Email : Best of April '10

CRATE & BARREL

As might be obvious from one of my earlier posts, I am a huge fan of what the creative team at Crate & Barrel do with their online marketing assets. Their stylists can take a simple idea and render it into something mesmerizing and seductive. And they are consistent with it - week in and week out their website, catalogs and email design reflects an uncommon focus of great aesthetics.

This spring kickoff blast just jumped out of my inbox right into my retinas. And it's not just the main hero shot - I don't see many emails that feature a tertiary row of promotion as clean and commanding of your attention as the 'Knife of the Month' banner.

Most marketing departments would flinch at running a promotion that features no product but a plain white ceramic bowl (with a low price point) above the fold. But I have a hunch that by virtue of the elegant beauty of it, the house list recipients responded enthusiastically. I'd love to see the open rates on this one.

KIRKLAND'S

Speaking of spring… speaking of general season kickoff promotions… speaking of bright, cheery creative… I also liked this one from Kirkland's. 

Who says a landscape billboard promo has to be dull? Eschewing dry text on a solid background, Kirkland's opts instead to do something eye catching with loud colors that  suggest a breezy, fun-filled season ahead.

Kirkland's offers a product line consisting of household items whose aesthetic is usually in the realm of the garish; in dialing it back a bit, this promotion could pull in new opt-ins if used in an affiliate campaign.

Well, it got me browsing anyway. A good effort from this somewhat eccentric midwestern retailer.