Proven Bon Appétit email designs you can use
1. Miso-mayo chicken bowls
Objective
This email aims to engage subscribers by showcasing recently tested recipes from Bon Appétit’s editorial team, particularly highlighting the miso-mayo chicken bowls, while encouraging recipe access and digital subscription through compelling storytelling and visual appeal.
Why this works
The email builds trust by revealing behind-the-scenes editorial cooking habits, making the recipes feel personally tested and genuinely loved rather than just curated for clicks, which deepens reader connection and perceived authenticity.
How to implement
By embedding a relatable anecdote about a contributor’s kids loving miso, the campaign transforms a recipe into a lifestyle moment, subtly positioning the dish as family-friendly and versatile, a smart emotional hook for busy home cooks.
Pro Tip
The subscription CTA in the 'Where Food Meets Culture' section feels disconnected from the recipe content; repositioning it as a sticky banner or adding a benefit-driven tagline like 'Unlock 10,000+ tested recipes' would strengthen conversion alignment. • The 'What Else We’re Cooking' grid lacks visual hierarchy, adding subtle hover states or recipe prep time badges would help users quickly identify what’s worth clicking, reducing bounce and increasing internal navigation.
2. Red-Wine-Braised Short Ribs
Objective
To engage readers with a featured recipe while promoting Bon Appétit’s premium content through a limited-time subscription offer that bundles access to both Bon Appétit and Epicurious recipes for $2.50/month.
Why this works
The email opens with a mouthwatering hero image paired with social proof, over 2,000 reviews, to instantly validate the recipe’s popularity and build trust before the reader even scrolls further.
How to implement
By bundling Bon Appétit and Epicurious under one affordable subscription, the campaign creates perceived value through brand synergy, making the $2.50/month price feel like a steal rather than a cost.
Pro Tip
Add a countdown timer above the subscription CTA to create urgency around the $2.50/month offer, since the current design lacks temporal pressure despite promoting a limited-time deal. • Reposition the ‘Read More’ links under non-recipe content (like the restaurant list or blender guide) to be visually distinct from recipe CTAs, preventing user confusion between editorial and actionable content.
3. Make this fall delicious with the Epicurious app
Objective
To drive downloads and free trial signups for the Epicurious app by positioning it as an essential, user-friendly recipe resource for cooks of all skill levels during the fall season.
Why this works
The email brilliantly frames the app as a must-have tool for fall cooking by blending seasonal urgency with universal appeal, making even novice cooks feel empowered to create restaurant-quality meals at home.
How to implement
By showcasing multiple app screens in a dynamic, overlapping layout, the design visually communicates depth of content and intuitive navigation without requiring users to click through, building trust before the first download.
Pro Tip
Add a subtle countdown timer near the CTA to reinforce the urgency of the 7-day free trial, leveraging FOMO without disrupting the clean layout, e.g., 'Only 3 days left to try free!' below the button. • Include a micro-testimonial or user rating badge near the app screenshots, such as 'Rated 4.8/5 by 10K+ home cooks', to socially validate the app’s quality and reduce perceived risk for new users.
4. 7-Layer Dip to Win Game Day
Objective
To drive engagement and subscriptions by showcasing game-day recipes and promoting a limited-time offer for unlimited access to Bon Appétit and Epicurious recipes through a bundled subscription deal.
Why this works
The email brilliantly ties seasonal excitement, football game day, with crave-worthy, shareable recipes like the 7-layer dip, making the content feel timely, social, and instantly actionable for home cooks planning gatherings.
How to implement
By embedding a high-value, time-sensitive subscription offer directly within recipe content, the campaign transforms casual browsing into a compelling conversion moment without disrupting the culinary storytelling flow or user intent.
Pro Tip
The primary CTA 'Subscribe now.' appears too late and lacks visual hierarchy, consider placing a sticky, bold CTA button directly under the hero image to capture attention before users scroll past the initial recipe hook. • The email lacks urgency cues like a countdown timer or limited-availability language near the subscription offer; adding 'Offer ends Sunday' or 'First 500 subscribers get bonus recipes' would boost conversion psychology.
5. The entire shopping team is obsessed with this kitchenware
Objective
This email aims to drive engagement and sales by showcasing kitchenware and pantry essentials personally vetted by Bon Appétit’s shopping team, leveraging editorial credibility and product obsession to inspire purchases. It also seeks to grow the subscriber base for ongoing shopping guidance.
Why this works
By spotlighting products the entire shopping team is personally obsessed with, Bon Appétit transforms editorial endorsement into emotional persuasion, making readers feel they’re getting insider access to curated, trusted finds rather than just another product list.
How to implement
The email smartly blends lifestyle imagery with product context, like cupcakes and colorful enamelware, creating an aspirational yet approachable mood that invites readers to imagine these items in their own kitchens, thereby increasing perceived value and purchase intent.
Pro Tip
Add a subtle countdown or limited-availability indicator near the 'SHOP OUR PICKS' CTA to create urgency, since the email highlights trending or editor-favorite items that could benefit from perceived scarcity to boost immediate conversions. • Integrate a small visual cue or icon next to each product in the 'Recently Put to the Test' section to indicate whether it’s a bestseller, editor’s pick, or new arrival, this adds instant context and helps readers prioritize what to explore first.
6. 23 celebratory New Year’s Eve cocktails
Objective
To inspire readers to plan their New Year’s Eve celebrations by offering a curated list of 23 easy, crowd-pleasing cocktails that keep the party energetic and festive all night long, while subtly encouraging subscription for full recipe access.
Why this works
The email brilliantly frames cocktails not just as drinks but as party engines, designed to spark conversation, fuel dancing, and sustain energy, making the recipes feel essential rather than optional for a successful New Year’s Eve.
How to implement
By anchoring the content in clear, audience-focused criteria, easy to make, crowd-friendly, and energizing, the email builds trust and relevance, turning a simple recipe list into a curated, editorially-driven party planning tool.
Pro Tip
Add a visual countdown timer or 'Last Chance' urgency element near the subscription CTA to capitalize on New Year’s Eve’s time-sensitive nature and nudge immediate action. • Include a short testimonial or user-generated photo from a past reader who used one of the cocktails successfully, to add social proof and reinforce the recipes’ real-world party appeal.