068: Was This Ad BYLT Different? Let’s Talk Performance.

Hello, you powerful Creatives!

Welcome to Volume 6️⃣8️⃣ of Creative Cuts 🔪 - your weekly dose of creative strategy from your friends at CreativeOS.

Today, we’re going to go over an email with you and give some great takeaways so you:

• Understand the quality of the assets

• Strength of copy

• Psychology used to convert customers

• And how you can leverage these tactics easily

Now that you know what you’re in for, onto the show 👊

Best,

Chase

BYLT’s Email 💪

What’s working ❤️‍🔥:

1. Strong Visual Hierarchy & Layout
The email uses a clean, modular layout that naturally guides the reader’s eye from headline to CTA. The use of white space, large product imagery, and typography (especially on “UNMATCHED VERSATILITY”) creates visual momentum that keeps users scrolling.

2. High-Quality Product Photography
Dynamic lifestyle imagery and crisp product shots deliver on visual appeal. The photos show off key details—fit, colorways, and material quality—while reinforcing the brand’s premium athletic-lifestyle positioning. It’s aspirational without being inaccessible.

3. Clear, Benefit-Led Subsections
Features like “Reflective Accents,” “Water Repellent,” and “Motion Ventilation” are clearly labeled with accompanying visuals. This supports faster scanning and speaks directly to high-intent shoppers who care about technical functionality.

4. Emphasis on Cross-Sell
The addition of the Swift Shorts under “Complete the Look” is a solid merchandising move. It introduces complementary products in a way that feels organic, not forced, increasing AOV potential without distracting from the hero SKU (the jacket).

5. Consistent Branding Across Email
The BYLT tone and design language is cohesive throughout—from the muted outdoor color palette to the minimalist font treatment. This ensures brand recall and reinforces premium positioning in the inbox.

What could be better 🔨

1. Weak Subject Line-to-Body Alignment
Without seeing the subject line, we can already guess this email is likely not maximizing opens. A strong campaign like this deserves a subject line that clearly conveys value (e.g., “Your New Favorite Jacket Just Dropped – The Swift Is Here”) or leverages urgency (“The Jacket Built for Movement – In Stock Now”).

2. Limited Emotional or Use-Case Copy
The copy is clean, but not emotionally resonant. Statements like “Versatile Performance, Modern Aesthetic” are generic and could benefit from customer-centric storytelling. What makes this jacket feel different in real-world use? A short blurb or quote could elevate the brand story.

3. No Personalization or Dynamic Content
For a performance apparel brand, there’s opportunity here to tailor messaging by behavior (e.g., “Still thinking about the Swift Jacket?”) or location (weather-based triggers). The current format treats all users the same—limiting its effectiveness in segmented lifecycle marketing.

4. CTAs Lack Variation
“Shop Now” is repeated throughout the email without contextual differentiation. Testing alternate CTA phrasing like “See It in Action,” “Explore the Swift Jacket,” or “Build Your Kit” could improve click-through by aligning with user intent at different scroll depths.

5. No Social Proof or Urgency Cues
There's no mention of reviews, ratings, or “selling fast” indicators. These micro-conversion triggers are especially useful in DTC fashion to reduce hesitation and reinforce momentum. Even a simple “Best Seller” tag or “100+ 5-Star Reviews” badge would strengthen trust.

What To Do 📈

1. Test Subject Lines with Urgency + Functionality Focus:
Use language that teases utility (“The Water-Repellent Jacket Made for Motion”) or drops urgency (“Limited Stock: The Swift Jacket Just Landed”).

2. Inject Human-Centric Copy & Scenarios:
Add a line like: “Built for early runs, late nights, and every commute in between”—to turn a product into a lifestyle companion.

3. Use Social Proof & Real Use Cases:
Feature a short customer quote or show the product in action via a subtle UGC block to build trust.

4. Vary CTA Language for Funnel Positioning:
Tailor CTAs to different content blocks: “Explore the Tech,” “Complete Your Look,” “See All Colors.”

5. Add Dynamic Logic for Personalization:
Retarget abandoned viewers or show weather-relevant messaging (“Stay dry. Stay sharp. This jacket’s made for spring storms.”).

That’s all! If you’re looking to find inspiration or get the best ad templates out there, come hang out with us at CreativeOS and tell your friends!