Good morning, Chase and Jimmy here!

Summer email is weird.

Half your audience is on vacation. The other half is thinking about vacation.

Sales slow down. Inboxes get quiet. And a lot of brands take their foot off the gas.

But that’s exactly why it’s a great time to send.

When the inbox clears out, your emails stand out, especially if you tap into the summer vibe that everyone’s already feeling.

In today’s breakdown, we pulled together a full playbook of summer email campaigns that actually work (plus a fresh batch of vacation & travel angles you can steal).

Also inside:

✔️ Maximizing Social: Turning followers into an owned audience
✔️ Quick Clips: Summertime launches, newest rounds of funding, latest in the "Drizzle Wars," and more

👉 Grab a cold drink and dive in.

📲 Social media followers don’t pay the bills. Subscribers do.

You’ve got thousands of followers double-tapping your content. But if you’re not pulling them into your email list, you’re building your business on rented land.

In this Omnisend webinar, ecom expert Bai breaks down how to turn your social media audience into owned subscribers (and future customers). You'll learn how to build high-converting landing pages, create lead magnets that feel native to each platform, and design campaigns that move followers from casual scrollers to high-value subscribers.

Inside the session:

• How to design landing pages that convert social traffic

• Lead magnet ideas beyond discounts

• 3 social-driven list-building campaigns you can launch this week

• How to personalize your welcome flows for social subscribers

→ Watch the full training and start turning everyday content into a list growth engine.

☀️ 7 Summer Email Campaigns That Turned the Slow Season Into a Win

Summer isn’t exactly the holiday rush.

But while most brands go quiet, smart marketers know this is one of the best times to stand out.

When your customers are sitting poolside, packing for a weekend trip, or scrolling on a road trip, your emails can show up with exactly the right vibe.

In this guide, we’re looking at real campaigns that nailed their summer strategy, from playful promos to perfectly timed travel angles, plus practical takeaways you can apply to your own summer sends.

Let’s dive in:

✈️ Summer Travel Campaign Ideas: Ride the Vacation Wave

Summer isn’t just about sunshine, it’s about movement.

People are hitting the road, booking flights, and squeezing every ounce out of long weekends. Which makes it the perfect built-in narrative for your email campaigns.

When you lean into travel season, your products instantly feel more relevant.

Here are several angles you can swipe:

1️⃣ Packable Bundles

Create product kits specifically designed for trips:

• Mini-size sets: Skincare, cosmetics, or personal care essentials sized for TSA.

• Snack packs: Portable snacks for road trips or beach days.

• Weekend capsule wardrobe: Simple, mix-and-match outfits for 3-day getaways.

• Tech essentials: Portable chargers, travel adapters, noise-canceling earbuds.

👉 Position your bundles as problem-solvers for travelers. Less “here’s what we sell” and more “here’s exactly what you’ll need.”

2️⃣ “What’s In My Bag” Visual Features

Borrow the influencer format.

Showcase your products as must-pack items by creating visual emails that feel like a summer suitcase reveal.

• Flat lays of weekend bags with your product inside.

• Staff picks: “Our team’s summer travel essentials.”

• Customer UGC: “How real customers pack your products.”

👉 These formats are naturally visual, highly scannable, and fit perfectly into summer’s more casual, lifestyle-driven vibe.

3️⃣ Pre-Trip Automations

Add summer-timed triggers to your email flows:

• “Don’t forget before you go” reminders: Push travel must-haves ahead of weekends or holiday breaks.

• Event-based prompts: Tie into major weekends like July 4th, Labor Day, or back-to-school season.

• Replenishment nudges: Re-engage past buyers who may need to restock their summer supplies.

👉 Your goal: catch customers while they’re still in planning mode, not after they’ve left.

4️⃣ Weather-Based Personalization

Use weather data to drive relevance:

• “☀️ 95° weekend ahead? Stay cool with these summer essentials.”

• “Rain in the forecast? Here’s your cozy weekend lineup.”

• “Perfect beach weather? Don’t forget these must-haves.”

👉 These timely, geo-targeted sends feel hyper-relevant and personalized without being complicated.

5️⃣ Vacation UGC Campaigns

Encourage customers to show where your products are traveling with them:

• Launch a hashtag challenge for summer.

• Incentivize photo submissions from vacations, beaches, or airports.

• Use this user-generated content in future emails to build trust and relatability.

👉 UGC not only adds social proof — it reinforces the lifestyle story you’re selling.

6️⃣ Post-Trip Recovery Angles

After travel comes the reset.

• Skin repair after long flights or too much sun.

• Rehydration supplements after weekend indulgence.

• Cozy home products to make returning feel like a reward.

👉 Position your products as part of the post-vacation recovery routine, not just the trip itself.

Now let's dig into some inspo, here are 7 brands that nailed their summer campaigns (and what we can learn from them!)

1. Promix

Subject line: 🍉 -> salty or lightly sweet?

(Source)

Promix shows us a smart way to frame one product as a personalized choice, without overcomplicating the offer. They also gather valuable customer insight in the process (i.e. what flavor each subscriber clicks), which they can use for future targeting.

What we love:

• Engaging structure that guides you through both options.

• Happy customer reviews add authenticity without the fluff.

• Trust-building section below gives buyers peace of mind.

• Lifestyle image shows the product in action (and how to use it).

2. Tattly

Subject line: Today's the last day of our LABORYAY sale!

(Source)

Tattly uses the final day of its sale to remind people there’s still sunshine left to enjoy. The bright yellow design and copy flip deadline fatigue into one last chance to have fun with fresh ink.

What we love:

• Great copy that explains “why buy now” (e.g. September, Tattlyween).

• Nice layout that showcases variety without the clutter.

• Discount is front and center with the pink badge.

3. Casely

Subject line: who’s ready for a bogo?

(Source)

Casely skips subtlety and goes full-on bold with a BOGO sale framed like a mid-summer Black Friday. The campaign sells a summer feeling as much as it sells phone accessories.

What we love:

• Loud and clear headline (“BOGO SITEWIDE”).

• Extra perks give shoppers more reasons to care.

• Clear, early CTA and short copy keeps things moving.

4. Recess

Subject line: Relax with a Recess Mood this summer

(Source)

Recess builds trust in seconds by showing how the drink works right away. Instead of vague wellness claims, the email gives specific ingredients that help their audience achieve the feeling they want so dearly in the summer – relaxation!

What we love:

• Emotional hook creates interest without hiding the pitch.

• Dreamy visuals and soft copy match the brand voice.

• Ingredients tied to benefits without sounding clinical.

• Repetition of the discount in a gentle, non-pushy way.

5. Warby Parker

Subject line: A shape that makes sense for summer

(Source)

Instead of pushing urgency, Warby Parker uses seasonal relevance. It ties sunglasses to everyday summer activities in a way that’s low-pressure but persuasive. You walk away thinking you need a pair (without being told).

What we love:

• Copy that sounds like storytelling – relatable!

• Minimalist design keeps focus on the frames.

• Feels like a curated guide rather than a catalog.

• Upsell feels like a natural next step, not tacked on.

6. Italic

Subject line: Don't miss it: Limited-edition summer bundles and $30 off.

(Source)

Italic’s bundle campaign is the definition of thoughtful selling. It groups products into logical, lifestyle-driven kits (sleep, travel, glow) and lets the pricing speak for itself.

What we love:

• Intent-based bundles personalize the experience.

• Beautiful, editorial-style visuals for each set.

• Price comparison (today vs. everyday) shows instant value.

7. Quince

Subject line: Effortless summer outfit ideas inside

(Source)

Quince keeps things simple and product-forward. This campaign is all about easy outfits, easy prices, easy decisions. It’s not flashy, but it works because it removes all the friction from browsing to buying.

What we love:

• Shop complete looks, not isolated products.

• Product names + prices make shopping effortless.

• Minimal copy and clean layout keeps focus on the products.

☀️ Summer Campaign Tips for the Slow Season

Here’s how to make your summer sends stand out:

✅ Lead with lifestyle or emotion. In summer, urgency takes a backseat. What grabs attention is the feeling: sunny mornings, weekend getaways, slower routines. Emails that tap into that vibe (and then connect it to the product) win.

✅ Use bundles to sell the experience. Instead of promoting random items, package them as ready-made solutions: a glow-up kit, a weekend travel set, or an outfit edit. This makes decisions easier and gives the offer a curated feel.

✅ Make it visual-first. There’s a strong chance your customer’s checking emails poolside or on vacation. Focus on vivid imagery to drive the point home; words come second.

✅ Take up space. Fewer brands are emailing during summer, which means less inbox competition. This is your window to test new layouts, go bigger on visuals, or send something slightly unexpected. Don’t shrink back.

📅 Your next career move won’t come from another free resource.

You already know the tactics.

You’ve read the blogs. Watched the webinars. Subscribed to the newsletters.

But growth happens faster when you’re surrounded by people who:

– See what’s actually working inside high-performing brands

– Are constantly pushing you to refine your thinking

– Open doors to new roles, clients, and partnerships

That’s what the eCom Email Certified Community is.

A private network of retention marketers (agency, brand, freelance) sharing playbooks, wins, and active job leads.

Plus, access the exclusive weekly newsletter filled with strategy, campaign ideas and inspiration.

Try it for $1 → Access the inner circle.

🗞️ Quick Clips

• Naked Nutrition Launches Clean Energy Drinks: Miami-based Naked Nutrition just rolled out its first sparkling energy drinks. The new line offers Lemonade, Orange, and Strawberry Lemonade flavors, each with 200 mg organic caffeine, only 15 calories, zero sugar, and just six clean ingredients.

• DUDE Wipes Scores Strategic Investment: DUDE Wipes just scored growth capital from TSG Consumer Partners; while founders (and Shark Tank fave Mark Cuban) stay firmly at the helm. The goal? Scale distribution, deepen retail reach, and bring more “DUDEness” to bathrooms nationwide.

• Pinterest × Emma Chamberlain Coffee Collab: Pinterest just launched its first-ever co-branded product: the Sea Salt Toffee blend with Chamberlain Coffee, dropping June 17. Inspired by the Fisherman Aesthetic trend and rolling out in the U.S., Canada, UK, and Europe. Bonus: Century City pop-up is serving a themed Salted Sailor drink until June 24.

• TikTok Ban... Again, Delayed: Trump has once more pushed back the U.S. TikTok divest-or-ban deadline by 90 days, marking the third extension. With Congress-mandated divestment still unresolved (no China approval), TikTok stays live until mid-September under a stretched executive order.

• Spindrift Debuts Yuzu Mandarin: Spindrift just teased “ultimate summer vibes” with a limited-edition Yuzu Mandarin sparkling water—made from real Japanese yuzu and California mandarin! They’re offering first-batch cans online only, plus a pop-up collab with NYC's Momofuku Noodle Bar through August 8.

• A New Drizzle Oil Has Entered The Villa: Graza may have kicked off the squeeze-top craze, but Brightland is making its own move with The Everyday Line. The launch includes a new set of bigger, squeeze-top bottles built for weekday cooking. Same California-grown standards, designed for the pastas, salads, and eggs you make on autopilot.

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

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