31 Best Email Design Examples of 2024 for Inspiration & Excellence

Key Elements of Effective Email Design

Superside’s team of seasoned email design experts can bring your dream email template or campaign to life. We asked our designers—who are all in the top 1% of global creative talent—for their thoughts on the key elements of effective email design.

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1. Engaging and powerful visuals

This may sound self-evident, but there’s much skill in using photographs, illustrations, patterns, textures, social media icons, gifs, infographics, videos and color schemes to capture attention and seduce audiences into engagement. Even social media links can be turned into appealing visuals with a little imagination.

Emails with high-quality images offer a nearly 10% boost in open rates, videos can boost click-through rates by 300%, and interactive email content can increase the rate of click-to-open rates by 73%.

Less experienced designers often go OTT and throw the proverbial kitchen sink at every email template. But those who understand their craft know when less is more and when visual components will be most effective in reaching a specific goal.

2. Responsive design

Responsive design isn’t just a good idea—it’s an all-out necessity. You simply have to ensure the message you’re sending to your database responds to the devices your target audience uses. An email that isn’t responsive may look great on your laptop but break when viewed on a mobile device.

About 51% of emails are opened on phones. If your emails are mobile-friendly, you can expect a 15% increase in clicks.

Note that today’s top online email marketing tools (e.g. Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign and Moosend) make it relatively easy to craft responsive mailers. It does, however, take a good digital designer to create a responsive email that leaves a lasting impression.

3. Personalization

Personalization in email marketing is about much more than addressing the recipient by name. The most successful email marketing campaigns are tailored to specific segments of a very well-managed database. A good email design will provide multiple opportunities for personalization that can be adapted according to each target persona.

4. Brand elements

You may already have a strong brand identity and an accompanying “style bible.” If not, this should be a priority. Your style bible is a guide to the details that foster brand recognition and help maintain a consistent visual presence anywhere your brand appears.

Email is still one of the most relied-upon forms of communication between organizations and target customers, and a well-branded email will strengthen the bond between you and your audience. Repeating the same design elements over time and always including your brand’s logo fosters brand recognition.

Pay attention to the small details when you create your templates, and remember to incorporate essential elements such as:

• Customer support contact details.
• Customer reviews praising your products or services.
• Unique selling points like rewards program benefits.

Craft an email template that neatly incorporates your social media icons, and add an “opt-out” or unsubscribe button to remain compliant with data protection regulations.

5. A clear call to action (CTA)

Getting your CTAs right is critical, as they’re the catalysts that will prompt your customers to engage with your business. Again, personalization is key. One study found that changing the text in a CTA button from a second-person viewpoint (“Start your free trial”) to a first-person view (“Start my free trial”) improved clicks by 90%.

Use minimal yet impactful text toward the top of the email for maximum readability and information absorption. Ideally, if the layout allows, the CTA button should appear at the email's start and end.

Keep clutter to a minimum near CTAs so they stand out, and make sure their position makes sense within the context of the email (they shouldn’t, for example, be hovering next to text that’s completely unrelated to the CTA).

31 Best Email Design Examples in 2024

Now that you understand the key elements of great email design, let's explore 31 top examples, ranging from newsletters to responsive emails, that have delivered impressive results for brands and companies worldwide.

Newsletter Email Design Examples

1. ‘The Creative Brief’ by Superside

(Source: Superside)

Target audience: Marketing, creative, brand and project management decision-makers for ambitious brands.

Why we love it: Naturally, we love The Creative Brief because it’s our own newsletter. Each week, our designers tick all the boxes mentioned under “Key Elements of Effective Email Design” in this article and then go to town on high-quality design that showcases Superside’s obsession with color, texture and quality graphics, non-linear ways of communicating and click-worthy CTAs.

Humor is a big part of our culture, so we like to keep things light and inviting with a short intro that gets straight to the point. This is followed by an even shorter table of contents so you can jump to whatever tickles your pickle, and skip what doesn’t.

Competition is fierce for our “meme of the week,” and while we like to think our thought-provoking ideas and inspiring stories are what keep 50,000+ of the industry’s best and brightest coming back for more, it’s probably the memes. 😆

Best for: Brands wanting to capture their audience’s attention with effective custom templates, a light-hearted tone and cutting-edge newsletter design. Superside is the go-to choice for large companies that need a customized, global design service to amplify the capacity of their creative teams. Our affordable monthly subscription model (starting at $5,000 per month) means there are no hidden expenses, and you won’t have to hire new talent or juggle additional vendors. Plus, our AI-enhanced processes make for speedy work and lower costs.

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2. Collider

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Online educators.
• Why we love it: Online education platform Pathwright believes “education should be beautiful.” This visually appealing design reflects this value with its elegant, clean simplicity and appealing graphics. This design is a great example of how a less-is-more approach using minimal text and a calming palette can create a little oasis of calm in your inbox.
• Great for: Brands wanting to make a personal connection with their target audience.

3. The Cut

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Women looking for brain food that won’t add to their overwhelm.
• Why we love it: This design's simplicity, combined with the quirky illustrations, beautifully complements the theme of the blog post. It quite literally takes the brain off “hard mode.”
• Great for: B2C companies wanting to foster a less formal, more intimate relationship with their target audience.

4. ARMRA

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Health-conscious consumers interested in the latest supplement trends and developments.
• Why we love it: We love the seasonal approach, which ties into something personal that many people will be experiencing in spring—allergies. The saturated visuals combined with a font in a complementary color make this design pop.
• Great for: Specialist B2C companies in the health and wellness space.

5. Absolut

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Vodka connoisseurs.
• Why we love it: This is a classic promotional email that gets 10/10 for branding. The wall-to-wall electric blue combined with a big, bold, punchy font are right out of the Absolut brand bible, and bound to stand out in any inbox.
• Great for: B2C brands within the FMCG space.

6. Better Brand

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Carb-conscious consumers.
• Why we love it: This is a great example of a product promotion that feels like anything but. Instead of a CTA in text form, the tantalizing, high-quality visuals offer to do the talking, getting the viewers’ taste buds to respond before informing them that this big, beautiful breakfast bagel won’t compromise their health goals.
• Great for: Food and beverage brands.

7. Futurewise

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Skin-savvy consumers looking for affordable hydration solutions.
• Why we love it: This classic promotional email aims to lean into the quirky brand it represents, setting it apart from more understated beauty brands. Relying heavily on visuals rather than text, it’s fun to look at and showcases individual products.
• Great for: Fresh, young and fun beauty and body brands.

8. Ganni

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Women.
• Why we love it: It’s highly recommended to send welcome emails to target customers who have hit the all-important “subscribe” button. A clean layout featuring a few choice fashion picks centers a brief welcome message, plus a click-worthy discount code and ‘shop now’ CTA. Short, sweet and extra inviting with its nod to inclusiveness “below the fold,” this email delivers an exceptional user experience.
• Great for: Fashion brands.

9. Venmo

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Lapsed Venmo app users.
• Why we love it: This well-designed email gets straight to the point. An upfront CTA with a QR code (“See what you’ve been missing”) at the start immediately captures attention, promising to link the user directly with the latest app updates from this mobile payment service. Light on both graphics and text, the reader doesn’t have to do any work to scan the latest news from Venmo.
• Great for: Digital financial services and start-ups.

Responsive Email Design Examples

10. Mulberry

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Fashionistas.
• Why we love it: We think this is a perfect example of a visually appealing aesthetic and well-executed responsive email design for a sophisticated fashion retailer looking to showcase a new product line and convert clicks to sales. The design showcases the product with an attractive upfront photograph and plenty of white space below, retaining high visual impact for users on both desktop and mobile devices.
• Great for: Luxury fashion retailers.

11. MacBook Pro

(Source: Pinterest)

• Target audience: Apple customers.
• Why we love it: Apple has the less-is-more approach to email design down to a fine art. They’ve perfected the white space-to-text balance, which translates seamlessly from desktop to mobile.
• Great for: Tech companies.

12. John Lewis

(Source: Pinterest)

• Target audience: John Lewis customers.
• Why we love it: This succinct email conveys a great deal of information using a clear and easy-to-navigate design. Mother’s Day advice, shopping tips and product recommendations are compartmentalized in a grid that adapts easily to mobile and desktop.
• Great for: Large retailers.

Lead-nurturing Email Design Examples

13. Re_

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Time-pressed grocery shoppers.
• Why we love it: A singular message (“Psst: We have a new grab-n-go convenience line”) combined with a few high-quality images of attractively packaged products in a straightforward layout is all this brand uses to touch base and nurture their all-important leads.
• Great for: Specialist manufacturers and small businesses in the food space.

14. Auto Anything

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Car owners.
• Why we love it: You never know when someone will be in the market to buy a new car, so a great way to nurture leads is to remind them of your unique selling points. You’ll then be top of mind when the time comes. This Auto Anything email ticks all the boxes: An eye-catching graphic delivers the brand’s USP right upfront and distinct labels emphasize key features.
• Great for: Companies in the auto and manufacturing industries.

15. Rael

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Online customers who have abandoned their cart.
• Why we love it: People get easily distracted, which is why any company selling their products online must have an automated email that kicks in if customers abandon their carts. Bonus points for being creative. This cheeky example from Rael Skincare helps to convey the brand's personality.
• Great for: Anyone selling items or services online.

16. Vimeo

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Streaming media service subscribers.
• Why we love it: A quiz or test is always a great way to nurture leads and collect additional information. This use of the NSFW (New Standards for Work) coupled with the Droste effect (a picture appearing within itself) work desk image creates immediate intrigue.
• Great for: B2C companies.

17. Forever 21

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Fashionistas.
• Why we love it: This email, a variation on the abandoned cart email, adds an additional layer of personalization: The receiver is informed of price drops on previously purchased (or abandoned) items. This message is accompanied by attractive images of the items to enhance visual appeal. The simple yet sophisticated layout brilliantly uses white space and effectively addresses the challenge of the abandoned cart.
• Great for: Online retailers.

18. Nike

(Source: Beautiful-email-newsletters.com)

• Target audience: Nike customers.
• Why we love it: This email's deliberately sparse layout is perfectly designed to pique the reader's curiosity about the new site and show them what it looks like.
• Great for: eCommerce brands.

19. Apple

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Tech junkies.
• Why we love it: Once again, Apple hits it out of the park when it comes to visual elegance and economy. This lead-nurturing email plays on customers’ FOMO with a pre-order prompt for its new VisionPro VR goggles, represented here with a clever headline and a high-impact product image.
• Great for: Companies wanting to create hype ahead of a product release.

20. Sprout Social

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Digital marketers.
• Why we love it: One of the best ways to reach potential leads is to inform them of new key features or product developments or if a free trial they’re on is about to expire—both of which Sprout Social does here. Bullet points also give the reader a scannable overview of the new product so they can quickly decide if they want to know more and/or extend their trial.
• Great for: eCommerce and B2B brands.

21. Headspace

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: People seeking to improve their emotional resilience.
• Why we love it: This last-chance email puts a positive, empowering spin on what can sometimes feel like a manipulative email marketing tactic, positively influencing potential buyers. Simple, colorful images create a cheerful tone, and straightforward content helps recipients easily grasp the email's purpose.
• Great for: B2B and B2C brands with apps.

Event Promotion Email Design Examples

22. Sleep Symposium

(Source: Beautiful-email-newsletters.com)

• Target audience: The slumber-curious and sleep-deprived.
• Why we love it: The animated eye is simple but brings the design to life and effectively showcases the theme of the advertised symposium. At the same time, the clean, crisp design offers a clear and compelling call to action, with a short list of headline speakers and a compelling “more to be announced” message at the end.
• Great for: Organizations advertising symposiums, conferences, webinars and other events.

23. Behance U99 Conference

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: New York creatives.
• Why we love it: The biggest drawcard at any conference or webinar is its speakers, so don’t underestimate the power of prominently featuring their pictures in your email design. Of course, this runs the risk of looking a little staid, so perk things up with colorful graphics and textures, a cohesive and stylish aesthetic, and plenty of white space. This example gets it right.
• Great for: Organizations advertising symposiums, conferences, webinars and other events.

24. Maze

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Global creatives working in design.
• Why we love it: Including a countdown clock quickly boosts engagement by creating a sense of urgency. The “Register for free” button in this example is also a clever CTA that will help generate leads (everyone loves the word “free”).
• Great for: Organizations advertising symposiums, conferences, webinars and other events.

Creative Email Design Examples

25. Collaborative Fund

(Source: Beautiful-email-newsletters.com)

• Target audience: Organizations that live at the intersection of for-profit and for-good.
• Why we love it: The limited color palette of red and yellow is a powerful combination that can be a big turnoff if mishandled. Despite the colorful visual elements, the layout of this email remains simple and clean. The design is bold and successful, with lots of clean space that effectively highlights the graphics. Images feel dynamic, compelling the reader to scroll down to see more. We especially like how they’ve depicted their social media accounts and contact details.
• Great for: Brands wanting to stand out for pushing boundaries.

26. Dior

(Source: Beautiful-email-newsletters.com)

• Target audience: Fashionistas.
• Why we love it: If the overall visual style of an email were ever going to be elevated to high art, it would be a haute couture brand to do it. Oozing luxury and high-end elegance, Dior’s promotion of its latest line is a feast for the senses. The use of jewel shades and a single green jungle leaf to accentuate vivid shoes and handbags make this email delicious enough to eat.
• Great for: High-end fashion brands.

27. St Martins

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Londoners and tourists who enjoy a good cocktail in an upmarket setting.
• Why we love it: A single, clever design tweak can elevate an otherwise unremarkable email. In this instance, the words “the terrace” are tiered towards the bottom, turning them into a visual representation of the words.
• Great for: Restaurants, bars and travel destinations.

28. American Apparel

(Source: Beautiful-email-newsletters.com)

• Target audience: Hoodie lovers.
• Why we love it: From the clarion call in the headline (“Hoodies!”) to the scroll-a-thon through a rainbow of products, this visually enticing, irreverent and unexpected email is pure eyeball candy—the kind that converts.
• Great for: Retailers.

29. Paul Mitchell

(Source: Pinterest)

• Target audience: Newsletter subscribers wishing to terminate their subscription.
• Why we love it: Turn that frown upside down. People don’t usually want to receive a “sorry to see you go” email, purely because they have unsubscribed for a reason. If there’s any chance of convincing them otherwise, though, it will be with humor—a mechanism this charming Paul Mitchel email used to great effect.
• Great for: Any brand with a newsletter database.

30. Ami Ami

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Wine lovers.
• Why we love it: Upmarket wine in a carton is usually a tough sell—unless your branding is exquisite. We love everything about Ami Ami’s branding, which extends to its email newsletter. Appealing to Millennials and Gen Zs with its 90s cultural references, this genre-defying brand isn’t wine- or email-as-usual. The email’s colorful graphics align perfectly with the popular brand.
• Great for: Emerging brands wanting to set themselves apart from legacy brands.

31. Methodical

(Source: Reallygoodemails.com)

• Target audience: Coffee lovers.
• Why we love it: Coffee brand Methodical took full advantage of the Christmas season with personalized coffee recommendations. The brand wisely chose to introduce festive season colors in the form of new product packaging while restricting the color palette to cobalt gray and tan. This contrast facilitates clear comprehension and engagement with the content.
• Great for: Retailers and eCommerce.

Begin Your Email Design Journey With Superside

An entire universe of creative possibilities—and email marketing opportunities—is waiting to be explored. If you’re ready to discover how Superside can help you navigate this universe by delivering high-quality email design that will revolutionize your organization's creative process, book a call today.

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