Hey, it's Chase and Jimmy here.

Experiment doesn’t just run sales... they run experiments. 😉

Their 2024 Black Friday campaign turned 12 emails into a full-funnel strategy built on timing, storytelling, and community. Every send had a role: tease, launch, educate, remind, and thank.

It’s a visually cohesive, on-brand flow that feels intentional from start to finish. But even a campaign this dialed-in had a few missed variables.

We broke down eight of their sends to see what worked, what didn’t, and how other brands can replicate the formula without losing their own identity.

Also inside:

✔️ Smarter personalization, faster reports, and a few surprises
✔️ Your BFCM Lifeline Is Here
✔️ AI Power-Up: The BFCM Campaign Stress Test

Let’s jump in👇.

⚡ Smarter personalization, faster reports, and a few surprises

Omnisend just dropped its latest product updates (and they’re good). Like “finally-I-can-stop-exporting-to-Excel” good.

Here’s what’s new this month:

• Personalized product recommendations that feel like mind reading (free until Oct 16)

• Conditional content blocks to tailor every section of your emails by segment or tag

• New reports that export as PDFs or CSVs... because clean charts beat cluttered tabs

• 10x faster contact migrations with automatic daily syncs

• UI glow-up: friendlier states, smoother progress bars, sharper everything

Explore what’s... new your campaigns (and your sanity) will thank you.

Experiment’s Black Friday Campaign: Science-Backed Strategy Meets Smart Storytelling

Experiment’s 2024 Black Friday campaign was a masterclass in brand consistency and creative execution.

Over 12 emails, the skincare brand turned BFCM into an immersive experience for its “Lab Rats” community, combining science-backed storytelling, cheeky copy, and pixel-art visuals that brought their identity to life.

Instead of relying solely on urgency and discounts, Experiment built momentum with pre-launch teasers, community validation, and founder-led gratitude that made the campaign feel human, not hard-sell. The result was a cohesive BFCM journey that balanced education, energy, and brand love from start to finish.

We dug deeper into eight of their emails that played a role in the experiment.

1️⃣ 20% OFF starts tomorrow 👀

Focus: Early teaser to build anticipation before the main sale

Why This Works:
✅ Creates hype with a clear, time-bound offer that primes customers to act
✅ Clean visual layout with Experiment’s signature green and lab aesthetic instantly recognizable
✅ Direct subject line and “Sale Deets” removes guesswork, making it clear what’s coming and when

What Needs Work:
❌ Multiple CTAs (“build your cart” and “get notified”) could be stronger if connected into one guided action to streamline the pre-sale experience
❌ The message feels slightly overloaded. Narrowing in on one focus (like cart building or bundle teasing) would make it more impactful and scannable

2️⃣ Everything Is 20% Off + Free Gift

Focus: Main sale announcement and incentive layering

Why This Works:
✅ “20% Off + Free Gift” delivers both urgency and added value without overcomplicating the message
✅ Pixel-style creative and bright typography maintain brand continuity from teaser to launch
✅ Strong CTA placement above the fold ensures instant visibility on mobile

What Needs Work:
❌ No social proof or product context; a quick “what’s trending” carousel would ground the offer in desirability
❌ The incentive is strong but lacks time sensitivity; adding “while supplies last” could tighten urgency
❌  Missing a final CTA at the bottom of the email 

3️⃣ Don’t worry, we’ve got this one 🫷😌🫸

Focus: Mid-sale reassurance and retargeting

Why This Works:
✅ Calming, conversational copy re-engages browsers who didn’t buy
✅ Product imagery focuses on core SKUs, not just promos
✅ Smart tonal pivot from hype to trust-building keeps engagement fresh mid-week
✅ Fun touches of nostalgia feel on brand and stand out in the inbox

What Needs Work:
❌ CTA could be more specific (“Shop your skin set” vs. generic “Shop now”)
❌ The email could benefit from highlighting customer favorites or quick reviews to strengthen conversion confidence
❌ The gifting angle is strong but surface-level; introducing a quick “gift guide” visual or recommendations by price could make it more actionable

4️⃣ gift something they actually want 🎁

Focus: Positioning BFCM deals as giftable, not just self-buying

Why This Works:
✅ Reframes the sale in the context of gifting, timely and emotionally resonant
✅ Balanced layout of hero product shots and clean typography keeps attention on the offer
✅ Great environmental play with the “Repupose the capsule” 

What Needs Work:
❌ The email could have highlighted the benefits or breakdown of products included in the bundle to make the value clearer for new customers
❌ The copy focuses on gifting but misses a chance to educate; weaving in quick product results or hero ingredients would’ve reinforced why these make standout gifts

5️⃣ A Thank You Note from the Lab

Focus: Founder-led gratitude message wrapping up the main sale period

Why This Works:
✅ Breaks the promotional pattern with a genuine tone of appreciation
✅ Founder voice (“from the Lab”) feels personal and aligned with brand story
✅ Minimalist layout lets the message, not the marketing, take center stage

What Needs Work:
❌ The thank-you email could subtly transition customers toward post-BFCM retention, such as a refill or subscription CTA
❌ No direct social engagement ask; “share your haul” would extend the conversation beyond inbox

6️⃣ BLACK FRIDAY SALE 🧪

Focus: The central, high-energy sale push

Why This Works:
✅ Bold, lab-themed creative reinforces Experiment’s quirky, scientific identity
✅ Clear, visual “20% Off” headline ensures instant comprehension
✅ Pacing between earlier teasers and this main push maximizes visibility without fatigue

What Needs Work:
❌ Sends close to other emails, risking overlap; spacing by 12–18 hours could increase open rates
❌ Copy is short and punchy but lacks emotional pull or FOMO triggers beyond price

7️⃣ Small Lab, Big Innovation

Focus: Brand storytelling to differentiate during peak inbox competition

Why This Works:
✅ Smart pivot from discount-heavy messaging to brand narrative mid-campaign
✅ “Small Lab, Big Innovation” reinforces Experiment’s indie credibility
✅ Visuals highlight sustainability and R&D, appealing to conscious consumers

What Needs Work:
❌ The educational tone is strong, but it could connect back to product performance or customer results
❌ No direct tie to the sale; a “last chance” note could integrate urgency without breaking tone

8️⃣ “holy grail” – your fellow Lab Rats

Focus: Community-driven proof and final push

Why This Works:
✅ Leverages social validation with the “Lab Rat” community to reinforce trust
✅ Incorporating quotes and product reviews drives last-minute conversions
✅ Tone feels celebratory, a perfect close to the BFCM story arc

What Needs Work:
❌ Could highlight how much time is left in the sale or include countdown visuals
❌ The final push lacks urgency; stronger copy like “Ends tonight” or “Final hours to save” could have driven last-minute conversions

What Experiment Gets Right

Cohesive Campaign Storytelling: Each email feels like a chapter in one narrative, from teaser to thank-you, with tone, visuals, and copy all working in sync.

Science Meets Personality: The campaign leans into the brand’s “Lab Rat” persona while maintaining credibility through clean design and precise language.

Full-Funnel Strategy: Experiment doesn’t rely on one-off sends. The campaign moves customers from anticipation to action to appreciation with distinct goals for each stage.

Where Experiment Misses the Mark

Overlapping Cadence: Late-week emails land close together, which can trigger fatigue in inboxes already flooded during BFCM.

Limited Personalization: Messaging treats all subscribers the same, and segmenting new versus repeat buyers could drive higher conversion.

Urgency Light: While tone and visuals carry the campaign, the lack of countdowns or limited-quantity framing dulls the conversion edge.

Final Takeaway

Experiment’s BFCM strategy proves that design-driven storytelling can stand out in a week defined by noise and sameness. The campaign built anticipation, reinforced community, and ended with gratitude, all while staying unmistakably on-brand.

By tightening cadence, layering in personalization, and adding a stronger urgency lever, Experiment could evolve this from a visually memorable campaign to a revenue-maximizing one.

Key Takeaways for Brands

✔️ Treat BFCM like a full journey, not just a sale window
✔️ Use visual and tonal consistency to make your brand instantly recognizable in inboxes
✔️ Reinforce urgency without breaking tone or trust
✔️ Segment by purchase behavior to make offers more relevant
✔️ Close campaigns with authenticity, as gratitude builds long-term retention

🧭 Your BFCM Lifeline Is Here

When inboxes get crowded and ads get costly, your email and SMS strategy become your lifeline. Jimmy and Chase built a guide to help you cut through the chaos and convert when it matters most.

Inside the BFCM Email + SMS Survival Guide, you’ll get:

• Step-by-step checklists for every stage of the weekend

• Proven send cadences for both email and SMS

• Retention plays to turn one-time shoppers into repeat buyers

🤖 AI Power-Up: The BFCM Campaign Stress Test

It’s easy to overdo it during BFCM.

Too many sends. Too many promos. Too much noise.

And while your customers might not unsubscribe right away… your deliverability, engagement, and sanity will take the hit.

That’s where AI comes in.

Here’s how to run a BFCM campaign stress test:

1. Pull your full BFCM plan into one doc:

   • Email + SMS send calendar

   • Campaign names, subject lines, and offers

   • Planned audiences and timing

2. Drop it into ChatGPT with this prompt:

3. “Here’s my full BFCM campaign schedule. Identify potential risks around frequency, fatigue, and timing conflicts. Suggest adjustments to cadence, segmentation, or send windows to protect engagement and deliverability.”

4. AI will flag issues like:

   • “You’re sending 4 messages in 36 hours—expect high fatigue risk.”

   • “Three overlapping offers could confuse subscribers; consolidate messaging.”

   • “Your VIP and early access audiences overlap—split them or add personalized incentives.”

   • “Add a rest day post-Cyber Monday to rebuild deliverability before your next push.”

The result: You go into BFCM with a smarter, cleaner, and more balanced send plan—keeping your campaigns aggressive and sustainable.

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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