Get the Click: Animoto
![](https://fulcrumtech.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/animoto-thumb-no-images.jpg)
Preview without Images
![](https://fulcrumtech.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/animoto-thumb.jpg)
Preview with Images
Animoto Email Grade: B
Subject Line | 5 |
Preview Pane | 3 |
Eye Path | 5 |
Clarity of Message | 5 |
Call to Action | 5 |
Offer | 3 |
Sense of Urgency | 3 |
Credibility | 5 |
3/5/12 — Animoto is an online video creation service that lets users take their own photographs, videos, and music and make polished, professional-looking video slideshows. In this email, the company is letting its users know that they can now grab and incorporate photos from Instagram – the popular iPhone application that allows users to snap pictures, add filters, and share them on social networking sites. Overall, the email successfully communicates this message.
Sent to people who are already Animoto users, the email has a clear and concise subject line that announces: “Animoto – Now with Instagram!” When recipients open the email, the headline is consistent with the subject line. Plus, the visual is highly effective in communicating the primary message of the email. It features the recognizable Instagram app image with photos shooting out the top, which demonstrate the use of different Instagram filters.
The eye path is also effective, with all the important news up front, leading to a very strong and succinct call to action: “Try it.” Then just below the call to action are some more news and tips about Animoto products, as well as the opportunity to upgrade to the “Go Pro” option, which recipients are reminded is now available in HD.
The preview pane without images, however, is rather weak. The alternative text communicates the message, but perhaps the designer could have found a suitable font that would be more visible and readable in the preview pane without images. And although we didn’t rate the offer and sense of urgency very high, the purpose of this email seems to be more focused on letting dedicated Animoto users know about the availability of an easier way to incorporate Instagram photos into their videos. In other words, this email does a great job of riding the wave of passion and capitalizing on users’ existing product excitement.
Disclaimer: FulcrumTech does not have access to the performance data relating to this promotional email, so any tests performed on this email can’t be reflected in FulcrumTech’s commentary.