Start to finish: The first reference to Valentine’s Day was on Jan. 3. The final reference was on Feb. 15. The biggest day for Valentine’s Day emails was the day itself, Monday, Feb. 14, followed by Wednesday, Feb. 9. Retailers sent the majority of their Valentine’s Day-themed emails after Feb. 3.
Most interesting emails: In a Feb. 2 email with the subject line “Everything you want for Valentine’s, from the inside out.”, Frederick’s of Hollywood does a nice job of coupling dresses with intimate apparel to create a complete Valentine’s Day look.
In a Feb. 7 email, Urban Outfitters promoted their “Modern Love” contest, which asks subscribers to tweet Valentine-inspired images. It didn’t require much work on the part of customers and played to Urban Outfitters’ photography brand image. Here’s the banner from the email…
…and here’s the landing page:
In a Jan. 15 email, 1-800-Flowers pairs a “join us on Facebook” message with two submessages—one that speaks to men and the other that speaks to women. The second asks women to like 1-800-Flowers.com products so they appear on their Facebook walls as a hint to the man in their life. The landing page succinctly explained how it works and presented nine products. It was a great secondary message to pair with their community-building primary message.
In a Feb. 12 email, Sephora promotes real gifts delivered via Facebook as a last-minute gift option, just as they did in the waning days before Christmas.
Standout subject lines:
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 1/21 — What’s better than flowers or candy for Valentine’s Day?
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 1/24 — How hot do you like it on Valentine's Day?
Victoria’s Secret, 2/9 — What's Even Better Than Valentine's Candy? (Hint: It's Sexier, Too.)
Victoria’s Secret, 2/14 — Just One Little Question...
Brookstone, 2/7 — Wrap your sweetie in this on Valentine’s Day…
Urban Outfitters, 2/14 — We Love You (Find out how much...!)
The Company Store, 1/26 — Snuggling isn't the only way to keep warm this Valentine's Day
Sephora, 1/29 — XOXO, Sephora
eBags, 2/14 — Dear eBags Insider, a 25% Off coupon for you. XOXO, eBags
Urban Outfitters, 1/31 — XOUO
Norm Thompson, 2/14 — Cupid made us do it - 14% OFF EVERYTHING! Just today.
Subject lines that stand out for the wrong reasons:
Victoria’s Secret, 2/8 — Go Ahead...Make My (Valentine's) Day!
The famous catchphrase from Sudden Impact seems like a pretty dark reference for a romantic occasion like Valentine’s Day.
JCPenney, 2/4 — Don't Be A Stupid Cupid!
Calling customers stupid if they don’t buy from you or take your gift advice seems a bit hostile and off-brand for JCPenney.
Victoria’s Secret, 1/25 — V-Day is Me Day at PINK! Fall in Love with Limited Edition Bras & Panties.
V-Day has a number of meanings and associations, generally violent. Email marketers are always looking to trim characters from their subject lines, but this may not be the best way to shorten “Valentine’s Day.”
Read previous Valentine’s Day Season Finales: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
Explore Valentine’s Day tag.
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