This week’s roundup is a tribute to the gift guide emails that actually get us. You know, clear categories, real personality, zero “for the food lover in your life” nonsense unless the food lover is me eating Oreos at 11 PM while wrapping presents with dental floss because all the tape in the home disappeared.
Gift guide emails love to pretend we’re organized, charming, and fully-formed adults navigating the holidays with grace. But the best ones know the truth: we are all clutching discount codes and praying our gifts don’t get returned like last year. And the best ones also seem to follow a similar format:
|
- A layout that’s clean and scannable. Most brands go for a grid with plenty of whitespace. A simple 2×2 or 3×3 layout lets each item shine without overwhelming the reader.
- Helpful categories, like “For Her,” “For Him,” “For Kids,” and “For In-laws Who Show Up Unannounced.” If you’ve got customer data, tailor guides to the categories and price tiers people already browse.
- Strong visuals and CTAs. Every product or category image is clickable, tappable, irresistible... and every grouping leads somewhere specific (not the homepage).
- Uniform design. There are minimal color changes, consistent image sizes, and no carnival-level chaos. The simpler, the better.
- A focus on benefits. They give a quick reason why each item is worth gifting, making it practical (e.g., “Keeps your Oreos hidden”) or emotional (e.g, “Distracts from awkward holiday dinner conversations”).
|
With the right blend of design, personalization, and a little wit, your gift guide can actually help people. Moreover, a guide that does its job might even beat whatever folks are asking ChatGPT for (or at least we can dream that’s the case).
|
|
|
An ad from one of our partners...
|
|
|
Now for the real reason why you opened this email (articles to make you smarter):
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great emails come in all forms. We're honoring creativity across every corner of the inbox, from clever storytelling to accessible design that hits all the right pixels. Here's how to submit and to RSVP to the live awards show.
|
|
|
|
|
A good reminder of the basics (from deliverability tips to understanding the fundamentals of email design), this guide gives you the tools and confidence to create emails that stand out and make an impact.
|
|
|
|
|
GenAI has democratized creation, but also flooded our inbox with a shallow, systematic sameness. The tension is shifting from "human vs. machine" to "depth vs. noise," and creative brands are winning when they understand imperfection and emotion.
|
|
|
|
|
Want your emails to go from clunky and amateur to clean and professional? In this video, take a look at how BAD uses grids, layering, and other design elements to improve a bad design into a good one.
|
|
|
|
|
Complements are one of those concepts that sit in the background of strategy: obvious once you notice them, but rarely discussed in day-to-day operating conversations. We spend a lot of time on funnels, acquisition tactics, positioning, and differentiation. And yet, we don't spend enough time on the products, services, or ecosystems that quietly make our own products more valuable.
|
|
|
Your "gift guides can be weird" GIF
|
|
|
|
|
