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After curating over 1,000 emails this year, it was no small feat to choose just 10 favorites. Each of these emails caught my eye for different reasons—some for their humor, others for their clever use of animation, and a few for simply nailing the basics in a way that felt fresh and impactful.

So, let’s dive into the 10 emails that truly wowed me this year and explore what makes them shine. Whether you’re here for inspiration or just to appreciate some inbox magic, I think you’re going to love these as much as I do.

The Top 10 Emails of 2024

🐾 Human Resources at Bark

When Barkbox sent out their Valentine’s email, I couldn’t stop laughing. They framed it as a message from their “HR department,” and the humor was on point. The copy was so clever it felt like it was written by a team of stand-up comedians.

Why It Worked: Humor done well builds an emotional connection, and Barkbox nailed it. It’s a great reminder that a little levity can go a long way in making your brand memorable.

📊 Loom’s Year in Review

Loom took the idea of a “Year in Review” email and elevated it to an art form. They transformed user data into an engaging story, complete with gorgeous visuals and interactive elements. It felt personal yet polished, and I couldn’t help but click through to see the full experience.

Why It Worked: People love seeing themselves in the story. By turning user data into a celebration, Loom not only showcased the value they bring to their customers but also reinforced their connection to them.

🚗 Acura’s Stunning Animation

This one was a showstopper. Acura’s email featured a beautifully crafted cinemagraph that blended seamlessly with subtle hover effects and accessible HTML text. The animation was just enough to catch your eye without being overwhelming—perfectly balanced.

Why It Worked: Animation can be tricky in email, but when done right, it adds a layer of sophistication and engagement. Acura showed us how to create movement that enhances the message rather than distracts from it.

👋 Miro’s Personalized Welcome Email

First impressions matter, and Miro knows it. Their welcome email was a masterclass in onboarding: clear, warm, and beautifully designed. It felt like a genuine invitation to get started, not just a generic “Welcome to the platform” message. Plus, I loved how the design mimicked Miro’s product with a large background image and responsive toolbars – If you’re a Miro user, this will look very familiar.

Why It Worked: Personalization and a user-focused approach make all the difference in welcome emails. Miro struck the perfect balance between being helpful and making the user feel valued.

🔌 Sony’s Email Quiz

Sony turned engagement up a notch with a quiz that was both fun to complete and incredibly smart from a marketing perspective. The quiz collected valuable data for segmentation while giving subscribers an entertaining experience.

Why It Worked: The distinct sections visually represent different personalities, making it easy for recipients to see themselves in the content. It’s a smart, interactive way to collect additional data from subscribers that can later be used for segmentation and personalization.

🪥 Flaus’ Evergreen Content

Flaus took a different approach, focusing on evergreen content that could resonate at any time. Their email was vibrant and full of personality, blending bright visuals with informative copy about their product. It was an email you’d keep in your inbox just for the design inspiration.

Why It Worked: Evergreen emails can be tricky, but Flaus proved they don’t have to be boring. By infusing their content with personality and value, they created an email that felt as fresh months later as the day it was sent.

☕ Fellow Makes Us Chuckle

Fellow’s email combined functionality with humor in a way that felt effortless. The email featured an animated demonstration of their product paired with witty, conversational copy. It wasn’t just informative—it was genuinely fun to read.

Why It Worked: Humor paired with utility is a winning formula. Fellow showed that even a product-focused email can have personality, making it memorable and engaging for the audience.

🥤 United Sodas Beautiful Welcome

United Sodas delivered a burst of energy to the inbox with their welcome email. The design was bold and colorful, featuring playful animations that brought their branding to life. It perfectly captured the essence of their product—fun, vibrant, and full of flavor.

Why It Worked: Strong visual design can make or break a welcome email. United Sodas used boldness to their advantage, ensuring their brand left a lasting impression from the very first interaction.

🌱 Patagonia’s Killer Shipping Email

Patagonia turned a transactional email—a shipping update, no less—into something unforgettable. By pairing quirky visuals with a sustainability-focused message, they managed to make an otherwise mundane email both entertaining and meaningful.

Why It Worked: Transactional emails are often overlooked, but Patagonia proved they’re a huge opportunity. By adding personality and aligning the message with their brand values, they created an email that was as engaging as it was functional.

🌐 Salesforce You Cheeky Devil

Salesforce’s email stood out from the start with its cheeky subject line—something unexpected from a brand usually known for its corporate tone. Inside, an animated gif kept the humor going, tying perfectly into the email’s message. It was unexpected and refreshing.

Why It Worked: Taking risks can pay off. Salesforce proved that even “serious” brands can benefit from a little humor and creativity, showing that personality doesn’t have to be sacrificed for professionalism.

What Made These Emails Shine

Looking back at the emails that made my top 10 list, a few clear themes emerge. These aren’t just random bits of brilliance—each email succeeded because it leaned into one or more fundamental strategies that all email marketers can learn from. Let’s break them down:

1. Humor That Hits Home

Emails like Barkbox’s Valentine’s campaign and Salesforce’s cheeky subject line reminded us of one simple truth: everyone loves to laugh. Humor breaks down barriers, humanizes brands, and makes messages infinitely more shareable. But it’s a fine line—get it wrong, and the joke can fall flat or even backfire.

Lesson for Marketers: Know your audience. Humor is subjective, but when it resonates, it creates a lasting emotional connection. Don’t be afraid to show some personality as long as it aligns with your brand voice.

2. Meaningful Engagement

Emails like Sony’s quiz and Loom’s Year in Review stood out because they turned static content into something more immersive. Sony’s quiz wasn’t just a product showcase—it encouraged readers to explore and discover products in a way that felt tailored to them. Similarly, Loom’s personalized data visualization invited users to reflect on their own journey with the platform, creating a sense of connection and achievement.

Lesson for Marketers: Engagement doesn’t always require technical interactivity. By making the content feel personal or guiding the reader through a journey, you can create a more meaningful connection with your audience. The key is to make the recipient feel like they’re part of the experience, not just a passive observer.

3. Animation Done Right

Acura’s stunning cinemagraph and Fellow’s humorous animations show how movement can elevate an email. The key is balance—animation should enhance the message, not overwhelm it.

Lesson for Marketers: Use animation to draw attention or add flair, but don’t overdo it. Accessibility is essential, so always include fallback text or static images for users who can’t view animations.

4. Strong Personalization

From Miro’s personalized welcome email to Loom’s data-driven storytelling, personalization was a standout feature in many of the year’s best emails. These brands didn’t just send blanket messages—they made their emails feel like they were crafted for each individual recipient.

Lesson for Marketers: Use data to create experiences tailored to your audience. Whether it’s as simple as using a first name or as advanced as leveraging behavior-based triggers, personalization builds trust and relevance.

5. Bold Visual Design

United Sodas and Patagonia proved that bold visuals are still one of the best ways to make an email stand out. Bright colors, playful typography, and imaginative layouts are irresistible in the inbox.

Lesson for Marketers: Don’t underestimate the power of strong design. Eye-catching visuals grab attention, but they should always support the content and enhance the user experience.

The Big Takeaway

What ties all these strategies together? Thoughtful, audience-centric creativity. These emails weren’t just about checking off a list of best practices—they were about understanding the reader and crafting experiences that resonate. Whether through humor, personalization, or jaw-dropping design, each email brought something unique to the table while staying true to its brand.

As we look ahead to 2025, these are the kinds of approaches that will continue to set the best email marketers apart. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what the inbox can do—and make sure every email we send has a chance to shine.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we close the book on 2024 and all its incredible inbox moments, I can’t help but feel excited about what’s next for email marketing. If this past year has shown us anything, it’s that email remains one of the most dynamic, creative, and effective channels for building connections with an audience.

In 2025, I’m hoping to see more brands push boundaries and take risks. Whether it’s experimenting with humor, leaning into personalization, or finding new ways to incorporate interactivity, there’s so much potential to create memorable, engaging emails. But beyond the flash and fun, I’m also looking forward to seeing marketers continue to prioritize accessibility and inclusivity—because an email that isn’t accessible to all isn’t truly great.

I think we’ll also see a deeper integration of AI and automation in email campaigns, not just for efficiency but for creativity. Imagine campaigns that adapt dynamically based on real-time user behavior or even ones that use AI to generate uniquely tailored content for every recipient. The tools are there, and the possibilities are endless.

But no matter how much technology evolves, the heart of great email marketing will always be the same: clear communication, thoughtful design, and a focus on connecting with the audience. Whether it’s through a heartfelt welcome email, a clever product launch, or a laugh-out-loud campaign, the best emails will continue to be the ones that make us feel something.

So here’s to a new year of inbox magic! Let’s keep inspiring each other and showing the world just how much creativity can fit into 600 pixels. I can’t wait to see what we all create next.

Much love,
Andy

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @emaillove