After almost 2 years of lockdown and curfews, Americans are more excited than ever to celebrate Independence day. Reassured by the rising number of vaccinations, 84% of consumers are planning to celebrate this year’s 4th of July, with an average planned spending of $80 planned on food and beverages per person.
Last year, the NRF registered an all-time low of only 76% of consumers planning to celebrate the holiday.
During this time, brands took to email marketing to reach out to their customers and promote their Independence day deals.
In this week’s blog post, we will go through a few examples of 4th of July email marketing campaigns sent in the midst of Covid. We will extract the main learnings from these campaigns and understand how companies adapted their communication to fit the particular context.
Free shipping emails
As the pandemic hit and people were homebound, companies capitalized on online shopping to meet their sales goals. In order to encourage customers to buy more, almost every retailer and e-commerce brand offered free shipping.
In all marketing emails, brands make a mention of their shipping and delivery policies. In the email example below, in the email footer, Baby Cubby listed two different shipping and delivery methods:
- Curbside pick up
- Free shipping for orders over $25
Hurry, 4th of July Markdowns End Tonight!
Woman Within chose to highlight their main selling point at the beginning of the email with a huge email headline. FREE SHIPPING in full capital bold letters.
Hey, Don’t Miss Out On The 4th Of July Summer Fun!
Special Covid announcements/measures
Celebrating 4th of July safely
It’s important that brands show they care about their customers and that they are not tone deaf. Meaning that they acknowledge the changes happening in the world, and accept the behavioral change of their customers.
This comes easier for retailers like The Gap who started producing and selling masks.
This 4th of July email sent by GAP last year doesn’t look any different from the previous years. The red and blue color palette puts us in the Independence day mood. And the email countdown timer helps add urgency to the limited sales.
However, after scrolling down a little bit, we see the final email block that puts the email in its time frame and makes it more relevant to the current situation.
Open now for NO EXCLUSIONS! 4th of July deals expire soon
Many brands followed this simple yet effective approach: making a sale while helping people be protected and being perceived as an ethical and relevant brand.
Get it in time for the 4th
4th of July health measures
Morphe sent this 4th of July email with a disclaimer at the bottom, reassuring customers that the company’s stores have taken all the necessary precautions to ensure everyone stays safe and protected.
The brand also predicted shipment delays and prepared customers in advance for potentially longer waiting periods.
30% off is (almost) a done deal
4th of July in the time of Covid
During Covid, we noticed a shift in the way companies communicate with their clients. We see more transparent and honest companies. Email messages became more personal and human. Acknowledging the weird year we’ve all went through and how each of us adapted to it has become the default in email marketing in the time of covid.
Companies try to position their products in the heart of this new routine. Zestt for example offers their bench ponchos as the solution to prolongate the summer vibes.
Time is running out. ⏰
Dockatot suggests that their customers enjoy a staycation instead of the usual vacation in a different country. They offer their products at the center of their customer’s staycation.
Staycation, All I Ever Wanted
This CBD company reminds customers that their pets can get afraid of all fireworks; especially now that people are a little more open and festive (post covid). They then offer their products as the solution to this situational problem.
4th of July Can Be Frightening for Your Furry Family Members!
Countdown emails
Adding a countdown timer in promotional emails is always a good idea: it catches attention and creates urgency. Follow our detailed guide to learn how to embed countdown timers in emails.
EXTENDED SALE ⏰ ENDING IN 25-HOURS…
Mystery win
This next 4th of July email example is fun and captivating. A beautiful sticker of an animated patriotic unicorn is not usually what you think during the 4th of July, but if it’s on brand- why not?
Fragrant jewels sent customers this unique mystery email. It stands out of the crowd and gets the job done: high click rate.
Re: Your 4th of July bonus gift is waiting…💙
Red, White & Blue email templates
Sometimes, it’s okay to simply send a 4th of July themed email. If your company is not planning on having sales or hosting a contest, simply create a red, white and blue email and call it a day.
Annie Selke chose to follow this approach by promoting their house furniture in the 4th of july color palette.
★ Red, White & Style ★
This gorgeous Independance day email template starts with a Happy 4th of July GIF and continues with a pop of color highlighting different products.
FINAL HOURS for $5 tees, tanks & shorts!
Here’s a more classic approach that combines a classy font won a deep blue background, paired with a typical style red ribbon.
Smooth, firm and shine.
And who doesn’t love a fun GIF? Despite not following the typical 4th of July color code, this email still looks festive and in theme, mainly thanks to the combination of email copy with the fireworks icons.
✨ Don’t Miss Out On Amazing July 4th Savings ✨
Stores closed on 4th of July
Now that stores are open, brands have to go back to sending store update emails.
Your “stores will be closing” emails can still look nice and festive, just like the email example below.
This just in! FREE SHIPPING on all orders for the rest of the day!
Post 4th of July email campaigns
Many brands don’t stop at the 4th. Keep sending campaigns to your customers even after the festivities. But make sure they contain relevant and useful content. In this post-independence day email below, CBDFX started their copy with “Feeling like you maybe overindulged a bit too much over the weekend?” which will speak to many customers and get them interested in the email.
Sunday slump? Get 25% off CBD Gummies Today!😎
Another post-4th email comes from Tomahawk, who predicted that a good portion of their customers will lose or misplace their sun glasses over the weekend. And will probably need a replacement.
This email shows a deep understanding of customer behavior and an empathetic approach from a brand that seems to know its customer base.
40% off sitewide + FREE Shades. Today only!
Wrapping up
4th of July email campaigns are fun, festive, and most expected summer emails. Meaning your American customers are not only expecting your independence day emails but are waiting for them.
So be sure to send them relevant and promotional emails.
