How To Create A Winning Father’s Day Email Campaign

Poor old Dad can’t catch a break. Fewer people shop for Father’s Day than for Mother’s Day, and the ones who do spend less. But the spending gap is narrowing, according to the National Retail Federation’s Holiday Spending guide. Shoppers’ increasing willingness to open their wallets is good news for your Father’s Day email campaigns.

Gift advice that shows some ingenuity, plus copy and images that use humor and appreciation for all kinds of dads can persuade more subscribers to shop with you.

Why Father’s Day and Email Marketing?

1. Don’t let Father’s Day get lost.

Email as a channel allows us to send reminders, check-ins, and messages with high importance.

Well, for Father’s Day that’s a great thing—we can use email for what it’s best at: reminding your customers that it’s time to get Dad something nice.

A simple, effective nudge that Father’s Day is coming up may be all they need to kickstart their gifting.

2. Accessorize and complement.

Just because Dad wants a new set of golf clubs or a hot new bicycle—doesn’t mean your customers need to break the bank. (Based on the data it’s likely consumers already did that … but for Mom!)

Campaigns that figure out ways to position and merchandise smaller products have the chance to capture the audience who may want to do something nice for Dad, but just don’t know how to do it. Let’s face it: sometimes it’s hard shopping for dads!

Email offers a great opportunity to reach back to your audience and introduce or reposition specific products to support Dad’s hobbies or activities. What can you merchandise to your audience?

Tips for Creating an Email Campaign That Stands Out in Promotion-filled Inboxes

Falling after both Mother’s Day and Memorial Day and prior to the Fourth of July—Father’s Day is sandwiched amongst the three largest promotional periods of the season.

As such, it’s important to focus on a helpful tone, as well as have fun with the holiday to avoid fatigue with all the “to-dos” during such a busy promotional period.

1. Help shoppers out with a gift guide.

Your customers might know the brands their fathers like but have no clue what to buy him. Help them out by sending a gift guide showcasing gift-worthy items at different price points. This is a handy way to promote merch your shoppers might not find otherwise.

Find some clever ways to present your guide, too. Many brands now tie their product assortments to themes such as personas, interests, activities, personalities, etc.

Here is an example from Rock Bottom Golf:

Another tip: Create more than one guide, and devote each guide to a different theme. You’ll avoid the need to create a “something for everyone” assortment of products and also increase the chance that you’ll present gift ideas that your shoppers wouldn’t find in their own browsing.

2. Show Dad the love.

Since we began tracking Father’s Day emails, we’ve noticed more brands are sending emails that go beyond the usual Dad jokes or stereotypical he-man product assortments.

Instead, they use content that taps into the emotional aspect of Father’s Day—quiet messages of strength and support, which play up the “Dad as hero” aspect of the parent-child relationship.

In an age when society no longer frowns on men showing emotion, these messages can strike a special chord with your readers and also help your brand stand out in the inbox over all of the “goofball dad” messages.

3. Have a laugh with Dad

But, speaking of goofball dads … It’s a rite of passage that your father will embarrass you, whether he shows up wearing white socks with sandals or cracks cringe-inducing jokes in front of your friends. But it also means that humor can resonate with your customers and give your creative team room to play.

You don’t need to highlight a sale or discount to have an engaging email that has good-natured fun with a traditional holiday. Good copy and fun imagery can humanize your brand and make customers feel good about buying from you.

Examples of Successful Father’s Day Email Campaigns

Is shopping for Dad simple? Maybe it’s all too easy—golfing and grilling? A few campaigns that stood out don’t venture too far down the beaten path.

Or maybe, just maybe, dads are just that predictable.

1. Kelty.

Subject Line: It’s Not Too Late! Free 2-Day Shipping for Father’s Day

View the entire email.

Kelty drives urgency by reminding customers “It’s not too late”, but what really stood out for us is the aspirational quality of what they call “Dad Life”.

Outdoor and camping gear is definitively cool—and showing how dad can enjoy Kelty products with the family is a great way to provide dad with a gift that he can use to share Dad Life with the entire family.

2. Cavaliers Team Store.

Subject Line: Dad Approved Father’s Day Gifts

View Entire Email

The Cleveland Cavaliers Team Store uses a great motif—”Dad approved”—to build confidence and assure it’s customers that, indeed, Cavs-branded gifts are exactly what dad wants.

The subject line outright says “Dad Approved” — and within the email creative itself the stamp of approval design rings loud and clear.

For brands looking to help their customers feel great about buying gifts for Father’s Day, consider helping build confidence in the purchase with similar language and design as this email!

3. Rock Bottom Golf.

Subject Line: $50 OFF Electronics w/ FREE GUARANTEED Delivery For Father’s Day!

Plus 20% OFF Shoes, 99¢ OR LESS Ball Personalization & MORE Gifts For Dad!

View Entire Email

Nothing says “Dad” quite like “golf gift” yet, while purchasing the latest-and-greatest driver might be a bit of a reach for many of us, Rock Bottom Golf reminds us we can bring golf to Dad in a variety of ways. This is more evidence on the power of accessorizing and complementing Dad’s likes.

Rock Bottom Golf’s email is straight forward: free shipping, big discounts, and merchandises tons of golf-related SKUs.

Conclusion

Father’s Day is less popular than Mother’s Day in terms of sales, but the holiday still represents an opportunity to have fun with your messaging in campaigns.

Importantly, being sandwiched amongst larger holidays (Memorial, Mother’s Day, Fourth of July), email can do what it does best: a gentle nudge or a reminder.

And when children are actively gifting for Dad, think of ways you can help them accessorize or complement Dad’s existing tools, hobbies or activities.

From grilling to golf to tools to sports—it’s a safe bet many dads might not be that hard to shop for, and gifts that support their larger `likes` is a great way for your customers to remember Dad without breaking the bank.