9 Valentine’s Day email examples, ideas and tips

With up to 52% of consumers celebrating Valentine’s Day, this season is a chance to make your audience feel seen and appreciated through emails that entertain, inspire, and guide them toward the perfect gift.

Timing plays a big role too. Our guide on the best time to send holiday emails breaks down when audiences are most likely to engage, helping you get more from every Valentine’s Day send.

And with that, we’ve rounded up nine standout Valentine’s Day email examples to inspire your own. These examples show how top brands combine creativity, emotion, and strategy to engage audiences and drive results.

1. Guide purchase decisions with your top-sellers

Customers can often feel overwhelmed by choice during seasonal shopping. But highlighting your best-selling products helps remove that friction, guiding subscribers toward confident decisions.

Example:

You can take inspiration from MAC Cosmetics, who created a Valentine’s campaign featuring a curated selection of top-selling lipsticks.

With a captivating email design and on-theme copy, the email campaign directly addressed the desires of its audience, inspiring them to choose lipstick shades that made their Valentine’s Day feel extra special.

Besides, who can resist the appeal of a 30% off special offer on their favorite products?

Why it worked:

• Best-sellers remove uncertainty, making purchasing decisions simpler
• Eye-catching visuals paired with themed copy increased engagement
• A limited-time discount motivated quick action

Takeaways:

• Use your top-performing products to guide customers
• Combine visuals and copy to tell a cohesive seasonal story
• Add offers strategically to drive conversions without overselling

2. Inspire subscribers with Valentine’s newsletters

Your regular newsletter series doesn’t have to take a back seat during seasonal marketing. A Valentine’s themed newsletter that highlights helpful ideas, relevant content, or ways to celebrate can add value and strengthen your connection with subscribers without pushing a hard sell.

Example:

In its “Five Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day” newsletter, Tattly offered subscribers a seasonal guide rather than a straight promo. 

The email shared ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day including suggestions for ways to enjoy the occasion with friends, family, or partners, presented in a clean layout that’s easy to scan. 

This approach positions the brand as a helpful resource and subtly ties back to its products without feeling overly commercial.

Why it worked:

• Focusing on ideas and inspiration gave readers something useful, not just another sale
• The Valentine’s connection was clear, but the tone was informative rather than directly salesy
• A straightforward format made the newsletter feel accessible and easy to digest

Takeaways:

• Use newsletters to provide value, not just sell
• Put together seasonal tips, guides, or ideas relevant to your audience
• Tie newsletter content back to your products or services subtly, so it feels natural rather than promotional

3. Capture attention with your subject lines

A great subject line can make the difference between your email being opened or skipped. For Valentine’s Day, the best subject lines combine urgency, relevance, and emotional appeal, whether that’s playful, romantic, or practical.

Example:

Below, we’ve collected real-world examples from top brands. These examples show different approaches, from last-minute reminders to early inspiration and playful puns, giving you ideas you can adapt for your own campaigns.

Why it worked:

• Creative, emotionally meaningful subject lines increases open rates
• Testing multiple approaches identified what resonated with the audience
• Humor and urgency made the email feel timely and engaging

Takeaways:

• Experiment with playful, curiosity-driven, or urgency-focused subject linee
• Use A/B testing to see what works for your audience
• Align subject lines with the email content to maintain trust and reduce unsubscribes

General examples of Valentine’s subject lines

4. Make gifting simple with a Valentine’s gift guide

Gift guides have become a popular and effective way for brands to showcase their products and help customers make purchasing decisions during special occasions.

Example:

BarkShop created an excellent Valentine’s Day email campaign that offered a collection of Valentine’s gifts for dogs. 

Their pawsome gift guide combined eye-catching visuals, playful copy, and persuasive calls to action to both amuse and entice its subscribers. 

By highlighting an assortment of Valentine’s Day-themed toys and treats, BarkShop made it easy for dog owners to choose the perfect gift for their furry friends.

Why it worked:

• Curated recommendations simplify decision-making
• Fun visuals and copy increased engagement and brand affinity
• Targeted messaging aligned with audience interests

Takeaways:

• Tailor guides to your audience’s preferences and needs
• Make the guide visually appealing and easy to scan
• Highlight products that solve a clear problem or desire

5. Boost engagement with interactive content

Email marketing has evolved into a more interactive conversation with customers, where you can create engaging content to make your emails more interesting. Things like quizzes, polls, or clickable elements keep readers interested while reinforcing that brand connection.

Example:

If you’re looking to strengthen the bond between your brand and customers during Valentine’s Day season, then Moosejaw is one to look at. 

The brand’s eye-catching email campaign featured a quiz that revealed customers’ love language. The visuals were custom-made and told a heartwarming story that made it difficult for customers to resist taking the quiz. The quiz also created shareable content that extended the campaign’s reach.

Why it worked:

• Interactivity increased time spent engaging with the email
• Storytelling and visuals created emotional resonance
• Fun, shareable experiences extended campaign reach

Takeaways:

• Experiment with quizzes or gamified content to boost engagement
• Pair interactivity with storytelling for stronger impact
• Make sure interactive elements work seamlessly on mobile

6. Strengthen relationships beyond promotions

Not every Valentine’s Day email needs to sell. While promotional emails have their place in your Valentine’s Day marketing efforts, the focus should be on appreciation and connection, which is what strengthens loyalty and builds long-term engagement.

Example:

Charity: Water does this very well with personalized Valentine’s Day e-cards for donors, supporters, and fundraisers. 

By expressing heartfelt gratitude for its community’s efforts and making each card unique, it inspires people to continue supporting the brand’s cause and strengthen its connections with existing supporters.

These messages can also show your audience that you care more about other matters than just selling products or services.

Why it worked:

• Emotional messaging built deeper relationships
• Personalization made subscribers feel recognized
• Non-promotional content showcased brand values and credibility

Takeaways:

• Use holidays to show appreciation, not just sell
• Personalize messages to strengthen bonds with subscribers
• Share stories or tips that resonate with your audience’s interests

7. Connect through good storytelling

Valentine’s Day is a good time to create an email campaign that shares real-life love stories or memorable moments related to your brand and customers. One of the ways you can do this is by using really good storytelling to share emotionally compelling content that connects with your audience’s heart.

Example:

Warby Parker created an impactful email campaign that skillfully merged visual storytelling with a touch of romance and humor. 

Its visual narratives engaged customers, drawing their attention to the brand’s products while also evoking lighthearted enjoyment. Customers were also invited to share their own stories, which not only raises brand awareness but also strengthens social media engagement in a heartfelt way.

Why it worked:

• Storytelling built emotional connections with subscribers
• Humor and visuals made the email enjoyable and shareable
• Subtle product placement maintained authenticity

Takeaways:

• Share stories that resonate emotionally with your audience
• Combine visuals and copy to create an engaging narrative
• Encourage user-generated content to increase reach and engagement

8. Stand out with creative copywriting

Clever copy makes your emails memorable in crowded inboxes. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to use innovative and witty email copy to entertain subscribers, make your brand memorable, and show that you think outside the box.

Example:

Beardbrand seized the opportunity to get creative with its Valentine’s Day email copy and subject lines. 

They used playful language and humor that captured attention, poking fun at traditional marketing techniques while still promoting products. 

By being imaginative with their email copy, they’re able to leave a lasting impression and make their brand stand out during the Valentine’s Day season.

Why it worked:

• Creative copy captured attention in a busy inbox
• Humor aligned with brand personality and delighted subscribers
• Engaging messaging encouraged interaction without being pushy

Takeaways:

• Experiment with witty, imaginative copy to stand out
• Keep tone consistent with your brand voice
• Use creativity to reinforce brand personality while still driving action

9. Reach last-minute shoppers via SMS and WhatsApp

When Valentine’s Day gets close, inboxes fill up and attention drops. That’s why mobile‑first channels like SMS and WhatsApp are great for time‑sensitive reminders, urgent offers, and quick nudges that convert procrastinators into buyers. Because text messages are read quickly and directly, they’re ideal for last‑minute deals and delivery cutoffs.

Example:

Imagine a Valentine’s text campaign that goes out on February 13 and 14 reminding subscribers that they can still get gifts delivered in time or pick up in‑store. The message could include a one‑click link to a last‑minute gift guide or fast‑delivery productsmaking it easy for customers to act immediately rather than search your full site. 

In regions that support Whatsapp, it’s a great channel for personal follow-ups, in-chat order links, or more engaging reminders.

Why it worked:

• Immediate, attention-grabbing channel reached subscribers directly
• Short, clear copy and CTAs reduced friction for last-minute purchases
• Personalization increased relevance and boosted engagement

Takeaways:

• Use SMS and messaging apps to reach urgent buyers
• Keep messages concise, actionable, and time-sensitive
• Consider segmentation for loyal or high-value subscribers for better results

Capture hearts this Valentine’s Day

Whether your audience consists of hopeless romantics or practical shoppers, these nine Valentine’s Day email examples will help you craft messages that resonate with emotion and drive sales. 

Remember, a successful email campaign during this season of love is a balance of presenting your offerings and showing genuine appreciation for your customers. By adapting these examples to your brand’s tone of voice and values, you’re on your way to deepening customer connections and making the most of this Valentine’s Day.