Summer brings that perfect blend of heat, relaxation, and a chance to unwind and is perfect to get creative with your email campaigns. The season’s vibrant colors, sunny vibes, and fun energy make it easy to catch your audience’s attention.
I personally believe summer emails should capture that fun, vibrant spirit. As creatives, we’re always looking for ways to stand out and keep things fresh, and summer is the ideal opportunity to experiment with bold and playful designs.
In this article, I’ll share with you 12 summer email designs that will hopefully inspire your next campaign and help you engage your audience like never before. Trust me, these ideas are too good to miss!
1. Onda
Subject: Summer is in session
I love how Onda’s welcome email instantly sets the beachy vibe with neon pink, green, and red, plus palm trees in the first section. A bold “Shop Now” CTA and a $10 off first order code make it easy for new customers to dive into refreshing summer beverages.
2. J. Crew
Subject: The It’s Sunny Somewhere Event End Today
No more excuses not to shop, especially with 25% off, right? The cool font and palm tree background immediately take you to a sunny paradise, making you forget you’re at home or work. It’s such a simple touch, but it definitely gets you in the mood to browse their sale and make a purchase!
3. Memorial Day Sale
Subject: Save 20% storewide
This summer, try using bright colors like yellow and blue in your email design to grab attention. Summer hues can make your email stand out while promoting a 20% off sale with a code and you don’t even need images to make your message pop.
4. Leatherman
Subject: Save 20% on a bestseller
I love how this summer savings campaign makes choosing a knife even more fun with 10 bold colors, each set against a matching background. With 20% off a bestseller, it’s a great marketing campaign to catch attention and drive action!
5. Vacasa
Subject: Make a splash this summer ☀️
This email captures the essence of a dream summer getaway with a focus on homes featuring private pools. The bright yellow “Wade into Paradise” CTA makes it easy for users to explore this exclusive category and book their perfect retreat!
6. New Look
Subject: Dress for the sun this weekend
What I like in this example is how New Look’s email uses a heat scale to tell a simple but effective summer story, making you instantly think about rising temperatures. This clever layout keeps the design clean while naturally guiding you toward must-have summer products you didn’t even realize you needed!
7. JUDY
Subject: ⚠️ Summer Emergency Prep 101 ⚠️
JUDY’s Summer Emergency Prep email is packed with helpful tips on staying cool. With four color-coded tables highlighting different heat illnesses, their signs, and what to do, the campaign is really informative and practical and the used colors match its content perfectly.
8. Chairish
Subject: The Farewell to Summer Sale
The sunny, retro vibes make this email feel like a fun summer send-off, and the bold “up to 80% OFF” grabs your attention right away. Just looking at the people at the beach in this email makes me want to browse their product categories – marketing done right!
9. J. Crew Factory
Subject: Hot? This should cool you off.
J.Crew Factory’s design uses a simple image that instantly makes you feel the heat of summer and the cool relief of ice. Paired with a clear call to action, it’s a perfect recipe for engagement and higher click-through rates.
10. Jot
Subject: Iced coffee four ways
Craving a refreshing iced coffee? That’s all I drink all summer! Jot launches four new recipes, paired with a fresh beverage image on a light background. With a free shipping code and a bold yellow CTA, this campaign makes enjoying summer’s best sips even easier!
11. Evite
Subject: Guess where we’re headed?
Evite’s email keeps things simple but uses emojis to add color and personality, making the design more engaging. Studies show that emojis can boost open and click-through rates, so I think that this is a smart, fun way to grab attention and encourage more interactions.
12. Tattly
Subject: Today’s the last day of our LABORYAY sale!
Tattly’s “Summer’s not over” campaign is perfect to remind subscribers to make the most of the season before it slips away with a limited-time 25% off deal. The design keeps the sunny vibes alive with a bright yellow background and a bold pink CTA which instantly grabbed my attention.
🏖️ Best Practices for Summer-Themed Email Marketing Campaigns
If you want your emails to instantly give off summer vibes, you’ve got to nail the colors, images, and messaging. Think about it – when you see bright yellows, deep blues, or a beachy sunset, don’t you just feel summer? The same goes for your audience! Here are a few simple ways to make your emails feel warm, fun, and totally seasonal:
- Use bold, sunny colors like yellow, orange, and blue to bring the summer energy.
- Add seasonal imagery – think beaches, pools, cold drinks.
- Keep the tone light and playful because no one wants serious emails when they’re in vacation mode.
- Create a little FOMO with limited-time offers, because summer won’t last forever!
Little tweaks like these can make a huge difference in how your emails connect with your audience. After all, summer is all about fun – your emails should be, too!
✨ Tips on Optimizing Emails for Mobile and Different Email Clients
Let’s be real – most people are checking their emails while lounging by the pool, waiting in line for ice cream, or scrolling on their phones in the sun. I know I do!
If your email isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s game over. You want it to look just as good on a phone as it does on a desktop. Here’s how to make sure your summer emails shine no matter what:
- Keep it responsive so your design adapts perfectly to any screen size.
- Short and snappy subject lines – people are scrolling fast, so grab their attention quickly!
- Clickable buttons and images – no one wants to pinch and zoom just to find the CTA.
- Test on different email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) to make sure nothing breaks.
☀️ Bonus: Free Templates or Tools for Designing Summer Emails Faster
I usually don’t have the time (or patience) to design emails from scratch, especially in the middle of summer! Luckily, some amazing tools make it super easy to create eye-catching, summer-ready emails in minutes. These tools will save you time and effort, so you can focus on crafting the perfect summer campaign:
- Canva – Tons of pre-made email templates with fun summer themes, ready to customize.
- BeeFree – A drag-and-drop email builder that lets you create beautiful designs without any coding.
- Litmus – Helps you preview and test your email on different devices and clients before you send it out.
A Few Final Words
Summer is all about fun and feeling good, and your emails should reflect that! A mix of the right colors, engaging visuals, and a seasonal touch can make all the difference in grabbing attention.
I think keeping things easy to read and mobile-friendly is the way to go. Don’t overthink the design, because sometimes, simple works best. Most importantly, have fun with it! If your email gives off summer vibes, your audience will feel it too.
