance built in

Dotdigital is built to help you feel confident about data protection. Things like strong safeguards and alignment with data privacy regulations mean customer data is safe and secure.

If it ticks your boxes, we’d love to show you what it looks like in practice. And if it doesn’t, we hope the guide was useful anyway.

One of the best things about email marketing is that you can tailor it; you’re sending it directly to a real person, not just out into the ether and hoping the algorithm shows it to the right people. So, as you already know the recipient, you can make sure the content appeals to them. But how do you find out what they want? It’s simple, you ask them!

The difference between personalization and relevancy

Our survey of 4,000 consumers found that only 15% of consumers feel like the emails they receive are very relevant, down from 23% the previous year.

Personalization and relevance are often lumped together, but they’re not quite the same thing.

Personalization, like addressing a customer by name, creates recognition. Relevance, speaking to their needs, interests, and context, is what makes a message worth engaging with. Most brands have nailed the first part; it’s the second that remains the challenge.

That’s where preference centers come in. By giving customers control over how, when, and why they hear from your brand, preference centers help you collect valuable zero-party data to create more relevant experiences.

From choosing their favorite channels to sharing their interests or the occasions they’d rather not hear about, customers can shape the experience around their preferences. In return, you get happier subscribers and stronger engagement because you’re creating marketing that feels less like an interruption and more like a conversation.

What is a preference center?

A preference center is an online portal where your customers can manage their communication preferences.

What should a preference center allow subscribers to do?

A preference center can (and should) be tailored based on your product and service offering. Here are some common things to include:

• Share how regularly they want to hear from you, e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly
• Identify the channel they prefer to hear from you on, e.g., email, SMS, or WhatsApp
• Tell you their areas of interest, such as:
  • Product categories: e.g., dresses and knitwear
  • Topics of interest: e.g., marketing automation
  • Relationship to your organization: donor, volunteer, service user or relative
• Let you know about occasions they find sensitive, that they don’t want to hear about, like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day

How often do most customers want to receive marketing messages?

Our survey of 4,000 consumers found that most customers prefer monthly (34%) or weekly communication (31%). An overwhelming majority (93%) report that daily messages are too much.

Which channels do consumers prefer to receive marketing messages?
Email remains the top choice for consumers to interact with brands, with 45% of consumers selecting this option, 33% prefer mobile apps, and 13% prefer SMS.

Sharing this data isn’t to say go with the most popular option, but to highlight that preferences vary wildly, which is exactly why giving customers control matters.

Why every brand needs a preference center

Preference centers give you clear data on what your customers want to receive and when, taking out the guesswork and letting you communicate much more effectively.

Better quality customer data
Using preference centers, you can collect accurate zero-party data about preferences, which will enhance your understanding of the customer. The ability to segment customers based on their preferences can lead to more success in targeting demographics with customized marketing efforts.

Improved deliverability and open rates
Customers who opt-in to receive content from you through their preferred channels are more likely to open and engage with those messages. Consequently, you can expect improved email open rates and better deliverability with fewer spam-related issues.

Reduced unsubscribe rates
Many customers unsubscribe from email lists for several reasons, including receiving too many emails or irrelevant content. A preference center allows customers to change their subscription without completely opting out, reducing overall unsubscribe rates.

Greater compliance with data protection regulations
Preference centers help you to comply with data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) more easily. They give customers control over their data and the ability to manage their opt-ins so your marketing meets all of the necessary legal requirements.

Lasting customer engagement and retention
By allowing customers to choose their preferred communication methods and tailor the content they receive, you can improve customer satisfaction levels and boost engagement with your marketing.

Preference centers make marketing more thoughtful

Opt-out campaigns for occasions like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day usually come from a good place. But asking customers the same question every year isn’t actually the most considerate experience.

A preference center lets customers set those preferences once and manage them whenever they choose. From there, you can automatically respect those choices across future campaigns.

It’s a small change that can make a big difference. Customers get more control, fewer unwanted and upsetting messages, and a stronger sense that your brand understands them.

If you’d like to explore this topic further, read our guide on why opt-out campaigns may be doing more harm than good, and how to avoid any potential upset entirely.

How to act on your customers’ preferences

Once you have this valuable insight into your customers’ preferences, use what you know to segment your campaigns and audiences. There’s no point asking people what they’re interested in, only to ignore it.

Segmentation allows you to create segments of people in your database based on the criteria you choose.

You can then easily create content that responds to these preferences and split your marketing sends accordingly. You can also use dynamic content to show customers who have expressed an interest in dresses and show others who have expressed an interest in knitwear different blocks in your email.

3 preference center best practices with examples

Preference centers offer a variety of opportunities for data collection, whether it’s during newsletter sign-up, in a welcome journey, or as part of account set-up. These examples show how brands are using preference centers to create more relevant customer experiences.

1. Let subscribers tell you what they’re interested in

Music giant Spotify gives customers control over both the content they receive and the channels they receive it on.

By letting listeners choose the topics they’re interested in and whether they’d prefer email or push notifications, Spotify makes it easy for customers to shape an experience that feels relevant to them.

2. Show customers what they’re signing up for

MATCHESFASHION promotes its preference center within its welcome series, encouraging new subscribers to tailor their experience from the very beginning.

Customers can choose exactly which content they’d like to receive, and the preference center even shows which days of the week each email is sent. This creates clear expectations and helps subscribers understand exactly what they’re signing up for. The brand also collects additional preferences, including whether customers are happy to receive marketing via phone or post, and whether they’re interested in joining its loyalty program.

3. Reduce blanket unsubscribes

Not every customer who clicks “unsubscribe” wants to end the relationship altogether. Sometimes they simply want fewer emails or more relevant content.

When customers choose to unsubscribe, J.Crew presents an opportunity to adjust preferences instead. Shoppers can reduce email frequency or specify the products they’d prefer to hear about, helping the brand retain subscribers who might otherwise leave completely.

Why preference centers have become essential

Customers expect relevant marketing, and they want to choose how often they hear from you, on which channels they hear from you, and the content that interests them.

At the same time, marketers need to improve engagement, protect deliverability, and build stronger zero-party data strategies. A well-designed preference center helps achieve all three.

When customers can shape their own experience, everybody benefits. Subscribers receive more relevant communications, leading to better engagement and fewer unsubscribes. Marketers gain valuable insights to create more personalized journeys and stronger customer relationships.

Preference centers also help build trust. Whether it’s managing communication preferences, content interests, or sensitive occasions, giving customers greater control shows that you’re listening and respecting their choices.

The most effective preference centers aren’t built around the data brands want to collect. They’re built around the experience customers want to have.

Sky-high ticket prices, questions around accessibility, and growing frustration from fans in host cities have all added a layer of tension around the event. Even before a ball is kicked, there’s already a sense that this World Cup feels different. And for marketers, that creates an interesting dynamic.

On the one hand, you’ve got one of the biggest global sporting events in the calendar, with unmatched reach and attention. On the other hand, you’ve got a more divided audience, where enthusiasm, access, and sentiment won’t look the same everywhere.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up the types of campaign moments you can build around events like the FIFA World Cup, and how to turn that shared attention into something more useful for your marketing.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup kicks off on June 11 2026, and runs through to July, with the final taking place on July 19 2026. So, that’s just over a month of near-constant global attention.

It’s also the first tournament to be hosted across three countries, which are the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That means multiple time zones, varied audience behavior, and match times that won’t look the same for everyone on your list.

What the stats say ahead of the FIFA World Cup

The World Cup is one of the biggest cultural moments with worldwide attention that happens every four years, and for marketers, it’s a great opportunity to get involved in, no matter what industry you’re in.

The 2026 tournament is expected to break global viewership records. But with many matches kicking off late in the evenings and in the early hours due to time zone differences, a huge chunk of fans will be watching from home rather than heading out. 

Consumer data from the Paris 2024 Olympics already points to a growing preference for at-home viewing, with electrical goods and appliance revenue rising 44%, which outpaced sports equipment, so expect that same energy this summer.

But sales uplift goes beyond screens and sofas. During the Women’s EURO 2025, categories like children’s and fashion and footwear outperformed expectations too, with revenue rising 54% and 26% respectively, proof that fans buy into the whole experience.

The opportunity here is broad. Wherever your audience is, they’re engaged, and they’re spending.

Why the FIFA World Cup still matters for marketers

The World Cup is one of those rare moments where audiences behave differently.

People aren’t half-watching or casually scrolling in the background. They’re fully in it. Watching live, reacting instantly, and talking about what’s happening as it unfolds.

For marketers, that creates a good opportunity to connect. With matches taking place during the summer holiday season,  people will be travelling, switching off, watching in groups, and engaging in different ways than they would during a typical working week.

Now, of course, this is an international footballing (soccer) event. But the marketing opportunity isn’t really about the football itself. It’s more about timing, context, and knowing when your audience is actually paying attention.

The thing is, brands that do this well aren’t trying to dominate the conversation. They’re simply showing up in the right moments, in a way that feels natural to what’s already happening.

10 World Cup marketing ideas

You might be wondering where your brand fits into all of this, especially if you’re not in sport, retail, or hospitality. The thing is, many brands have a reason to show up; it just takes a bit of creative thinking to find it.

That said, big global tournaments like this come with their own sensitivities too because not every audience will feel the same level of excitement, and not every brand should suddenly pivot to full football mode. The key is finding a genuine reason to join the moment, one that feels natural for your brand and relevant to your audience.

With that in mind, here are ten World Cup marketing ideas you can use and adapt.

1. Cross-channel moments that feel connected

Cross-channel marketing is an important strategy to use all year-round. But during high-energy events like the World Cup, this strategy becomes more important.

People are constantly switching between devices and channels, taking action like checking their inbox before kick-off, scrolling social during the match, and opening an SMS once the final whistle blows. That’s why consistency across channels matters in moments like this. 

An example of this is a match-day campaign that follows the same thread across email, SMS, and mobile.

1. You might start with an email ahead of kickoff, highlighting a time-sensitive offer or piece of content tied to the match
2. As kickoff approaches, an SMS reminder adds urgency or reinforces the message
3. Then, during or after the match, a follow-up message reflects the outcome or keeps momentum going with a relevant next step

The same applies to mobile experiences. During moments where attention is high, most audience engagement will happen on their phone, which means:

• An email needs to be easy to act on quickly
• Landing pages need to load fast
• Mobile-first channels like SMS and WhatsApp are worth leaning into
• Any next step should feel effortless

2. Not every World Cup campaign needs to be about selling

Some of the most effective marketing content comes from responding to what people are already engaging with in real time.

Adidas did this well on Instagram by leaning into the lighter side of football fandom. They shared multiple images of dogs dressed in different national football shirts, which ties back to the teams competing in the tournament.

It works because not only is it timely and simple, but it doesn’t push a product or a hard message. Instead, it taps into something people are already doing during events like this, following teams, backing countries, and sharing the fun side of it with others.

It’s also clever marketing from Adidas because the campaign involves dogs. Now, not everyone is a dog person (we don’t make the rules), but it’s hard to scroll past a Shiba Inu in a Japan shirt without at least cracking a smile. 

3. How B2B marketers can show up during the World Cup

If you’re a B2B marketer, the World Cup still offers opportunities to show up in a relevant way without needing to be overly promotional.

Lenovo does this well on its website, using a football scenario as the backdrop, but shifting the focus back to business. The message is aimed at decision makers, encouraging them to explore Lenovo’s products, services, and solutions.

What makes this work is how the visual is eye-catching and relevant, but the message doesn’t lose sight of the audience it’s speaking to.

That said, B2B marketers don’t need to limit their World Cup marketing to their website or core campaign pages. There’s value in taking the same idea and extending it into other channels where attention is already happening.

For example, this same creative approach could be adapted for things like social ads, email campaigns, or even LinkedIn content, using the World Cup as a visual hook while tailoring the message for each channel. 

4. How search trends can shape your World Cup campaigns

Understanding what people are searching for can be a helpful starting point when creating your World Cup campaigns. Search data gives you a real-time view of people’s intent, like:

• What they care about
• What they’re planning for
• How their behavior is shifting as the tournament gets closer

A good example of this comes from Semrush. In the lead-up to the World Cup, they took their search trend data and turned it into a blog-style report, highlighting what people were actively searching for, like travel queries, interest in host locations, and event-related planning. 

They then used those findings across their social channels to spark conversation and share timely, relevant content with their audience.

If you know what people are starting to look for, whether that’s travel plans, viewing options, or even general curiosity around teams and locations, you can start shaping your messaging or content earlier, rather than reacting once the conversation is already in full flow.

5. Using the World Cup for purpose-led campaigns

For not-for-profits and charities, the World Cup can be a great way to reach people in a more relatable, human way, especially when you connect it to something people are already talking about.

Cancer Research UK’s Football Shirt Friday campaign is a good example of this. Their social content uses a light, familiar tone to draw people in, with messaging like:

“Not another WhatsApp group… Well, maybe just one more for Football Shirt Friday.” 

From there, it quickly moves into highlighting a clear purpose, which is about raising awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer and encouraging people to take part by wearing a football shirt and sharing key information.

What makes this effective is how accessible it feels. It doesn’t rely on formal messaging. It uses football and group chats to make the campaign feel easy to join and share.

So, for charities and not-for-profits, you don’t need to reinvent your messaging for events like the World Cup. Instead, look for simple cultural hooks that lower the barrier to engagement, then clearly connect them back to your purpose.

6. Know when to show up (and when not to)

Not every audience will want to see or engage with World Cup content, and that’s fine. The key is understanding where it adds value, and where it doesn’t.

Research from Marketing Week found that around half of UK adults respect brands speaking out about issues surrounding the World Cup. And research into brand loyalty shows that many consumers now expect brands to stand for something and reflect their values, not just their products.

That said, not every audience is looking for the same thing. Some are engaged in the tournament itself, following matches closely, and are open to brands reflecting that energy. Others are more interested in travel, shopping, or simply tuning out of the noise altogether during a busy seasonal period.

This is where your own customer insight becomes important for your campaigns. Things like engagement data, purchase behavior, and channel preferences will give you a much clearer picture of what people actually want to hear from you, and when.

7. Turn the unexpected into marketing opportunities

One of the most exciting things about the World Cup is its unpredictability. 

Using the moments nobody expects is a fun way to engage with your customers when the world goes football mad. 

We’ve seen this work well before. During the 2018 World Cup, Iceland Foods leaned into one of the biggest early surprises of the tournament when Iceland drew with Argentina in their opening match. 

Instead of ignoring it, they responded quickly and tied their messaging into the moment, joining the conversation while it was happening rather than trying to force attention.

It’s a good reminder that during events like this, you don’t always need to plan every detail. Sometimes the strongest campaigns come from how quickly and naturally you respond when the moment lands.

8. Using social giveaways to join the football conversation

One of the easiest ways to show up during the World Cup is through things like giveaways and competitions. They don’t need to be complex, and they don’t need to feel overly polished to work either.

A good example of this comes from Currys. Ahead of the tournament, they used their social channels to run a World Cup-themed giveaway, offering prizes like smart TVs, soundbars, and streaming sticks, and encouraging people to share which team they were backing before the action began.

What makes this work is timing and relevance. It builds anticipation early when people are already starting to think about how they’ll watch, who they’ll support, and what they’ll need ready for kickoff.

It’s also a format that works well across industries, and you don’t need to be a sports brand to take part. You just need a clear hook that connects what you offer to what people are already getting ready for as the tournament approaches.

9. Remember to stay onside with FIFA’s rules

Before you get too deep into World Cup campaign ideas, it’s worth knowing how FIFA protects its official branding during the tournament. There are restrictions around using “official marks”, including things like the:

• Tournament emblem
• Trophy
• Mascot

Certain “word marks” (i.e., terms) linked to the event are also protected and can’t be used in promotional activity, such as ‘FIFA World Cup’.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t reference the World Cup at all. You can, but it just means you need to be thoughtful about how you position it. So, the safest approach is to focus on the broader sporting moment rather than official terminology. Think along the lines of:

• Football language
• Match-day themes
• Fan culture

10. How brands can use interactive and user-generated content

One of the more engaging ways to tap into the World Cup is by borrowing from the structure of the tournament itself. Things like knockout stages and “who wins” style formats are the type of content that encourages participation rather than passive scrolling.

Dunkin’ Donuts did this well by creating a tournament-style format featuring their coffee products, set up like a mini tournament. Items went head-to-head through quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final, with audiences encouraged to engage and follow along as the “winner” was crowned.

For marketers, creating this sense of engagement can be as straightforward as taking a format people already know from the World Cup and applying it to your own world, whether that’s products, services, or even customer stories.

Your World Cup email playbook

So you’ve got the inspiration. Now let’s look at making it land. Email is one of the most powerful tools you have during events like this, so here’s what you can focus on.

World Cup email subject lines and examples:

It’s easy to default to generic phrases or overuse football references. The better approach is to think about what you’re trying to trigger.  So, before jumping into some examples, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Keep it timely. Tie your message to real fixtures, stages, or countdown moments
• Don’t force football language if it doesn’t fit your brand
• Be careful with protected terms and official wording from FIFA
• Make sure the subject line reflects what’s actually inside the email
• Test variations. Tournament moments move fast, and audience response can shift just as quickly

Below are subject line examples you can adapt depending on your campaign goal.

Urgency-led subject lines

These work well around match days, knockout stages, or limited-time offers:

• Last chance before kick-off
• 24 hours to score your offer
• Final whistle on this deal
• Don’t miss out before the semi-finals
• Your match-day offer ends tonight

Personalization-led subject lines

These are useful if you know the location, preferences, or purchase history

• Ready for match day, {First name}?
• Supporting {Team}? We’ve got something for you
• Your World Cup watch list, {First name}
• {City}, are you ready?
• Picks based on what you love

Emoji-led subject lines

While emojis can add energy and fun, they should be used in small amounts:

• It’s match day
• Big game energy
• Your team needs you
• The countdown is on
• Ready for kick-off?

Mixed approach subject lines

These combine urgency, personalization, and tone:

• {First name}, your match-day offer ends at 8pm
• Supporting {Team}? Don’t miss this
• Semi-finals tonight. Your deal won’t wait
• Big game. Bigger savings
• Your World Cup picks are live

How to write your World Cup email copy

When it comes to World Cup campaigns, your email copy needs to balance energy and clarity. You want to tap into the excitement of the tournament, without losing sight of your offer or overwhelming readers with your messaging.

Setting the right tone

Energetic:

Reflect the momentum of the tournament. Short sentences. Clear hooks. Tie your message to a specific stage, match, or countdown moment.

Relevant:

Make the connection between the World Cup and your product or service obvious. Don’t force football language if it doesn’t naturally fit.

Inclusive:

Not everyone is a superfan. Keep the messaging broad enough that casual viewers still feel included.

Here are examples of email copy you can adapt:

Match-day themed:

“The knockout stages are here. Whether you’re hosting friends or watching from the sofa, we’ve got everything you need for match day.”

Countdown-led:

“The final is just days away. Get ready before kick-off.”

Offer-led:

“Big games deserve big upgrades. Save on everything you need before the next whistle blows.”

B2B angle:

“While teams compete for the trophy, make sure your business stays ahead of the competition. Explore solutions built for peak performance.”

Community-led:

“Who are you backing in this tournament? Join the conversation on our social channels”.

Writing CTAs that drive clicks

Your call to action should feel like a natural extension of your campaign, so keep them:

• Action-focused: “Shop match-day essentials,” “Upgrade before kick-off,” “Explore the collection”
• Timely: “Get it before the semi-finals,” or “Secure yours before Sunday”
• Clear: Avoid vague phrases. Tell people exactly what happens next
• Visible: Make sure your primary CTA stands out and is easy to tap on mobile

World Cup email design tips

Good design helps your email capture attention and make it easy for your audience to act. So, during a high-energy event like the World Cup, your visuals should feel exciting.

Here are some practical ways to approach it:

Choose visuals that feel real for your audience

It’s easy to default to visuals like football pitches, giant footballs, and bold green backgrounds, but that won’t work for every brand.

Instead, try:

• Using subtle nods like scorelines, countdown timers, or bracket graphics
• Layering in team colors carefully so they still align with your brand palette
• Focusing on product-in-use shots that feel connected to match day, whether that’s hosting, travelling, or working

Design mobile-first

Big sporting events usually mean people are watching matches and scrolling at the same time. For instance, if someone opens your email during halftime, they should be able to understand the message in seconds.

Make it easy to engage subscribers by:

• Using single-column layouts
• Keeping copy tight and scannable
• Making buttons large enough to tap easily
• Avoiding heavy image files that slow load time

Use familiar tournament formats

The tournament format itself, like the Dunkin’ Donuts example above, already gives you ready-made design ideas.

You can experiment with things like:

• Bracket-style layouts to showcase products or services
• Countdown banners to kick-off times
• “Head-to-head” blocks comparing options
• Score-style graphics to highlight stats or benefits

Let imagery support the message

Football visuals should support your offer. So, if you’re referencing a match or tournament stage, make sure the copy clearly connects it back to your product or campaign. You want to avoid decorative imagery that doesn’t reinforce your call to action.

Accessible email design checklist

The World Cup may be fast-paced, but your emails should always be easy to navigate, readable, and accessible for everyone.

Here’s a few things to remember:

• Add alt text to every image so screen readers can describe your visuals.
• Use high-contrast text to keep it readable on all devices.
• Write descriptive link text rather than “click here.”
• Follow a clear heading structure to support accessibility.
• Don’t rely on colour alone to communicate meaning, especially in countdowns or urgency messaging.

Building your World Cup marketing campaign

A week-by-week timeline can make it easier to plan your campaigns and promotions without scrambling once the tournament kicks off.

Here’s how you might structure it:

6-8 weeks before kickoff

This is your thinking time. Decide how big a role the World Cup will play in your calendar, which audiences or markets matter most, and what angles might work for your brand. No pressure to have all the answers yet, but it’s a start in getting the foundations in place.

4-6 weeks before

Lock in your creative direction, confirm your assets, and define your audience segments. If personalization is part of your plan, now’s the time to make sure your data is in good shape.

3-4 weeks before

Create your email templates, SMS copy, landing pages, and any dynamic content. Map out match timings if they affect your send schedule, and start testing your segmentation.

2 weeks before

Start warming your audience up with things like teaser emails, early social content, or a few hints of what’s coming that’s just enough to spark curiosity without giving the game away.

Kickoff week

Launch your core campaign, tie your messaging to the opening matches, and bring your main campaign hook to life. 

Group stage weeks

Stay responsive, but don’t overdo it because not every football match needs an email. Match-day reminders and short-term offers work well here, so just focus on the moments that genuinely matter to your audience. 

Knockout stages

At this stage of the tournament, the stakes are higher and so is the attention. Lean into the tension and excitement with time-sensitive campaigns and urgent messaging.

Final week

Close the campaign strong with either one last push on an offer, a celebratory send (or commisterating), or a wrap-up that ties your campaign together.

Key takeaways

The World Cup is a huge global event, and a great opportunity to jump on the hype and create fun content for your own fans.

There’s plenty of space to get in on the colorful energy, the unpredictability, and the shared conversations happening around it, without losing sight of your brand or your audience. The most effective campaigns will be the ones that stay flexible and relevant, rather than trying to force it.

So test ideas, respond to what’s happening, and have a bit of fun with it.

But if that’s the case, why do 49% of people only consider marketing messages to be “somewhat relevant”? If personalization is hitting “just right,” shouldn’t messages be “very relevant”? 

Yet, only 15% of shoppers across Australia, Singapore, the UK, and the USA think marketing is “very relevant” to them. 

Of course, being “somewhat relevant” is better than not being relevant at all, but there’s a big opportunity for brands to close the relevancy gap. Sharing genuinely relevant content with your audience will set you apart from the brands that are just doing alright. 

What do you mean by relevance, and how is it different from personalization? 

That’s a very good question, too. Here’s how we break it down: 

• Personalization is knowing who someone is — their name, location, preferences
• Relevance is knowing where someone is now — their needs and intent in the moment 

A customer who bought running sneakers ten months ago gets a personalized email when you use their name in the subject line. The message is relevant when you send them a “how’s the mileage going?” check-in just as their soles begin to wear thin. It’s a message that feels like it came from a brand that pays attention and cares about its experience. 

In this article, we’re going to show you how you can take your marketing from kind of relevant to unforgettable. We’ll dive into the specific automation flows and experiences that will help you close the relevancy gap and create an audience that loves your brand. 

5 automation flows that meet customers in the moment

Flow 1: Abandoned browse (not just abandoned carts) 

Abandoned carts are super-popular and for good reason, too. There are many marketers’ first taste of automation, and they have the power to generate some serious money. But they need an action, where an abandoned browse simply needs a customer to look. 

The trigger for this automation flow needs web tracking that speaks to your automation platform, so you can turn page visits into relevant marketing moments. Some moments to think about:

• Repeat page visits 
• High-intent page visit (like pricing or demo)
• High-ticket product pages 

Including reviews and product recommendations can do a lot of good work here. AI product recommendations, like showcasing lookalike items or items ‘also bought’ with the product they viewed, make content feel genuinely tailored (read: “just right”), rather than just pulling in a product image from the browsed page. 

And reviews are a big driver of conversion, especially for spontaneous purchases. A subject line like “Still thinking about it? Here’s what other people are saying,” paired with an email that pulls in your latest reviews, helps convince browsers that you can be trusted to meet their needs.

Flow 2: Replenishments, renewals, and reminders

Replenishment, renewals, and reminder flows are an underused goldmine for creating unforgettable moments in the customer journey. They say to your customer, “We see you, and we’ve got what you need.”

Reaching out to customers before a product runs out or a contract expires is relevant in its purest form. It’s the right message at precisely the right moment in the customer lifecycle, not just a reaction to an action in the purchase journey. 

To create the perfect flow, you need to know the typical lifespan of your offering. Is it a thirty-day vitamin supply, a three-month subscription, or a year-long contract? Make sure you build in enough time to be seen and connect with your audience. 

A ten-day heads-up before a vitamin supply runs out gives customers time to reorder and receive delivery. A month before a subscription renews, you have time to check in, communicate the value, and upsell new features.

These flows are working harder than just driving sales; they’re naturally inspiring loyalty. Your customer doesn’t have to remember to come back, because you’re remembering for them. A customer who never runs out of a product because they’re promptly reminded to restock will advocate for your brand in the future. You will be their number one pick, every time.  

Flow 3: Back-in-stock notifications 

When a customer browses an out-of-stock item, it frustrates them and is a missed opportunity for you. But it shouldn’t be. Signing up for a back-in-stock notification is one of the highest-intent moments in the customer journey. They want what you’re selling; all that’s left for you to do is close the loop. 

Back-in-stock notifications should feel like a special heads-up from a brand that cares about giving people what they want. That’s why these messages work so well outside of the inbox. SMS (or MMS), WhatsApp, and mobile app notifications are the channels that take this flow from a helpful message in the inbox to a genuine conversion driver. Emails can be missed, but a notification to a customer’s device is impossible to ignore. 

Short, sharp messaging is a must for these messages. “Go, go, go! Align Leggings are back in stock”. Scarcity and urgency tactics also work great to remind shoppers that popular items sell out fast. “It’s back, but going fast! Jenna, grab your Trip Gummies now”. 

Back-in-stock notifications are triggered by customers explicitly telling you what they want. It’s hard to get more relevant than that. 

Flow 4: Birthday and anniversary moments

To create “very relevant” marketing moments, you’ve got to turn up in the moments customers least expect. Like on their birthday. Or celebrating the day someone joined your loyalty program. These moments are often overlooked, but they’re a top reward 43% of shoppers want from a brand. 

Birthdays and subscription anniversaries are just the start. Adding touchpoints like half birthdays, the day they joined your loyalty program, or the day they bought a high-ticket item opens up even more opportunities to connect. Making those messages feel “very relevant” is all about the personalization. Product recommendations showcasing “items you’ll love” or personalized content that dynamically pulls in localized offers are examples of how you can lift these messages to make them moments customers love and interact with. 

Successful birthday and anniversary flows go beyond the expected. Anyone can offer a 10% discount, but brands that stand out deliver moments that build real loyalty and drive repeat purchases. It’s in these unexpected moments that being relevant creates a long-lasting relationship, because you’ve remembered them when they least expected it. 

Flow 5: Post-purchase care sequences

The post-purchase phase of the customer journey is often neglected by brands. After receiving the order confirmation, customers are returned to the business-as-usual pot. They’ll get newsletters and new product launches, but the personal touch is missing. There’s nothing in their inbox that keeps the relationship going; nothing that makes them want to share the experience with their friends. 

Unlike other flows focused on converting customers, this flow is solely focused on deepening your relationship with a customer. Thoughtful campaigns that share how-to content, usage tips, or care guides show customers how much you care. A check-in message with “4 tips to make your Cassie Bouquet last longer” keeps content relevant and helpful, lifting their whole experience, not just pushing for a sale. 

With AI predictive insights, you can layer in customers’ next likely purchase dates and transition naturally from aftercare to timely next-product recommendations. When every touchpoint after the sale feels considered, customers stop thinking of you as a brand they bought from and start thinking of you as a brand they belong to. They’ll choose your brand every time simply because you care; because they trust that their needs and experience are at the core of everything you do.

The right message in the right place

Relevance isn’t just about what you say, but where you say it, too. You have to be where the customer needs you, when they need you. That means matching the channel to the right moment. 

• Abandoned browse is a gentle nudge back to your website — that’s the kind of message email is built to deliver
• Replenishment, renewals, and reminders are an ongoing conversation with existing customers — WhatsApp is a great place to continue the conversation
• Back-in-stock messages are urgent — app notifications or SMS work perfectly here
• Birthday and anniversary moments need to grab attention — personalized website messages are great to pair with email for a seamless customer experience
• Post-purchase sequences are longer form and designed to build deeper customer relationships — there’s no better channel for that than email

Every audience has its nuances. 45% of Singaporean customers prefer interacting with brands via mobile apps. Gen Z is similarly shaking things up in the US, with 44% engaging with brands on mobile apps. On the other hand, email is the channel of choice for 47% of Australian and UK customers.

Cross-channel marketing is about being where your customers need you, when they need you, and nothing drives relevance quite like that. 

Why being “very relevant” really matters

“Very relevant” marketing isn’t just a nice stat to improve. Brands that are “somewhat relevant” are doing just enough but aren’t making customers feel like you really understand them. And that feeling is what drives the loyalty, advocacy, and repeat purchases.

Every time you capture a customer at exactly the right moment, like when they’re running low on a product, when it’s their birthday, or when something they wanted is finally back in stock, you’re building a reputation for your brand that’s impossible to ignore. The more customers trust you to think about what they need, the more you’ll become the obvious choice when it’s time to make their next purchase. 

If your marketing is landing in that “somewhat relevant” 49%, you’re just a couple of automations away from closing the relevancy gap. 

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However, Father’s day is also a sensitive time for many people, and mindful marketing is essential at this time of year. Building in things like flexibility, thoughtful segmentation, and clear opt-out options or preference centers can help you stay relevant without alienating parts of your audience.

In this guide, we’ll explore practical Father’s Day email markeklting ideas and real examples to help inspire your campaigns.

When is Father’s Day? (Plan your send schedule)

Father’s Day falls on different dates depending on the region (and changes every year too), so it’s important to know your audience when planning your email campaigns:

• United States & United Kingdom: Sunday, June 21st 2026
• Japan, Malaysia, Philippines & Singapore: Sunday, June 21st 2026
• Australia & New Zealand: Sunday, September 6th 2026
• Other regions: Dates vary, so it’s worth checking local calendars before planning your campaign

Father’s Day campaign calendar

A timeline can help you stay organized and build momentum without rushing your creative or segmentation. Here’s what that might look like:

• 6-8 weeks before: Most marketers start planning their overall approach and campaign direction
• 4-6 weeks before: Start planning offers, messaging, and creative direction
• 3-4 weeks before: Build email assets, landing pages, and segmentation strategy
• 2 weeks before: Launch early teasers or gift inspiration content
• 1 week before: Send main campaign email with core offers or gift guides
• 2-3 days before: Send reminder or “last chance” messaging

Father’s Day is part of a bigger trend in seasonal spending

Recent holiday shopping insights show total consumer spending rose from $241.1 billion in 2024 to $257.8 billion in 2025. These stats prove that people are still willing to spend on seasonal occasions, like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day, especially when brands make the decision easier.

For many brands, this is a key moment in the marketing calendar where intent is already high. People are actively looking for ideas, inspiration, and last-minute gifts. The most effective campaigns are the ones that feel timely, helpful, and easy to act on, rather than being overly promotional or generic.

Father’s Day email marketing examples

1. Showcase your collection this Father’s Day

Father’s Day is a great way to highlight personalized gift recommendations that help customers find something meaningful without any guesswork.

A good example of this comes from Sock Fancy, who showcase a selection of socks with bold designs and gives customers the option to personalize their gift that’s also paired with a clear Father’s Day offer.

The email is simple, visual, and easy to act on, that helps customers quickly narrow down a gift that feels right for the person they’re buying for.

How to apply this to your campaign:

• Highlight personalization in your subject line or hero banner
• Show a real example of a customized product
• Reassure shoppers with clear delivery timelines
• Promote value-adds like gift wrap or free shipping

This approach works well for both early planners and last-minute shoppers. It helps people choose something that fits what they’re looking for, without making the buying process feel complicated or time-consuming.

2. Respect your audience while sending seasonal emails

As mentioned earlier, not everyone will be celebrating Father’s Day, and for some, it may be a difficult or a sensitive time of year. That’s why your messaging should be thoughtful, and why opt-out campaigns shouldn’t always be the default solution.

If you’re planning more than one Father’s Day send, it makes sense to give subscribers some control over what shows up in their inbox, rather than relying on a separate opt-out email each time.

But before adding anything like that, think about the overall volume of emails you’re planning. If it’s a single message, then something like an opt-out flow might be unnecessary. These controls are more useful when subscribers are likely to receive a small series of messages in a short time frame.

A more balanced approach is to use your existing preference center alongside segmentation. Giving your audience control helps avoid unnecessary reminders for people who don’t want them, while also reducing unsubscribes and improving the chances your messages reach the right people at the right time.

Tips for thoughtful and inclusive campaigns

• Understand that Father’s Day won’t mean the same thing for everyone, so keep your messaging mindful and inclusive
• Make it easy for subscribers to manage or opt out of seasonal content through your preference center in one place
• Use inclusive language that reflects different relationships, such as “dads, step-dads, father figures, and anyone you’re celebrating”
• You can offer options like: “Only receive gift guides or promotional emails”, “Skip Father’s Day content altogether” or “Stay opted in for other seasonal campaigns”

3. Give your campaign a purpose-led angle

Father’s Day doesn’t always have to be focused on products or promotions. For some brands, it’s an opportunity to highlight stories, people, or values that sit behind the business.

One way to do this is to include a donation or give-back element within your campaign. For example, Ring highlights that a portion of proceeds from Father’s Day sales will go towards a chosen charity or cause, which adds a sense of purpose without taking away from the product focus.

It’s a simple way to make the campaign feel more thoughtful, while still keeping the buying experience clear and straightforward.

How to apply this:

• Link your Father’s Day campaign to a relevant cause or donation initiative
• Make the impact of the purchase easy to understand (what’s being given back and why)
• Keep the messaging light and integrated into the offer, rather than separate from it
• Use clear CTAs that still focus on shopping

4. Create a gift guide that makes buying easy

People are looking for quick inspiration and a well-structured gift guide can help simplify their decision.

A good example of this comes from Lululemon. Alongside product recommendations, it also includes flexible options like gift cards, which helps appeal to different types of shoppers too.

The result is a simple, helpful experience that reduces friction and makes it easier for people to act quickly.

How to strengthen your gift guide email:

• Keep the selection focused so it’s easy to scan and doesn’t overwhelm people
• Group products in a way that helps people quickly find what’s relevant to them
• Include a mix of price points so more customers feel catered for
• Add flexibility where possible, such as gift cards or last-minute options

5. Help customers decide faster with timely offers

Father’s Day can be a fast-moving purchase moment, where people make quicker decisions. That’s why interactive or time-sensitive campaigns can be effective.

The example from Oobli shows this well, using a clear promotional message that is direct, easy to understand, and focused on helping people make a decision quickly.

How to apply this:

• Use time-limited offers to encourage quicker decision-making
• Keep interactive elements simple so they don’t distract from the main offer
• Make your CTA clear, direct, and focused on action
• Reinforce urgency without over complicating the message

Father’s Day email subject line examples

Your subject line is the first thing people see, and it can sometimes decide whether your email gets opened or ignored. For Father’s Day, a well-thought-out subject line can make a real difference to engagement and conversions. Here’s some examples to help inspire your campaign:

Urgency

• Almost gone! Father’s Day special Ends soon!
• Last chance to make dad happy! Gift guide inside!
• Celebrate your #1 dad: enjoy 20% off this Father’s Day
• Happy Father’s Day deals – 20% off site-wide!
• Exclusive Father’s Day deals ‍ ‍
• Father’s Day flash sale – 24 hours to go!
• Get your digital Father’s Day gift card in one minute!

Personalization

• [First Name], your dad’s favorite gift awaits
• [First Name], spoil Dad with our super-sized Father’s Day gift packs
• [First Name], make Dad smile with our Father’s Day gift guide
• [First Name], a Father’s Day treat, just for you

Emoji variants

• Dress to impress: Stylish Father’s Day wardrobe
• Win big: Father’s Day giveaway
• Mouthwatering Father’s Day recipes ️
• Father’s Day: Find the perfect gift for your superhero ️
• Go above and beyond for dad this Father’s Day

Mixed approaches

• Meaningful gifts for Dad, step-dads, and father figures
• A Father’s Day gift that makes a difference
• Celebrate Dad, step-dad, or father figure this Father’s Day
• Gifts with purpose for dads and father figures

If you need more help with creating catchy email subject lines, you can use our AI marketing tool, which can help with things like:

• New subject lines
• Adjust the tone of your email copy
• Shorten or expand text
• Rephrase your content
• Add emojis to your emails

How to write your Father’s Day email copy

Father’s Day email copy works best when it strikes the right balance between feeling something and doing something. You want your reader to connect emotionally and then feel motivated to act.

Setting the right tone

• Emotional: Tap into themes of gratitude, celebration, and making someone feel truly seen. Think about what your reader wants to feel or be inspired by

• Promotional: Be upfront about your offer, but frame it as helpful rather than salesy.

Example email copy you can use:

Gift guide:

“Finding the right gift for dad doesn’t have to be hard. Browse our Father’s Day gift guide and find something he’ll genuinely love.”

Last-chance:

“Running out of time? Order before [date] and we’ll make sure it arrives before Father’s Day.”

Story-led:

“Last year, Mark surprised his dad with something completely unexpected. Here’s how he pulled it off.”

Writing CTAs that drive clicks

• Lead with action: “Shop Father’s Day gifts,”“Find his perfect gift,”“Explore the gift guide”
• Match the CTA to what the email is asking the reader to do
• Make it easy to spot so your readers don’t have to search for the next step

Father’s Day email design tips

Design is what gets your email noticed before a single word is read. For Father’s Day, the goal is to feel intentional and on-brand rather than something that is templated and generic.

Ditch the clichés in your visuals

It’s easy to default to predictable Father’s Day imagery. Instead, think about what resonates with your audience. Things like lifestyle shots, products in context, and real-feeling moments will always outperform staged stock photography.

Design for the small screen first

• More emails are opened on mobile than desktop, so design your email with that in mind from the start
• Single-column layouts keep things clean and easy to scroll through
• Buttons need to be big enough to tap comfortably

Make your imagery work harder

• Use visuals that add to your message and not just to fill space
• Show your product being used, gifted, or enjoyed rather than just sitting on a white background
• Images that are real and relatable helps you tell the story you want

Accessible email design checklist

• Write alt text for every image so your message comes through even when images don’t load
• Check your text-to-background contrast. If it’s hard to read, people won’t bother
• Avoid using“click here” as link text. Links should explain where they go
• Structure your headings logically. H1, H2, H3 in the right order
• Don’t rely on color alone to communicate meaning. It’s best to back it up with text or iconography

Building your Father’s Day email campaign

A well-planned email journey keeps you front of mind and guides people toward action without flooding their inbox. Here’s an easy structure you can use:

Email 1: The early bird (2-3 weeks before)

• Purpose: Plant the seed early and get your audience thinking about gifting
• Content ideas: Gift inspiration, a preview of your guide, or early access to your best offers
• Tone: Light-touch and helpful

Email 2: The main event (1 week before)

• Purpose: Put your best offer front and center and make it easy to buy
• Content ideas: Your full gift guide, hero products, or curated bundles for different types of dads
• Tone: Confident and action-oriented

Email 3: The last-chance reminder (2-3 days before)

• Purpose: Give procrastinators the nudge they need
• Content ideas: Delivery deadlines, remaining stock, or a simple “still time to order” message
• Tone: Friendly but time-aware. You want to encourage action in a supportive way without making it feel pushy

Email 4: The follow-up(day-of or shortly after)

• Purpose: Close the loop and keep the relationship going beyond the holiday
• Content ideas: A thank-you message, a post-Father’s Day offer, or a moment to celebrate
• Tone: Genuine and relaxed, and brand-aligned

When to send

• Early bird: 2-3 weeks out
• Main campaign: 1 week before Father’s Day
• Last-chance: 2-3 days before
• Follow-up: on the day or shortly after

Measuring and tracking your campaigns

Measuring results shows you what resonated, what needs refining, and how to make next year’s campaign stronger.

Benchmarks to aim for

Results will vary depending on your industry and audience, but here are some general numbers to measure yourself against:

• Open rate: 55.4%
• Click-through rate(CTR): 3.7%
• Unique open rate: 37.3%
• Unique click-through rate: 1.4%

Treat these as a starting point. Your own historical data will always be the most useful benchmark you have.

What to keep an eye on

• Engagement: Opens, clicks, and CTR across each send
• Conversions: How many readers completed a purchase or took the desired action
• Revenue impact: Total sales driven and average order value
• List health: Keep tabs on unsubscribes and bounces 

Turn your data into action

• Which subject lines got the most opens? You can double down on what worked
• Did certain segments, like loyal customers, lapsed buyers, last-minute shoppers, respond differently?
• Was your timing right, or did early-bird and last-chance emails tell a different story?

Take those learnings and feed them straight back into your next seasonal campaign

Create a Father’s Day campaign your audience will love

Father’s Day emails work best when they feel relevant, timely, and easy to engage with. Whether you’re showcasing gift ideas, spotlighting different father figures, or building in simple ways to act, the goal is to make celebrating feel effortless for your audience.

Use these ideas to shape campaigns that feel thoughtful, connect with your subscribers, and support your goals without adding unnecessary complexity. A clear, human approach goes a long way in creating emails people actually want to open and act on.

Email marketing is a channel that many marketers are familiar with, and it drives great results. However, Dotdigital’s 2026 Global benchmark report found mobile marketing channels are delivering between 7-14 times higher click rates. Email is still a core channel for any marketer, but the potential clicks from mobile channels shouldn’t be overlooked.

Check out the flowchart below for a fun and clear framework to follow when plotting out your marketing campaigns. For a more detailed view of each marketing channel and how they can complement each other, check out the cross-channel playbook.