Season Finale: New Year’s 2008

A look back on seasonal trends, email activity and standout B2C marketing:

Start to finish: The first reference to New Year’s was on Dec. 17 from Avon. The final reference was on Feb. 5 from HPshopping.

The distribution curve: Retailers sent the majority of New Year’s-themed emails after Jan. 1. The biggest day for New Year’s retail emails was, not surprisingly, Tuesday, Jan. 1, followed by Monday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Dec. 30.



Areas of focus: Not surprisingly, many retailers focused their New Year’s emails on fitness and health resolutions, including those from Costco, Sam’s Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority. Drugstore.com included a range of resolutions, ranging from health to being more environmentally friendly, which was unique. Another unique angle was Overstock’s focus on new hobbies for the year. Hallmark pitched a resolution to be closer to friends and family (see “Cool tool” below) and Circuit City suggested getting organized and even getting smarter (see “Most interesting emails” below). Some retailers clearly worked harder to give their New Year’s emails a new spin to help them standout.



Most interesting emails: In a Jan. 2 email with the subject line “New ways to keep your New Year's resolutions,” Circuit City presented subscribers with six resolutions and three ways each that Circuit City could help with those resolutions. Circuit City then repurposed that creative by carving it up into six banners, each one focused on a different resolution, and used them on subsequent emails. It was a nice way of extending the campaign throughout January.



Sephora also had a strong creative with their Jan. 2 email with the subject line “Top 7 Beauty Resolutions.” Their resolutions ranged from the pragmatic and the emotional, with lifestyle appeals to “be more adventurous.”



Cool tool: In a Jan. 4 email with the subject line “Start 2008 off right!,” Hallmark tied their email reminder service (and their loyalty program) into the idea of resolving “to stay in touch with family and friends.”



Standout subject lines:
Kmart, 1/3 — Your New Year's Resolution is Affordable at Kmart
Circuit City, 1/2 — New ways to keep your New Year's resolutionsRoad Runner Sports, 1/7 — You make the resolution. We'll help you keep it.
Sam’s Club, 12/30 — Get a healthy start on the New Year with Sam's Club
HPshopping, 2/5 — Resolve to Get Your Finances in Order
Barnes & Noble, 1/5 — The Best Books, DVDs, and Music of 2007

Read previous New Year’s Season Finales: 2007

Read previous posts about New Year’s emails.
_____________________
SEARCH... By Post Category / By Retailer / By Topic / By Selling Season / Recent Posts