Drunk Elephant - US emails worth copying from real campaigns
1. Group think
Objective
This email aims to drive sales by promoting Drunk Elephant’s new product bundles with a 15% discount, encouraging customers to buy curated combinations for enhanced skincare results while creating urgency with a limited-time sample offer.
Why this works
The email brilliantly frames product bundles as collaborative skincare solutions, using phrases like 'People. Let’s Get It Together.' to emotionally align purchase decisions with community and shared goals, making the offer feel more meaningful than just a discount.
How to implement
Each bundle is strategically named and benefit-led, like 'Gold Comfort Smoothie Bundle' for 'firmer, more even skin', which instantly communicates transformation, not just ingredients, helping customers visualize results and reducing decision fatigue through curated storytelling.
Pro Tip
The primary CTA 'SHOP' is visually underwhelming and repeated without context, replace it with benefit-driven CTAs like 'Get Firmer Skin Now' or 'Claim Your 15% Off Bundle' to increase conversion by aligning action with desire. • The 'Last Call!' sample offer section feels disconnected from the bundle promotion, integrate it as a bonus with bundle purchases (e.g., 'Add a Bundle, Get 3 Deluxe Samples Free') to increase average order value and unify the campaign’s incentive structure.
2. Get out the vote!
Objective
The email aims to energize customers to vote for Drunk Elephant’s nominated products in the Allure Readers’ Choice Awards by creating urgency around the March 29 deadline and leveraging award recognition as social proof to boost brand credibility and engagement.
Why this works
The email brilliantly turns a third-party award nomination into a customer-driven mission, making voters feel like active participants in the brand’s success rather than passive consumers.
How to implement
Using bold, contrasting colors like hot pink and neon yellow creates visual urgency and excitement, perfectly matching the ‘election day’ theme while ensuring the CTA stands out without feeling pushy.
Pro Tip
Add a brief line under the product image explaining why this serum is worth voting for, such as its best-selling status or key ingredient, to strengthen persuasion and reduce friction for undecided voters. • Include a small countdown timer or progress bar near the CTA to visually reinforce the March 29 deadline, increasing urgency without requiring the reader to mentally calculate time remaining.
3. Future you
Objective
This email aims to educate subscribers on proper sunscreen application habits while subtly promoting Drunk Elephant’s sunscreen product as the ideal solution for daily skin protection. It positions the brand as a trusted skincare authority to drive product consideration and purchase.
Why this works
The email cleverly personifies the skin with the phrase 'thank you for protecting me!' to create emotional resonance, making sunscreen feel like an act of self-care rather than a chore, which increases engagement and brand affinity.
How to implement
By breaking down sunscreen rules into five bold, colorful, numbered tips, the campaign transforms complex skincare advice into digestible, shareable takeaways that feel empowering and easy to remember, boosting educational value and retention.
Pro Tip
Add a secondary CTA like 'See How It Works' or 'Watch Tutorial' near the product image to guide users who need more convincing before clicking 'SHOP', reducing friction for hesitant buyers. • Include a short customer testimonial or UGC snippet under tip #1 or #5 to reinforce credibility, for example, '92% of users saw smoother skin in 2 weeks', making the educational content feel more socially validated.
4. Happy Safaridays!
Objective
This email aims to drive holiday sales by introducing Drunk Elephant’s 2023 Safari-themed gift kits while reinforcing brand values of nurturing, protection, and nature-inspired skincare. It seeks to emotionally connect with customers through storytelling and encourage immediate purchase with a clear call to action.
Why this works
The email brilliantly ties the brand’s core philosophy of nurturing and protecting skin to the metaphor of animal instincts and family bonds, making the holiday collection feel emotionally resonant rather than just transactional.
How to implement
Using bold, playful typography and vibrant safari-inspired patterns creates an instant visual hook that stands out in crowded inboxes while staying true to Drunk Elephant’s fun, unapologetic brand voice.
Pro Tip
Add a countdown timer near the CTA to create urgency around holiday shipping deadlines, which would reinforce the time-sensitive nature of gift buying and nudge procrastinators to act. • Include a small visual comparison or benefit callout for each kit (e.g., 'Day Dazzle = Brightening + Hydration') to help shoppers quickly understand value and differentiate between options without clicking through.
5. Christmas again?!
Objective
To re-engage customers after the holiday season by reframing post-holiday shopping as a self-gift opportunity, encouraging immediate purchase with a limited-time free gift offer to drive sales and clear inventory.
Why this works
The email brilliantly flips post-holiday fatigue into excitement by positioning New Year’s as a fresh gifting occasion, turning ‘the holidays are over’ into a playful invitation to treat yourself, which emotionally resonates with shoppers seeking renewal.
How to implement
By anchoring the promotion to a tangible, visually appealing free gift, the Mello Marula headband-and-wristband set, the campaign creates instant perceived value that lowers purchase hesitation and makes the $75 threshold feel worthwhile and fun rather than transactional.
Pro Tip
Add a countdown timer near the CTA to reinforce urgency around the limited-time free gift, since the current date range is buried in fine print and doesn’t create immediate FOMO for time-sensitive shoppers. • Include a small testimonial or social proof snippet under the free gift offer, such as ‘92% of customers loved this set!’, to reduce perceived risk and validate the gift’s desirability, especially for new customers unfamiliar with the product.
6. Kitted out
Objective
This email aims to drive holiday gifting sales by showcasing curated skincare kits that deliver glowing, radiant results, positioning them as ideal, time-saving gifts for the season while emphasizing value and skin benefits.
Why this works
The email brilliantly ties product benefits to holiday gifting by framing kits as time-saving, glow-inducing solutions, perfect for busy shoppers seeking meaningful, effective presents that feel luxurious without overwhelming the recipient.
How to implement
Using playful, bold typography and vibrant color blocking, the design creates visual excitement that mirrors the brand’s fun, no-nonsense personality, making skincare feel approachable, festive, and worthy of gifting rather than just routine maintenance.
Pro Tip
Add a subtle countdown timer near the hero CTA to create urgency around holiday shipping deadlines, reinforcing the 'in time for the holidays' message and nudging procrastinators toward immediate action. • Include a short customer testimonial or social proof snippet under each kit description to validate claims like 'restores a youthful glow', this builds credibility and reduces perceived risk for first-time gift buyers.
7. To Dew
Objective
This email aims to drive holiday gifting sales by showcasing moisture-focused skincare kits with playful, personality-driven messaging that aligns with Drunk Elephant’s brand voice while emphasizing value and exclusivity.
Why this works
The email brilliantly assigns personality-driven nicknames like 'Mama + Cub' and 'Circle of Life' to product kits, making them feel like characters in a story rather than just SKUs, which boosts emotional connection and memorability.
How to implement
By anchoring each product section with a relatable customer archetype, like the 'reduce-reuse-recycle-refill friend' or the 'wait, where are you now?' friend, the email creates instant buyer resonance and positions products as solutions to specific lifestyle identities.
Pro Tip
Add a visual countdown timer or 'limited stock' indicator near the 'Mates for Life' kit to amplify urgency, since the copy already implies scarcity with 'until it runs out' but lacks a visual reinforcement that drives immediate action. • Include a small 'Gift Guide' or 'Best for...' tagline under each product section (e.g., 'Best for the eco-conscious mom' or 'Perfect for the jetsetter') to help indecisive gifters quickly self-identify the right kit without reading full descriptions.