20 Announcement Email Examples to Hype Your Product Launch

80% of new products fail because (as a Harvard Business Review article explains):

“Companies are so focused on designing and manufacturing new products that they postpone the hard work of getting ready to market them until too late in the game.”

Obscurity kills new products.

People sign up for your emails because they want to know what’s coming next. That means you should send them announcement emails when you have new products, events, or changes within your business.

In this post you’ll learn:

• What an announcement email is and what you should include in one
• 20 examples of great launch emails (with takeaways) to inspire your own campaigns
• How to time an automated product launch email sequence to create the right kind of hype

50% of people make purchases because of a marketing email every month. Launch campaigns create the vital exposure needed if your product is to succeed.

What is an announcement email?

An announcement email is a marketing message sent to tell people about something new, updated, or changed in your business. They are used to publicize things like:

• A new product release
• A limited-edition launch
• A pre-order opportunity
• A special event

Promotional announcement emails aren’t only to let people know you have a new product or service. One email blast won’t make the sales pile up.

Yeah, keep dreaming. If only.

You’re already sold on your product. You’ve worked hard. It may have taken months — or even years — to reach this point. So it’s easy to assume a customer feels the same way.

They don’t.

They care about their needs and desires…and if your product is the solution they’re looking for.

Your announcement email’s purpose is to make a clear promise – to show people how your product can help them.

Here are 20 examples of launch announcement emails that show you how to do just that.

20 examples of announcement emails

Show your product (Quip)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Show, don’t tell. Quip does more than introduce a limited edition product. It pushes our FOMO button hard with a clever design to show us that this brush — like a melting popsicle in summer — will be gone in the blink of an eye if we don’t act fast
• Animations can be minimal. The animated gif adds interest to a minimally designed email
• Use contrasting colors. The pink and aqua make the CTA button and logo pop in this limited edition email

2. Be authentic to your brand (Warby Parker)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Handmade = authentic. People see stock photography as phony. The creative artistry of this piano prop is consistent with the Warby Parker brand.
• Color evokes emotion. Every color tells a story. We’re hardwired to connect colors with specific moods, so consider what feeling you want to get across when choosing colors.
• Collaborate. As brand marketing consultant Mike Berry says about collaborations, “there are huge benefits to be gained, including sharing customer bases, cross selling, adding interest using the other brand.”

3. Offer a value incentive when you can (MAC Cosmetics)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Borrow some impact. MAC Cosmetics sells inspiration as much as products. Iris Apfel is an iconic figure in the fashion world with her edgy looks. Her direct gaze is an invitation to get some of that specific flair for ourselves.
• Use value incentives. When you have a value incentive like free shipping, make sure to include it in your email copy.

4. Use research to add authority (Casper)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Research creates authority. Casper believes that Fido deserves a good night’s sleep too. They highlight the time and effort that went into their dog bed. We trust the quality of this product, because science is awesome.
• Whimsy is winning. The animated dream-squirrel adds whimsy — Casper knows there’s humor in a mattress company conducting sleep studies on dogs. We’re chuckling…even as we click that link.
• The awww factor. Never underestimate the power of a cute pet (or baby, or happy smiling faces)

5. Stand for something (Fenty Beauty)

What this product announcement email does right:

• A message with impact. Am I brave enough to show up uninvited to a party? Fenty Beauty makes me believe I am…if I wear that killer black lipstick, that is.
• Language matters. This isn’t just a limited edition — it’s hyper-limited. That’s way more limited than just normal limited, right? My FOMO is now hyper-triggered.
• Stand for something. Fenty Beauty’s tagline is “Beauty for all.” Inclusiveness matters. Your audience wants to see themselves represented — especially in a market like cosmetics.

6. Join the conversation (Collect)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Illustrate the intangible. Collect by WeTranser uses illustration in this recent features update email. You can’t photograph a technical workflow, but you can express what your app does through visual storytelling.
• Know your audience. Knowing what their audience needed from their app (and why) wasn’t a lucky shot in the dark. Great copy comes from great marketing research.
• Join the conversation. Conversational copy should join the chat already happening in your customer’s mind. And everyone likes a compliment. I do have great taste, thank you for noticing.

7. Don’t make customers guess (Gucci)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Announce the unexpected. Sometimes upcoming events are the product, like in this email that invites us to watch the Gucci fashion show
• Remove guesswork. If your audience misses the event because you weren’t clear (you didn’t provide the time zone, for example), you’ll hear about it. Probably on social media where you risk bad word-of-mouth…and lost future sales.
• Create anticipation. This design is another killer example of how to create anticipation through curiosity. You don’t see a stitch of clothing — but that animated countdown timer makes you excited to see the new fashion line.

8. Build hype with your copy (Rag & Bone)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Reach out to new customers. Rag & Bone collaborates with a proven fandom and hardcore fans to bump up sales.
• Build the hype. The teaser email copy uses cinematic language to build tension and tell us this isn’t just any collaboration. This is an event.
• Use design to create a mood. If you’re not reminded of your favorite Star Wars scenes by the retro-styled slideshow, I find your lack of nostalgia disturbing.

9. Keep design choices cohesive (Kidrobot)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Keep it cohesive. Brick-and-mortar stores ride the announcement campaign train, too. Kidrobot introduces this art-toy owl with a perfectly matched design that’s as cohesive as it’s cute.
• Host events. Milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard. Signings, give-aways, and mini-events bring customers to your yard.
• Showcase talent. People want to know the story behind the items they own. That’s not just a teal owl — it’s artwork by Nathan Jurevicius.

10. Let people imagine (Converse)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Monochrome isn’t boring. With a monochrome slideshow to showcase each color, Converse makes this announcement email stop people in their Chucks.
• Let people use their imagination. Even though this launch email example promotes a line of customizable shoes, Converse chose not to show samples. You have to imagine what shoe you’d design, which is another way to create anticipation.

11. Use legacy to build trust (Lanna Coffee Co.)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Build trust through legacy. People take their coffee seriously. So seriously that coffee choices are seen as a personality trait. By sharing their coffee’s history (seedlings delivered by elephant!) Lanna Coffee Co. enriches the experience for those who drink it.
• Photographs create closeness. The pictures feel like you’re browsing through a friend’s photo album. When you’re proud of your past, let your audience in on that journey.
• Describe what can’t be experienced. They’ve not invented a way to taste coffee blends through email yet (someone get on that), so Lanna uses a flavor profile to remove a possible objection to making a purchase.

12. Reward your readers (Mike Birbiglia)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Keep it conversational. Reading this email that landed in my inbox from comedian Mike Birbiglia is like an old friend with some crazy (check out the subject line) good news to share with us
• Reward your readers. Mike nails one of email marketing’s best practices — he rewards readers that open his email. How? He offers subscribers tickets for the lowest possible price.
• Long content works. Whether on Facebook or a blog post, long content that’s relevant to people’s interests gets great results. Email is no different.

13. Use simplicity to add confidence (Lord Jones)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Simplicity = confidence. Lord Jones showcases their beautiful packaging in this limited edition launch email. The simplicity of this design layout shows confidence in their product, and minimalism is connected to luxury in many peoples’ minds.
• Connect to a lifestyle. The examples used for this product — hostess gifts and chic dinner parties — solve a problem (what to bring to the party). But they’re also aspirational. You want to be the person that offers a treat from these boxes at your own chic dinner party.

14. Offer customers options (Taco Bell)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Sex doesn’t sell. It’s true. But it can be pretty funny. Taco Bell’s tagline “Wear nothing but a fried egg” is a winning way to announce their new breakfast offering.
• Show your product at its best. Everyone knows fast food doesn’t look like in the pictures. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go the extra mile to photograph the product as beautifully as possible.
• Offer options. Taco Bell gives you lots of ways to try their new egg taco. They make it easy to pre-order with multiple app options.

15. Use the PAS strategy (Venmo)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Problem, Agitation, Solution. Venmo comes at us with the classic “PAS” (Problem, Agitation, Solution) marketing strategy:
  • Problem — You have money stuck in your Venmo balance
  • Agitation — You could buy all these things with it
  • Solution — You can now, with the new Venmo card
• Features vs benefits. A feature is what your product has, and a benefit is what it does for the customer. Venmo covers the features of their card with relatable examples how each one benefits you.
• Make your CTA easy. The bright animation of the “pick your color” button is a frictionless call-to-action to get us to sign up

16. Celebrate milestones (Behance)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Offer pre-orders. A discount for the early adopters that place a pre-order will rack up Behance’s sales (and save money by providing an estimate of how big their print run will be).
• Show a glimpse. The pictures of sample pages is a subtle way to trigger curiosity: it makes you want to page through the book
• We like milestones. Celebrating your achievements is fun for loyal customers, too. And people like to own the first of anything.

17. Use your iconography (Hermès)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Play with your iconography. Hermès understands that buyers of high-end designer goods are fiercely loyal. This email doesn’t need to say it all — and the audience doesn’t want it to, either. They know those orange boxes.
• Puns are fun. Hermès thought outside of the box (see what I did there) and found puns can have a huge impact…if done simply

18. Keep the message simple (Everlane)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Simple sticks. Everlane’s message is simple. I never look that cool in the cold, but I’d sure like to. If you wear the same boring winter coat for months at a time, that kind of message creates aspirational longing.
• Waitlists work. We’ve talked about the power of scarcity in marketing before. Create a virtual wall only the “lucky few” can access to increase product value in people’s minds.
• Run a contest. Everlane has a contest to win one of their puffers. Even if you don’t win, you can try one on…which increases the chance you’ll buy.

19. Show the product being used (Hoefler & Co.)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Show your product in use. Hoefler & Co. doesn’t slop this new typeface down and walk away. They demo the variety of fonts and weights using thumbnail examples. If you’re shown different ways to use a product, you’re more likely to buy it.
• Include video. A “making of” video is a proven way to engage your target audience. Oh, and it can increase your conversion rates by 80%.

20. Take advantage of curiosity (Tom Raffield)

What this product announcement email does right:

• Ambiguity intrigues. This email from Tom Raffield, a luxury home furnishings designer, is a play about curiosity in three acts. Act one: the photography teaser. It’s abstract and ambiguous. What is it?
• Make it interactive. Act two: did you try to click on the clues? Aha, caught you!
• Use curiosity to trigger a follow-up action. Act three: the CTA invites us to explore their product range. Take advantage of already-triggered curiosity and draw it out…to draw people further in.

How to use a product launch email sequence to build excitement

People like anticipation. Consumer research shows that getting excited about something is as important as actually getting it.

One email blast shoving the product in someone’s inbox won’t create much hype. A product launch email sequence that builds anticipation will get people excited — and get you better results on launch day.

What is a product launch email sequence?

A product launch email sequence is a series of time-based emails automatically sent to people on your email list.

For the best results, you should send a series of three emails:

1. The teaser email.
2. The informational email.
3. The live launch email.

The teaser email

“There’s a difference between a mystery and a question. Questions demand answers, but a mystery demands something more valuable — explanation.” – Robert Cialdini

Humans are hardwired for curiosity.

The first email in your launch sequence should trigger that curiosity. You’ll unpack the details of the release in your future emails, so think of this first email announcement as flirting with your audience.

Your product introductory email will answer these three W’s:

1. What. Something new is coming/happening/changing
2. When. It will happen on this specific date
3. Where. This is where and how to get your product or service

As the David Bowie tattoo on my wrist attests, I’m a huge fan. So I was jazzed to see a version of this product introduction email from Vans in my mailbox.

What this product teaser email does right:

• Clear release dates. What will the shoes look like? No idea! But knowing what date I should put on my calendar has me excited for the launch.
• Provides options. Telling me that brick-and-mortar stores (and which ones) will carry the new line helps remove objections to purchasing
• Evocative design. They don’t need to say who David Bowie is. The dreamy imagery and tagline show they understand his legacy. Sometimes the less you say, the more you express.

When to send this email: A few days to a week in advance of your second announcement email is a good rule of thumb.

The informational email

“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them to do so.” – Bryan Eisenberg

You’re a magician whipping a silk hanky away from the hidden item on the table. The question is, what will be revealed?

Will it be your product in all its shining glory?

Or a bungled trick, revealing that you have nothing to offer?

To wow your audience, answer these questions in your second pre-release email:

• What is your product? Clarity is the most important aspect of your value proposition. Add clear product shots. Concisely list your features. Address possible objections – before they even enter the customers’ minds.
• Why do they need your product? Avoid jargon. Use the language your customers use to explain how your product solves their problem.
• When will your product be available? Even though it was included in your teaser, announce your product launch release again. List the date, time, and time zone. Leave nothing up to chance.
• Are you offering an incentive? Will there be free shipping, a discount, or exclusivity for the Early Birds? Include that information.
• What is your call-to-action? Whether it’s a pre-order for your awesome new product or when tickets drop for your event, your call-to-action microcopy should clearly say what people should expect.

What this product launch email does right:

• An iconic value proposition. Combining Van’s off-the-wall tagline with the promise of a unique collection paying homage to the legendary Starman has us ready to throw our wallet at this email
• Marie Kondo your products. Am I a Hunky Dory person, or am I feeling a bit more Black Star? Which shoes “spark joy” for me? Every product shot is designed to correspond with an era in Bowie’s catalog.
• Intriguing CTA. An invitation to “discover more” of the collection entices you to visit their website…and while there, you might see other product lines you want to buy.

When to send this email: Send the second email in your series one – two weeks out from your official launch.

The live launch email

“The key is, no matter what story you tell, make your buyer the hero.” – Chris Brogan

This last email in your drip sequence is a call-to-action announcing the item is now available for purchase.

People have lousy memories. I’ve forgotten my work lunch on the counter right next to my keys. Even your most engaged customers can become distracted and forget when your item is available. This email is their reminder.

The details in your final launch email will mostly be the same as your earlier emails, with these additions:

• Update your call-to-action. Change your copy and CTA so people know the item is now available
• Push scarcity. We not only feel emotions in the here and now, we also anticipate emotions we’ll feel in the future. If your product might sell out they’ll be more likely to buy due to loss aversion.
• Let others promote. Include social media buttons in the launch email design so your customers can share your product

Was Vans’ Bowie collaboration a successful new product launch campaign?

This is Major Tom to Ground Control: yes. The collection sold out on Vans’s website within a few hours (I ordered two pairs of sneakers myself).

When to send this email: Send this announcement email when your product is live and available for purchase.

ActiveCampaign makes your automated product launch email sequence easy

The window of time you have to launch a new product is fleeting. Obscurity is forever.

It’s easy with ActiveCampaign to automate successful product announcement emails to make the most of that time to put you firmly in the spotlight.

So with apologies to David Bowie’s “Starman,” remember this tune:

There’s a person waiting just to buy

They’d like to come and meet us

So we better blow their minds

There’s a person waiting just to buy

We’ve told ‘em, got to own it

Cause we’ve shown it’s all worthwhile

Set up your own product launch email series with our automation recipe you can get here, or with these email templates.