Best Automated Email Marketing - 2015 Moo Awards - OpenMoves

Best Automated Email Marketing – 2015 Moo Awards

Posted March 13, 2015

Every year – starting with this one – we look at the best of automated email marketing. Entries come from these categories: Re-engagement, Unsubscribes, Welcome, Cart Abandonment, and Birthday/Anniversary email campaigns.

Automated emails are often neglected, but once setup they do the heavy lifting of keeping in touch. They welcome, convert, and say goodbye to your customers without you having to lift a finger. A beautiful thing!

Our mascot Moo has been roaming across the digital range to find the best in each category. The winner will receive the much coveted Moo award.

As you browse and rub elbows with the candidates, notice how serious these brands are about their automated emails. They are not just afterthoughts, but well thought-out campaigns. You can create standalone emails, or run a 3-part drip campaign that reinforces the value and special offer, especially in the re-engagement, cart abandonment and welcome departments.

So without further delay here are the brilliant winners of this year’s crop.

Re-engagement email category:

You and your subscribers are in a relationship. As such, it’s easy to understand communication breakdown. Renew the spark with a re-engagement email.


Winner: DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse with a message that cuts right to the chase. They want to know if they’ve been given the boot. A beautiful tie-in with their brand and product. Funny too!

2nd Place: Relationships are complicated, but Lowe’s message gets right to the point. Yes or No. We also admire any message that can fit on a Post-it note.

3rd Place: The Dollar Shave Club knows how to work a guilt trip.

Welcome email category:

In a world where formal thank you notes seem to be forgotten, there’s something to be said for a confirmation email. Bonus points if your welcome message includes an incentive.


Winner: Boden Clothing’s cheeky message is a great introduction of more good things to come. Not to mention hooking you in with 15% off your next purchase. Always selling and engaging is key.

2nd Place: Let’s face it, The North Face is pretty cool on its own, but they just added free shipping as a welcome thank you. And they make you feel part of the club. Nice.

3rd Place: You may or may not love clowns, but a secret society membership at Jack-in-the-Box speaks to the kid in all of us.

Unsubscribe email category

Do you know what the secret formula for a great list list? Treating your unsubscribes as just as important as your subscribers. The last thing you want is an unhappy subscriber because you just couldn’t stop the messages.


Winner: Urban Outfitters confirms farewell with a clever conversation screen capture. We love how they integrated their brand and voice into the text stream. It comes down to projecting your brand into everything you do.

2nd Place: Rue hits a home run with a simple, to-the-point message that evokes an emotional pull. It makes you want to go and hug your lover. And maybe reconsider unsubscribing from a company that gets me.

3rd Place: Poor Derrick. If you’ve ever spent a day unsubscribing your emails, this one from Groupon might make you chuckle. We never thought of a video for an unsub message.

Cart Abandonment email category:

How do you increase ROI with an e-commerce site? Cart abandonment emails. Sometimes customers walk away from a cart full of merchandise and don’t come back on their own. A gentle reminder via email is a great way to get those lost sales back.


Winner: First place to Ralph Lauren for getting the brand and audience just right. It’s such a rich shot that it makes you do a double take and hit the shop button.

2nd Place: Victoria’s Secret won’t tell the world what you’ve selected, but they will remind you that you forgot to follow through on the order. Sexy as it should be.

3rd Place: Funny is always good, but better be funny not corny. Hey, Poolcenter.com how did that dog get on there?

Birthday/Anniversary

Do you want to do something really special for your subscribers? Send a birthday or anniversary message. Aim for their actual birthday or the day they joined your list, and win them over, again and again.


Winner: We love Sephora’s stunning graphics and early birthday message.

2nd Place: Overstock really does care and they will remember you every year with a coupon so you can buy yourself a present if no one else will.

3rd Place: The anniversary of your first purchase? Wow, Overstock, we didn’t realize how much we meant to you. Jury is sill out if this will inspire or be perceived as an oversell.