The season of flowers and allergies has come to end. Now’s the time to clean your backyards, put on some sunscreen, and fire up those hibernating BBQ grills; cause Summer is here! This May, to beat the heat, email marketers bring in cool template designs and even cooler promotional pitches directly to their subscriber’s inboxes. Adapting seasonal themes, and ongoing trends, and adding a pop of color to your newsletters is a surefire way to spruce up your email marketing campaigns. But, what exactly are May newsletter ideas is all about?
Well, to answer the questions, we have created an expansive guide that covers everything you need to know about May newsletter ideas. Starting from the themes to all the major observances, we have covered them all
May Newsletters Trends
While there are countless days of observance and events in May, there are a few trends that are most commonly followed in May.
1) End Of Spring Sale
Since spring is coming to an end, eCommerce retailers and clothing brands may aim to empty their stocks by putting them up for spring clearance sales. These email marketing campaigns are often accompanied by heavy discounts and lucrative offers
Fabkids ran a successful end-of-Spring sale email campaign where they were offering their most of their sandals for under $12. VIP members got an additional 50% off on the sandals. As expected, the color palette represents the spring colors.
2) Start of Summer Sale
Similarly, eCommerce brands will start promoting their products and services by marking them as summer essentials. These email campaigns only carry a few introductory offers. Nevertheless, it is a great opportunity to rake in a few customers.
Charles Tyrwhitt promotes its Summer lineup with its amazing promotional newsletter. The template is dominated by light tan and blue color. It is the perfect representation of how companies attempt to incorporate summer themes into their seasonal email newsletters.
3) Sci-fi Trends
As you will get to know later, Batman Day, International Harry Potter Day, and Star Wars Day are celebrated in the month of May. The iconic characters and the legacy franchises are deeply entrenched in the current pop culture. Consequently, it offers a unique opportunity for brands to capitalize on these trends to promote their customized products.
Themes for May Newsletters
The themes for May newsletters vary wildly. In some countries, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the last month of spring. And, for others, it is the first month of summer. As a result, email marketers get a lot of room to flex their creative muscles.
For spring-themed May newsletters, email marketers should use more green hues in their templates. The imagery of flowers, leaves, butterflies, and sunshine is also greatly appreciated by the readers. In short, your aim as an email marketer is to capture the essence of the spring season’s last stretch.
If you are opting for a more summer-styled newsletter, you have to adopt an entirely different color palette. Soft white, light colors, blue, navy blue, teal blue, grey and turquoise are the dominant colors of the summer season. The light colors represent the slight increase in the brightness of colors around us due to unobstructed sunshine. And, the platter of blue colors represents the clear skies.
The newsletter created by Victorian Plumbing is the perfect example of a transitioning template that is attempting to capture the elements of both spring and summer. For example, the floral elements are the perfect representation of the outgoing spring season. On the other hand, the navy blue colored background with light blue accents welcomes the incoming summer season.
May Newsletter Subject Lines
To make things even easier, we have created a bunch of creative and eye-catching subject lines for you to use.
- “Mayday! Mayday! The prices are going down!”
- “May the 4th be with you”
- “A bit jumpy, are you?”
- “Let’s get this Pizza Party Started”
- “Last Call! Train to Hogwarts is leaving soon!”
The above-mentioned subject lines covered some of the major days of observance. But, if you want to do things differently, you can always opt for seasonal subject lines.
- “Bringing in the heat with your newest product line-up”
- “Chill Yourself with our new flavors”
- “Searching for a BBQ grill in the grilling heat? Look no further”
Of course, you are not limited to these witty email subject lines. You can even use funny one-liners and limericks in your subject line. After all, 12th May is celebrated as National Limerick Day and you wouldn’t want to miss out on an opportunity like this.
May Newsletter Ideas For Every Day-Long Events in May
There are so many days in May So, we curated a list of important holidays and categorized them according to weeks to make everything that much easier for your may newsletter ideas.
May 1st
As one might expect, the first of May is celebrated as May Day, aka International Worker’s Day. And, no one works harder than Batman. So, it is also known as Batman Day. Underwear companies also get a unique chance to showcase their products in their email newsletter thanks to it being known as No Pants Day.
May 2nd
Rejoice Potterheads as this day is celebrated as International Harry Potter Day. Email newsletter promoting limited edition Hogwarts-themed products will be casting charms on the readers today. And, for all the muggles out there, May 2nd is also celebrated as World Laughter Day. If you can get a laugh out of the readers through your newsletter then you can easily win the email arms race.
Get Digital, a German loot box company, promotes their extra exclusive Legendary Harry Potter packs on the occasion of International Harry Potter Day.
May 3rd
World Press Freedom Day promotes the operation of unrestricted reporting privileges for journalists around the world. However, it being National Paranormal Day opens more opportunities to be creative with your email newsletters. Just don’t treat it as an off-brand Halloween.
May 4th
The day of May 4th is celebrated as Star Wars Day by Jedis and Sith lords alike. Again, newsletters with the Star Wars theme will perform the best on this day.
MeUndies capitalized on this opportunity to create custom Star Wars undies. And, since these are limited edition undergarments, they added a cool glow-in-the-dark effect. The newsletter template is further improved by the addition of an animated image that showcases the glowing effect.
May 5th
Get your sombreros ready and bring out the nachos to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. Unique recipes and fancy celebrations are going to rule the day. Accordingly, you should use your email newsletter to capture the essence of the Mexican fiesta.
Cater2.me uses a simple reminder email to remind the customer to complete their order. The picture used looks visually appealing and it is paired with an interesting and funny CTA button.
May 6th
International No Diet Day celebrates all the cheat days. Consequently, your subscribers will be looking forward to newsletters full of gluttonous indulgences.
May 7th
If Star Wars Day and Astronomy Day were not enough, you get another chance to create a space-themed email newsletter on National Space Day.
Even though Wex is a photo and video company, they were able to identify the opportunity to create an enchanting email newsletter to celebrate Astronomy Day. In its special newsletter, Wex promotes and lists all its essential offerings that can help an astronomy enthusiast appreciate the vastness of space.
May 8th
May 8th is one of the big observance days as it is Mother’s Day. Thus, marketers will be pitting their best templates against each other in the subscriber’s inboxes. Try to create a unique email newsletter to stand out from the crowd.
Hawthorne subtly celebrates Mother’s Day without any flashiness. It promotes its flower-sending service to encourage readers to send personalized bouquets to their mothers. Next, they have also advertised their special fragrance as another amazing gift for your mother.
May 9th
Talking about mothers, May 9th celebrates something that all mothers love to say, “Clean your room.” Clean Your Room Day newsletter can contain a few tips and tricks about cleaning and organizing your room.
May 10th
National Shrimp Day surely calls for newsletters full of shrimp recipes. Might as well enjoy some shrimp cocktails while you are enjoying the newsletters.
May 11th
Pullman Strike is observed on this day. As such, there are no particular themes for this day. But, again, email marketers are known to come up with templates for the most obscure of the holidays.
May 12th
As mentioned earlier, National Limerick Day lets email copywriters come up with their wittiest and funniest one-liners. Other than that, there are no particular themes for this day’s newsletters.
May 13th
National Apple Pie Day celebrates another quintessential summer dish. However, there is not much creative space here to come up with engaging email newsletters.
May 14th
The May 14th simply celebrates basic human decency and is termed National Decency Day.
May 15th
The third week starts with the International Day of Families. Sending newsletters to people coming up with family plans for the weekend is the way to go.
May 16th
Drawing Day enables email marketers to create lists for newsletters filled with art pieces from around the world. If you are an artist with a strong personal brand, this is your day to showcase your art to your subscribers.
May 17th
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia newsletters should contain newsletters that are dedicated to the LGBTQ+ cause.
May 18th
May 18th is observed as Visit Your Relative Day. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, you can still use your email newsletter to encourage the readers to connect with their loved ones.
May 19th
Endangered Species Day is observed as a stark reminder of the unchangeable that the human species has done to the environment. It is a great time for NGOs to send email newsletters with links to conservatories and other charities.
Isadore uses a unique approach to spread awareness about endangered species and the lasting impact of humankind on Earth. They have used recycled materials to create their unique clothing line. And, design of this sportswear is inspired by nature.
May 20th
Be A Millionaire Day celebrates the dream cherished by people around the world. You can send an email newsletter to your subscribers teaching them about savings, the usage of a retirement fund, and the benefits of regular investing.
May 21st
It is International Tea Day as well as World Baking Day. So, why not brew some hot chamomile tea while baking a good chocolate cake? Email marketers can either create a newsletter for one of those days or both of them.
Gifts Direct uses a pretty straightforward email newsletter on International Tea Day. They promote their gift hampers that contain everything a tea enthusiast wants. Right from biscuits and cookies to plum cakes that can be enjoyed with a cup of freshly brewed tea.
May 22nd
International Day for Biological Diversity Day celebrates the variety of organisms living in the biosphere. But, if that doesn’t excite you, then tune in for some Evanescence and Paramore to celebrate World Goth Day. Email newsletters can be designed in a lively way to enjoy the diversity or in a gloomy way for all the closeted goths.
May 23rd
World Turtle Day is used to spread awareness about the conservation of turtles and their habitats. Email marketers can draw some inspiration from Endangered Species Day to design effective newsletter templates.
May 24th
National Brother’s Day is for the rowdy, yet loving, brothers in your life. Marketers can create of list of top gifts for our brothers.
May 25th
National Wine Day is for those connoisseurs that enjoy a sip every once in a while. Creating an exhaustive listicle about all the best wines around the world is a great way to keep the readers enthralled.
Vintage Cellars offers extensive discounts on its range of products on National Wine Day. It has created different sections that explain the fragrance and taste notes of different wines. As result, Vintage Cellar’s email newsletters are highly suitable for wine-tasting beginners that are still unsure about experimenting with the more expensive wines.
May 26th
Including a small guide for making a paper plane should be interesting enough for readers on National Paper Airplane Day.
May 27th
There is no enjoying summer without a healthy layer of sunscreen, unless, of course, you want to get a sunburn. National Sunscreen Day is a good reminder for people to regularly the lotion every few hours.
May 28th
National Brisket Day is another day that celebrates the BBQ culture in the nation.
May 29th
It is celebrated as International Day of the United Nations peacekeepers but does not provide enough content to create engaging email newsletters.
May 30th
National Creativity Day is the day you should leave your designers, copywriters, and coders unbounded. Marketers should provide all the necessary tools to create the most innovative templates for your readers.
May 31st
Finally, May ends with Memorial Day and National Smile Day.
Simmons offers a site-wide discount of 10% to celebrate Memorial Day. The color gradient and use of yellow and blue background colors make the email more summer-esque.
May Newsletter Ideas For Week-Long Events
1) Teacher Appreciation Week
The first week of May is often celebrated as Teacher’s Appreciation Week. The Teacher Appreciation Day falls on the 5th of May. But, a single day just is not enough to show our boundless appreciation for our teachers. Therefore, they get an entire week when their hard work is recognized. Email newsletters about being grateful for their contributions are sure to be a hit amongst your subscribers.
2) Children’s Mental Health Week
As the name suggests, Children’s Mental Health Week is all about raising awareness about checking up on our younger audience. Mental health companies and other children’s goods companies can use this opportunity to raise awareness about healthy parenting techniques and how to create a safe space for their children.
3) National Nurses Week
National Nurses Week is one of the oldest weeks of significance. American Nurses Association (ANA) has been continuously supporting these brave frontline workers since 1896. During the week, Wednesday is preserved for National School Nurse Day, and National Student Nurse Day is celebrated on the 8th. The week ends with celebrating Florence Nightingale’s birthday. During this week, companies can run appreciation email campaigns acknowledging the contribution of nurses worldwide.
4) Children’s Book Week
Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in America. Publishers, librarians, writers, and booksellers, come together to promote higher writing standards in children’s books. Book retailers can create lists of iconic children’s books for their newsletters. Adding CTA buttons alongside the book listing also helps boost the CTR rates.
5) National Backyard Games Week
National Backyard Games Week starts on the first Monday preceding Memorial Day. This week encourages people to come out of their shelters and explore fun outdoor games to play during those warm summer BBQ parties. Naturally, a lot of eCommerce retailers can compile a list of top games to play during this week.
May Newsletter Ideas For Month-Long Events
1) Foster Care Month
Foster Care Month is an initiative that is annually undertaken by the Children’s Bureau. During this month, we take time to appreciate the efforts of foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help the young mass in the foster care systems. A simple appreciation email newsletter should be enough to celebrate this month.
2) National Barbeque Month
As mentioned earlier, there is no summer without a good barbecue. So, there is good reason to celebrate the first month of summer as National Barbeque Month. Email newsletter with BBQ themes, recipes, tools, firewood suggestions, tips, and the best BBQ grill listicle should fetch you some high engagement rates.
3) National Hamburger Month
Like there is no smoke without a fire, National BBQ Month feels incomplete without a good grilled hamburger. It is only natural that this month is also celebrated as National Hamburger Month. The burger joints and fast-food chains can run month-long email newsletter campaigns to capitalize on this greasy opportunity.
4) National Inventors Month
May also celebrates human ingenuity in the form of National Inventor Month. The email newsletter can be designed to showcase inventions that have changed the course of human history and revolutionized industries. You can even publish interviews with modern inventions and provide us with a glimpse into their interesting lives.
5) National Mental Health Month
National Mental Health Month has been one of the major movements in recent times. Corporations, NGOs, Government agencies, and medical establishments all come together to raise awareness about mental health in general. Email newsletter during this month should contain a list of healthy workplace practices, mental health resources, and other similar recommendations. The newsletter can also be utilized to promote any upcoming seminars or webinars about mental health.
6) National Wild Fire Month
Most wildfires occur between May and August. So, it is best to dedicate the first month of the summer season to educating people about fire safety protocols and improving their preparedness. Again, a simple email newsletter containing best practices to prevent wildfires and evasive maneuvers to take to escape forest fires should do the trick.
Conclusion
While we have provided you with a cheat book to win this year’s competition with our may newsletter ideas, you are yet to know the secret ingredient. Well, the secret to creating a truly successful email newsletter is relevance. Choose the days that are in some way connected to your brand identity or resonate with your brand values.
For example, celebrating Batman Day while being a luxury brand can backfire and turn away customers. Therefore, winning the newsletter becomes easy when you know how to handpick the relevant events. If you are still confused about choosing suitable events for your brands, you can also go for events with a larger impact radius, like Metal Health Awareness Month.
Lastly, consistently crafting winning newsletters and managing them can be challenging. But, you don’t have to do this alone. You can always rely on experienced email marketing agencies, like InboxArmy, to help you with your email campaign management.
