Posted on Friday, April 3, 2009
by Josh
I hear this phrase often, but I don't agree one bit. It usually comes from marketers trying to cram too much into one piece or place (think Vegas or think dasherboards at a hockey game).
Here's an example of one marketer that is getting it right. Ecco does a great job designing its emails: light, airy and easy on the eyes. With a good use of white space, it allows the colors to highlight or spot treat what's important and draw the eye in. At the end of the day, it's about the styling of the shoe, not crazy textures and background colors and funky borders. This post is somewhat opinion, but I vote for more white space in the inbox and in society. Less clutter. Easier on the eyes. More enjoyable to look at it. Clarity in message through simple words, clean images and white space.
Ecco also gets email in that they balance images with HTML text. If you are sending all image or mostly image-based emails at this point, then you're effectively hiding under a interactive rock. The only feedback I'd give the Ecco email developers is to use descriptive alt-tags so that when images are disabled, you could have a main message show up (and even prompt them to download images for the full effect).
What can you do to simplify your brand for the inbox so the message is easier and more enjoyable to look at?
