Valentine’s Day has finally arrived and marketers are making sure that your inbox is steaming up with their promo emails. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, consumers will spend an average of $18.2 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts, experiences and other purchases, down from a record high of $19.7 billion last year.

Here are our six favourite campaigns leading up to the big day, each with a theme that could match the personality of the Valentine in your life.

Ruv is in the air…

So Valentine’s Day isn’t just for humans. Consumers will spend $681 million to treat their favourite pets to Valentine’s Day delights according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey. We love how BarkBox puts humour and a little “ruv in the air.” Go on… spoil the little critter!

BarkShop

It’s not just about chocolates and red roses

Opportunities to ride the Valentine’s wave extend beyond just a box of chocolates and red roses… Take the travel and restaurant industries, as an example. Gilt City has a special Valentine’s offer that’s a great idea and fits well with any overall marketing strategy. Add an interesting twist or a bit of mystery to give your offer that extra “something” that gets people intrigued. Who’s going to say no to a romantic dinner for two or relaxing massage? Not us.

Gilt-City-Valentines

Ladies, spoil your man too!

Hot and cheeky — that’s how American Eagle delivers the message. The email uses GIF images to showcase their Valentine’s Day range creating a touch of playfulness to it. That’s not all. The witty copy and the minimalist approach all add up to its appeal. Rrrrrr…

AE_Email

Use hearts. Then use some more.

It’s Valentine’s Day, so do what you’re asking your subscribers to do for the people they love – show your heart! Notice how you know these are Valentine’s newsletters before you even read the message. We love the bold red colours and awesome use of GIFs!

LaMer_mailer JCrew-heart-candies-email

Write a love letter

Diamonds undeniably get all the attention but setting the right tone for Valentine’s Day starts with a few magic words. Here’s an email campaign with an attitude that’s different from the rest. The design itself is plain and simple, yet focusing on the catchy message. Inspire your newsletter with a touch of romance and make it clear that enhancing that emotion is just a click away for your subscribers. If you make that bond, you might just win their hearts like Need Supply Co. did for with their clients.

Need-Supply

Love appeal to both sides

There’s both a “his” and “hers” to everything going on for Valentine’s Day. Depending on your service or product, sometimes it’s a good idea to divide your newsletter in two and pitch for both sides. This could also help reduce the cost of shipping, therefore a win-win situation! Look at how American Apparel took on the challenge of encouraging shoppers to be generous to their sweethearts while letting them be a little selfish too on Valentine’s Day.

American-Apparel

Marketers are making sure that your inbox is steamed up with their promotional emails and you may have been able to spot the trends that link them to being Valentine’s Day specific.

  • Pink and red are the colour flavours for V-day
  • Campaigns are short and to the point, highlighting key messages
  • Hearts, cupids and flowers are common imagery points
  • Symbols inserted into subject lines make it obvious the email is Valentine’s related
  • Content contains minimal text and clear call-to-actions

Remember to not overdo it, stay on brand and be clear with your message. Happy Valentine’s Day, xoxo.

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