Good morning, Chase and Jimmy here.

Good email design isn’t about pretty layouts. It’s about making your message impossible to ignore.

In 2025, the brands that win the inbox will be the ones who keep it clean, personal, and purposeful - while still finding moments to surprise and delight.

Today’s guide covers 7 design trends that do exactly that, from bold hero banners to AI-powered personalization.

Also inside:

✔️ Moving before BFCM? Do it with 30% off.
✔️ Knowledge Drop: 9 Proven Offer Types That Have Driven Over $200M in Revenue
✔️ DTC Wins: Spider-Man and Iron Man are back... in the beverage aisle?

Let’s jump in👇.

🚚 Moving before BFCM? Do it with 30% off.

Black Friday is almost here... AKA the worst time to wrestle with clunky tools. If you’re still stuck on a platform that slows you down, now’s your chance to switch without the stress.

Omnisend’s holiday deal makes the move painless:

• 30% OFF for 3 months when you use code BFCM-2025

• Seamless migration that keeps your contacts, flows, and lists intact

• All-in-one email + SMS, with pre-built automations that are ready on day one

Don’t wait until the chaos hits. Start fresh before BFCM and give your customers campaigns that actually convert.

7 Email Design Trends You Need to Know in 2025

Email still pulls weight. In fact, it’s one of the few channels that consistently delivers ROI without draining your ad budget or your will to live.

But here’s the deal: most inboxes are a hot mess. If you want your email to stand out, it’s got to look the part, and feel worth clicking.

Let’s get into the trends that make that happen.

First, What Makes for Good Email Design?

• A tidy header that gets out of the way. Logo? Great. One-liner above the fold? Even better. Anything else? Questionable. Don’t crowd the top with social icons and menu bars. We’re not building a website.

• Images with a purpose. Your visual should tell me something about the product or vibe, not just fill space. Stocky, generic images = instant snooze.

• Copy that pulls weight. Cute graphics mean nothing if your copy doesn’t close the loop. Speak clearly. Sound human. Give people a reason to care.

• CTAs that get noticed. A “Shop Now” button should look like it wants to be clicked. Don’t hide it in body text or bury it under a moodboard.

• A footer that finishes strong. Give us the legal stuff, yes. But also sneak in a little personality. Bonus points for Easter eggs, founder notes, or a cheeky gif.

Now, here are 7 email design ideas to bookmark for your next campaign.

1. Minimalism

Minimalist emails don’t mean boring beige layouts with Helvetica and vibes of despair. Good minimalism feels premium, helps the eye rest.

More importantly, it gives your one Big Idea the room it deserves.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• One strong image

• One killer line of copy

• One action to take

• And a lot of whitespace doing silent design magic in the background

Avoid extra fluff or busy banners. It’s the difference between a messy flyer on a lamppost and a crisp billboard with your name on it.

2. Gamification

You know that dopamine hit when you pop bubble wrap or roll the dice in a board game? That’s the energy we’re chasing.

Gamified emails bring play into the inbox. Not in a gimmicky “Win a free iPad!” way, but in a “this brand’s fun as hell” kind of way. Think:

• Interactive trivia

• Tap-to-reveal product drops

• Scratch cards that unlock cheeky surprises

These don’t need to cost you a thing. Just make it fun and clickable. It’s less about discounts and more about delivering a moment your reader actually enjoys.

3. Light Interactivity

You don’t have to build a carnival in every email. But even a little movement or interaction can make things feel elevated.

Try this:

• Hover effects on product cards

• Collapsible sections for long content (great for FAQs)

• Animated icons that don’t scream “1997 Flash website”

These small touches say “we care about your experience,” and that makes your brand memorable.

Just test them on mobile, okay? We’re not here to alienate the iPhone 8 users.

4. AI Personalization

We’re past the “Hi [First Name]” era. Personalization in 2025 means your email changes based on what your customers care about (and when they care about it).

With AI, you can:

• Suggest refills when the timing’s right

• Push collections they browsed three days ago

• Swap out the CTA based on what they bought (or didn’t)

No need to overcomplicate it. The tech does the heavy lifting. You just keep the design clean so it feels like a pleasant surprise, not marketing.

5. Bold Hero Banners

If your hero banner isn’t setting the tone, it’s wasting space.

The best ones hit you right in the aesthetic. A skincare brand might use silky textures and glossy golds. A sneaker drop could lean into grit, motion blur, or electric neons.

You don’t need a big message here. You need a vibe.

When a reader opens your email and instantly feels something – luxury, nostalgia, urgency – that emotion sets the stage.

The rest of the scroll gets easier, and your CTA gets a lot more tempting.

6. Visual Hierarchy

If a reader has to figure out where to look, you’ve already lost them.

Visual hierarchy is a key component of good email design. It tells the eye what’s most important, without getting in the way.

Build it with:

• Big and bold headlines

• Subheads to break up new sections or ideas

• Icons and images to guide the eye

• CTA buttons that don’t play hide and seek

• Contrast between sections so people can breathe between blocks

A good visual flow makes your email feel effortless to scroll through (and understand).

7. Thoughtful, Contextual Design

Context matters. People notice when your email speaks directly to where they are or what’s happening in their world. Think:

• A summer essentials email that hits just as the heatwave starts

• An event invite based on their city

• Local slang or references tucked into product copy

You’re showing that you get them. Not in a stalker way, but in a “we’re paying attention” way.

Even one line of context can make your message feel hyper-relevant. That kind of detail sticks.

TL;DR Before You Hit Send

Trendy layouts and clever tricks are great, but good email design is really about making your message impossible to ignore.

Here’s what to remember:

✅ Clean layouts that highlight one idea, not five
✅ Interactive touches that surprise and delight
✅ Smart personalization powered by behavior, not guesses
✅ Strong visual hierarchy that guides every scroll

When your emails look good and feel personal, they convert better.

💡 Knowledge Drop:

Not all discounts are created equal. Chase shares 9 offer types that consistently outperform blanket promos and drive higher AOV, conversions, and repeat purchases.

🔥 DTC Wins:

Tom Holland x Robert Downey Jr.: Coffee Meets (NA) Beer

Spider-Man and Iron Man are back... this time in the beverage aisle. Tom Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand BERO teamed up with Robert Downey Jr.’s coffee company happy to launch two limited drops: BERO Coffee Draught and happy Eternal Hoptimist ground coffee. Both are available online and in limited runs at Target, blending Hollywood star power with real craft credibility.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

Thanks for hanging with Chase and me, always a pleasure to have you here.

If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don’t keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them on board so they don’t miss next week’s drops.

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond

PS - Your next best customer might be reading this right now. Want in? Email Jimmy to sponsor this newsletter and more.

Love this newsletter but want to receive it less frequently? Let us know by clicking here!