Retail Email of the Week: Home Depot’s Star Turn

For home improvement retailer Home Depot, content delivered via email is an important driver of both online and offline traffic.

Mailer Name: The Home Depot
Date Emailed: June 26, 2017

For retailers, Independence Day is an occasion for selling stuff, and this email from Home Depot, at first glance, seems a little different. The subject line, after all, says “CONFIRMED  Red, White & Blue Savings Up to 50% Off.”

However, upon opening the email, it reveals that it’s about much more than an Independence Day sale, starting with the pre-header: “ONE WEEKEND. ONE PROJECT. You can do this.”

The body of the email is dominated by a “DIY PROJECT” with a Fourth of July theme. The cutout stars shown in the single, large image were “Created by Alexis Politis, Seeking Alexi.” Aside from an inset photo of who I'm assuming is Alexis, nothing else explains who she is. The curious customer has no choice but to click through to Home Depot's website.

On Home Depot’s blog, it identifies Alexis as a designer whose own blog “is geared towards empowering women to create, celebrate and find their true selves.”

The article on Alexis’ wooden star project includes lots of photos of the in-progress and finished products, a list of the materials and tools required for the project, and the steps needed for completion. Alexis notes that the items can be purchased at Home Depot. Each item is linked to its product page on The Home Depot website.

The effectiveness of using step-by-step instructions builds credibility, as does Alexis’ admission that she “messed up a few times.”

Besides the patriotic star project, The Home Depot taps into the July 4th holiday with other content as well. A block for The Home Depot Foundation puts its goal up front: raising $250 million for veteran-related causes by 2020. Video and copy on the foundation’s website reveal much more about its mission as well as the impact it's had on veterans’ lives, thanks to volunteer efforts and money contributed.

The Takeaway
Still photography, video and copy can combine to enhance the buying experience wherever the shopper is located.