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Altcraft CDP is an omnichannel marketing platform for automating communications via Email, SMS, Mobile and Web Push, and messengers. Collect and manage customer data in a single system. Launch personalized campaigns and improve conversion rates.

<Video url="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fCitFZUABUA?si=o_N1a2tKU38mbWvr" />

Marketers often face a common challenge: they have plenty of customer data, but it’s scattered across different systems. This makes it difficult to build a complete picture of each customer. As a result, communication becomes impersonal, and customers feel that the brand doesn’t really understand their needs.

In this article, we’ll explain why companies often know so little about their customers and how a **Customer Data Platform (CDP)** can bring all that data together in one place, enabling more personalized communication and significantly improving marketing performance.

## Why This Happens

Companies often have plenty of data — but very little actual insight. In many organizations, customer information is collected but stored in fragments. For example, an e-commerce platform, a loyalty program, a call center, and POS terminals each keep their own records, and none of these systems were originally designed to work together. There’s no unified way to connect data from different sources, making it impossible to build a complete customer profile.

A marketer sees isolated pieces of information: an email subscription here, an offline purchase there, a support request somewhere else — but they don’t come together into a single, coherent picture. Across different databases, the same customer might appear multiple times under slightly different records, or be split into incomplete entries. This fragmented approach makes it impossible to understand who each customer really is, what they buy, and how they interact with the brand.

<Note>
Let’s say your system has two customer profiles: Jen and Jennifer. Jen is marked as a new online shopper, while Jennifer is tagged as an inactive customer. You send Jennifer a “we miss you” discount email and Jen a welcome series — only to discover they’re the same person. Your systems just didn’t match the profiles. This happens when customer data lives in silos: different departments and channels maintain separate databases without a shared ID to connect them. Older systems often merge records only by static details like email or phone number. But people change emails, phone numbers, addresses, and create new accounts. When your data tools can’t keep up with those changes, one real customer ends up split into multiple “digital identities” in your database — and your marketing stops feeling personal.
</Note>

Collecting data is easy — turning that chaos into something clear and meaningful is much harder. Many companies struggle because their current data management methods don’t provide a complete picture of the customer. For example, if profiles are matched incorrectly, you might merge different people into one record — or split one person into several.

These kinds of grouping errors distort your insights: the data may look accurate on the surface, but if it’s organized into the wrong profiles, the final picture is still misleading.

## What Businesses Lose When They Don’t Know Their Customers

A lack of clear, unified customer insights directly impacts revenue.


When a brand doesn’t understand each customer’s value, behavior, and needs, it can’t deliver a truly personalized experience. As a result, communication becomes generic — messages meant for everyone end up resonating with no one.

<Note>
Customers can feel it. According to [**research**](https://segment.com/state-of-personalization-report-2021), 85% of brands believe they deliver a personalized experience — but only 60% of customers agree. In other words, audiences aren’t getting the level of personal attention they expect.
</Note>

Personalization has become absolutely critical. Customers today are spoiled by choice and high-quality service — their expectations are sky-high, and alternatives are everywhere. If someone doesn’t get a relevant, tailored experience, they leave dissatisfied and are unlikely to come back.

That means lost loyalty and shrinking market share. Retaining a customer is always cheaper than acquiring a new one — but how can you retain someone if you don’t understand what they need?

A lack of customer insight triggers a chain of costly problems: KPIs and LTV are calculated incorrectly (because data about one person is scattered), users end up in the wrong segments, and marketing campaigns fail due to inaccurate targeting and content. In short, the marketing budget gets wasted.

 
<Img img="/uploads/personalization_problem_30b67ab9ec.png" alt="personalization-problem.png" />
 

## How to Truly Understand Your Customers

The solution is to take a fresh look at your data. You need to bring all those fragmented pieces together to form a complete picture of each customer. That’s where a **Customer Data Platform (CDP)** comes in — a specialized system that consolidates customer information from all sources and stores it in one unified place.

 
<Img img="/uploads/cdp_profile_053bc69626.png" alt="cdp-profile.png" src="360° customer profile example in Altcraft CDP"/>
 

A CDP creates a centralized repository of data for all your customers and continuously updates it with information from multiple channels — your website, CRM, mobile app, offline locations, social media, and more.

Based on this data, the platform builds a unified profile for each customer — a kind of “customer map” that includes contact details, demographics, purchase history, website behavior, campaign responses, support interactions, and much more.

Below are the key capabilities an omnichannel data platform like this can offer.


### Unified Customer Database and Data Management

A CDP consolidates all customer information into a single database, eliminating duplicates and data gaps. You no longer need to manually merge reports from different sources — the system automatically collects data from online and offline channels and updates customer profiles in real time. This gives your company full transparency — no more wondering “who’s who.”

<Note>
You can book a tour of Altcraft CDP [**here**](https://altcraft.com/request) — we’ll show you how the platform can address the specific challenges of your business. 
</Note>


### Omnichannel Communication and Personalization

All your channels — email, SMS, push notifications, and messengers — work together in sync as a single system. You can see each customer’s preferences and reach them through the channel where they’re most likely to respond, at the right time.

Personalizing messages is easy with [**dynamic content**](https://guides.altcraft.com/en/user-guide/message-templates/dynamic-content/) — for example, adding a customer’s name, discounts, or order status. In essence, your marketing becomes truly one-to-one: you’re no longer speaking to an “average” customer, but to real individuals, with messages tailored to their interests.

### Marketing Automation and Campaign Management

A CDP gives you a complete view of each customer’s behavior and turns that data into personalized engagement scenarios. The platform tracks every action — from a website visit to ignoring an email — helping you understand where the customer is in their journey and what matters to them right now.

Based on these insights, automated campaigns are triggered in the right channel: an abandoned cart email, a reactivation message when engagement drops, or a reminder to renew a subscription.

### Analytics

You can track engagement across every customer segment and run cohort analyses in real time. [**Altcraft Platform**](https://altcraft.com/features/analytics) processes data quickly and generates a full suite of reports — clicks, opens, CTR, conversions — up to 14 reports with 13 grouping options.

Having all your data in one place brings another major advantage: confidence in your metrics. No more discrepancies between reports from different systems. The platform highlights weak spots and growth opportunities — you can immediately see where customers drop off, identify the segments that drive the most profit, and understand which campaigns truly engage your audience and which ones don’t.

## Which CDP Platform to Choose

Altcraft Platform is a Customer Data Platform (CDP) that brings all your customer information together in one place and turns it into complete, dynamic profiles. No more digging through scattered spreadsheets or switching between systems — you instantly see who your customer is, what they’ve shown interest in, how they’ve responded to campaigns, and what actions they’ve taken on your site.

The platform automatically pulls data from online and offline channels, your CRM, and other sources, then maps the entire customer journey — from first touch to purchase (or loss of interest). This helps you understand where you’re successfully keeping customers engaged and where you’re losing them.

With Altcraft, you can manage customer communication across all channels at once — email, SMS, push notifications, messengers, and pop-up windows. The platform identifies when and where each customer is most likely to respond and sends messages at the perfect time using its Best Send Time module. You can build complex automation workflows, test different message variations, and view real-time analytics — who opened, who clicked, and who completed a purchase.

Another advantage is the built-in [**form and survey builder**](https://altcraft.com/features/forms-and-surveys). It’s an easy way not only to capture new leads but also to enrich your customer data with fresh insights — making your segmentation even more accurate.

And if your company has specific security requirements, Altcraft can be deployed on your own servers or in a private cloud. This way, your data stays fully under your control, and customer profiles remain securely protected.

## Conclusion

Knowing your customers is one of the strongest advantages a business can have. A CDP brings together all the data that used to live in different systems and unifies it in one place. This gives marketers accurate, actionable insights to create more effective communications. Personalization isn’t just about attracting new customers — it’s also key to keeping the ones you already have.

If you feel like you don’t fully understand your audience, now’s the time to change that with a CDP. The platform makes your marketing smarter and more data-driven — based on facts, not assumptions. You’ll start building stronger relationships with every customer, impressing them with relevant offers, and fostering long-term loyalty.

cdp-and-customer-data.png

Learn why businesses often lack a clear understanding of their customers and how a CDP unifies all data in one place, dramatically improving marketing performance.

cdp-and-customer-data-blog.png

Why most companies know so little about their customers — and how a CDP brings all your data together to make marketing far more effective.

Why Brands Don’t Know Their Customers — and How a CDP Fixes That

Why Brands Know So Little About Their Customers — and How a CDP Can Change That

<Video url="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L8kRhCZRsHk?si=_0bu9HfC6-zoSLc2" />

Humans are rational creatures—but when it comes to shopping, our thinking often misfires. Studies indicate that between [**40% and 80%**](https://colateral.io/en/blog/impulse-buying-using-in-store-marketing-to-boost-spontaneous-purchases) of all purchases are impulse-driven, unplanned decisions triggered more by emotion or context than careful planning

The habit of buying frequently and spontaneously didn’t arise by chance. It’s driven by cognitive biases—mental shortcuts that even the most logical people fall prey to when exposed to persuasive marketing.

In this article, we’ll explore the types of perceptual cognitive biases and how marketers use them as tools to drive sales.

## What Is a Cognitive Bias?

Cognitive errors, or biases, are glitches in thinking and perception that make people see reality differently from how it actually is. As a result, decisions and conclusions are often based on distorted judgments.

At the same time, the effect of cognitive biases serves as a protective mechanism: it helps conserve the brain’s resources, since it has to process enormous amounts of information every day. It’s impossible to focus on everything at once, so some processes happen automatically. That’s where thinking errors arise, leading to prejudice, faulty conclusions, and spontaneous actions.

Biases can be triggered by various factors such as stress, fatigue, social influence, or emotions. Marketing techniques take these tendencies into account and often amplify cognitive errors through different communication channels to achieve their goals.

## Types of Cognitive Biases 

The list of cognitive biases is quite long, so let’s look at the main and most common ones.

### The Halo Effect

This bias is about trust formed on the basis of an overall impression. For example, if we like a person, we might attribute to them other qualities they don’t actually have. This perception also extends to things and phenomena associated with that person. That’s why brands so often bring celebrities into their marketing communications. Companies also use attractive characters in advertising campaigns.

*For instance, celebrities or influencers inspire trust and sympathy in people. Their recommendations are also trusted, since they’re associated with their personality.*

The same effect applies to a company’s image. If a brand has built a positive reputation, its products will be perceived as high-quality. But reputational scandals can also negatively affect how consumers perceive its products.

 
<Img img="/uploads/beyonce_levis_35bef69785.png" alt="beyonce-levis.png" src="Beyoncé promoting Levi’s. Credits: levi.com"/>
 

### The Anchoring Effect

In this case, decisions are made based on the first piece of information received. All subsequent information is then interpreted in light of that initial signal—the “anchor.” That’s why it’s important to make an impression while the opportunity is there.

*Example. A customer first sees a higher price for a product on a website, and later the same item is shown at a discount. The offer now seems more attractive.*

This is also why salespeople often present the most expensive option first, so that the mid-range and lower-priced alternatives appear more affordable and appealing by comparison.

 
<Img img="/uploads/portlandleathergoods_ade287694e.png" alt="portlandleathergoods.png" src="Credits: portlandleathergoods.com"/>
 

### The Scarcity Effect

A limited quantity of a product is a well-known tactic that nearly every brand uses in its marketing campaigns at some point. What seems to be “running out soon” appears more valuable and motivates people to buy—even if, rationally, we understand it’s just advertising.

 
<Img img="/uploads/glenappin_1077a5165d.png" alt="glenappin.png" src="Credits: glenappin.com"/>
 

### The IKEA Effect

IKEA didn’t invent this tactic, but it makes active use of it. The idea is that people become more attached to a product when they have participated in creating it.

IKEA furniture is famous for requiring self-assembly. This creates the feeling that a person has invested their own effort into making it, which makes the product more valuable to them.

In online marketing, this effect is achieved through personalized recommendations and customer participation in product creation. It can also include customizing promotion conditions, choosing gifts with purchase, and similar interactive options.

 
<Img img="/uploads/nike_47d6b5d4a9.png" alt="nike.png" src="Credits: nike.com"/>
 

### The Barnum Effect

This effect is based on a person’s belief in their own uniqueness and their tendency to apply general information to themselves. That’s how horoscopes work—people recognize their own traits in them.
In marketing, this technique underpins personalized messaging.

*Example. A person is more likely to trust a message that includes their name than a generic bulk message sent to everyone. Even though the personalization is automated, the person still feels a sense of exclusivity.*

The same “magic” is at play in ads that show exactly what you wanted—or what you were just talking about.

 
<Img img="/uploads/xtensio_3e6140d154.png" alt="xtensio.png" src="Credits: xtensio.com"/>
 

### Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

FOMO is the fear of missing something important—whether it’s information, a product, or a special offer. The effect is amplified by time limits and often simply by the appearance of an attractive deal.

*Example. A marketplace sends a push notification about a 70% discount that’s valid for just one day. In reality, this may not be true, but the brain interprets it as urgent and important, prompting you to drop what you’re doing.*

Marketers also use lead magnets framed as exclusive, valuable, or only relevant at a specific moment. Such offers often appear in website pop-ups. The FOMO effect drives people to download brochures, lessons, checklists, and other materials.

 
<Img img="/uploads/asos_7853b026a2.png" alt="asos.png" src="Credits: asos.com"/>
 

### Survivorship Bias
This is the effect where success is attributed solely to a product or service, without considering the context or other factors.

*Example. An ad highlights an entrepreneur who multiplied their income tenfold after completing a course. People assume the course is what led to the success and decide to buy it. In reality, the entrepreneur had already been working toward that result beforehand.*

Many success stories are built on survivorship bias: only those who succeeded are showcased, while those who failed remain invisible.

### Social Proof

This effect is based on the importance we place on the opinions of others. We are more likely to ask friends for advice than to make a choice at random. Marketers actively use this bias in their strategies.

*Example. A product rating, a “bestseller” label, or other markers in advertising show that others have already endorsed the product.*

Interestingly, in reality, the recommended products or services may not be of the highest quality. But social proof nudges people toward choosing them anyway.

 
<Img img="/uploads/adidas_f7f472aa8f.png" alt="adidas.png" />
 

### The Framing Effect

This bias occurs when the perception of a product changes depending on context and wording. The same information can be presented in different ways in advertising, depending on the audience.

*Example. An SPF product can be advertised in a positive frame: “Take care of your skin this summer with 40% off.” Or in a negative frame: “Avoid sunburn with 40% off.”*

Different frames influence people differently, which is why it’s important to run A/B tests on messaging and find the most effective approach.


<Note>
With Altcraft, you can easily run A/B tests and multivariate tests to see what works best for your audience. It’s convenient: you can test several variations at once and immediately see which one delivers the best results. Just set up the test, and the system will automatically distribute the audience to determine the optimal option. [Improve your marketing strategies with Altcraft!](https://altcraft.com/features/mvt)
</Note>

 
<Img img="/uploads/skincarepersonaltouch_0618818a0c.png" alt="skincarepersonaltouch.png" src="Credits: skincarepersonaltouch.com"/>
 

### The Zeigarnik Effect

Also known as the desire to complete an action. If you start doing something but don’t finish it, the brain stays tense. That’s why game mechanics with a clear starting point and a finish line work so well.

*Example. A loyalty program requires you to collect 100 points to move up to a new level and gain gold customer status. Reminders about this opportunity in newsletters will accelerate the purchasing process.*

Emails or push notifications about an abandoned cart work the same way. The brain wants to complete the unfinished action in order to relax.

 
<Img img="/uploads/loyalty_point_40067ef33f.png" alt="loyalty-point.png" />
 

## How Cognitive Biases Increase Advertising Effectiveness

The ability to work with cognitive biases helps marketers to:

- Capture audience attention and counter [**banner blindness**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/banner-blindness-its-causes-and-how-to-deal-with-it).


- Strengthen brand loyalty through the right associations—for example, using public figures and social proof.


- Engage the audience in communication with the brand and build habits.


- Improve the effectiveness of ad campaigns by predicting user actions. Cognitive biases make people’s reactions more predictable.


- Amplify marketing messages, making offers easier for people to process.


- Personalize offers. Understanding psychological aspects enables an individualized approach—or at least the illusion of one.


- Boost revenue. Cognitive errors drive people toward spontaneous purchases, so applying this technique in marketing increases sales.

## Is It Ethical to Use Cognitive Biases in Advertising?

Cognitive errors may seem like a silver bullet for marketing. But there are issues:
- **User backlash.** If people are manipulated too often, sooner or later they notice. As a result, trust in the brand declines and campaign effectiveness drops.

- **Increased awareness.** Users are becoming more attentive and start recognizing techniques based on cognitive biases. That’s why brands need to be more cautious in their campaigns.

- **Ethical concerns.** Using cognitive biases is a form of manipulation. It’s important not to cross the line where this approach begins to harm users.

### How to Apply Cognitive Biases Ethically

Adapt your advertising campaigns to the needs of your audience—make communication [**personalized**](https://altcraft.com/blog/cdp-and-marketing-personalization) and unobtrusive. That way, users won’t accuse the brand of manipulation, they’ll be satisfied with their purchase, and they’ll keep coming back to the brand again and again.

For this strategy, the [**Altcraft CDP**](https://altcraft.com/ru) tools are well suited, allowing you to:

- Collect customer data from different sources and store profiles with the most complete information.


- Send personalized campaigns via email, SMS, push notifications, and messengers based on user behavior and purchase data.


- Adjust the timing of campaigns to match customer activity.

## Summary 

Cognitive biases are “errors” in thinking that lead us to make false conclusions and irrational decisions. Marketers use these errors in their campaigns to influence customer behavior. Examples include the anchoring effect, the halo effect, scarcity, framing, FOMO, and the IKEA effect. Survivorship bias and social proof are also frequently applied.

Techniques based on cognitive biases increase engagement, loyalty, the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, and revenue. At the same time, they can have the opposite effect if manipulations provoke negative reactions. That’s why such methods should be applied ethically: by studying the audience and making communication as personalized as possible.

cognitive-biases-blog.png

In this article, we break down the main perceptual cognitive biases and show how they’re used in marketing and promotion.

cognitive-biases-blog-2.png

What perceptual cognitive biases are and how they’re used in marketing.

Perceptual Cognitive Biases and Their Application in Marketing.

Cognitive Biases as Sales Triggers

<Video url="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xyGmHOol6tI?si=wYn3-oq2whYYsGf3" />

Every October, inboxes drown in cookie-cutter “spooky” emails—orange pumpkins, bats, and endless “scarily good discounts.” For subscribers, it all blends into orange noise.

In this article, we’ll break down why it’s worth skipping stock pumpkins and horror clichés, and how to prepare a festive marketing campaign that truly delights your subscribers.

## Why No Pumpkins

**Everyone is doing the same thing.** Halloween has long been a popular news hook, and marketers eagerly use it. This means your holiday newsletter will inevitably compete for subscribers’ attention with dozens of other emails featuring pumpkins and ghosts. How does your audience feel? Another email with a forced Halloween theme slapped onto products is boring to read.

 
<Img img="/uploads/halloween_marketing_d3d5464d76.png" alt="halloween-marketing.png" src="Classic example of Halloween marketing"/>
 

Subject lines stuffed with pumpkin emojis get lost in the flood of identical emails, and a black “spooky” background no longer looks original when placed next to countless other black layouts. [**Banner blindness**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/banner-blindness-its-causes-and-how-to-deal-with-it) hasn’t gone anywhere either: users quickly learn to ignore anything that looks like an ad. According to some reports, up to [**86%**](http://www.adotas.com/2013/03/study-86-of-consumers-suffer-from-banner-blindness/) of internet users don’t notice website banners at all.

 
<Img img="/uploads/pumpkin_halloween_684be547c7.png" alt="pumpkin-halloween.png" src="Here, the pumpkin is cleverly tied into the brand’s theme. Source: reallygoodemails.com
"/>
 

**The risk of a brand mismatch.** In the rush to jump on a trending occasion, it’s easy to lose sight of values and common sense. Halloween, with its horror-inspired aesthetic, doesn’t suit every company. If the holiday has no real connection to your product, trying to “force it in” can come across as out of place. For example, if a store simply offers its usual products but labels the selection and prices as “terrifyingly good” just for the hype, it looks cheap.

 
<Img img="/uploads/halloween_design_de70be2cf4.png" alt="halloween-design.png" src="Here, the entire Halloween design is reduced to just a black background"/>
 

**Inclusivity and ethics.** Not all customers celebrate Halloween, and not everyone enjoys the horror aesthetic. For some, it’s an unfamiliar cultural tradition; others may be frightened or put off by overly graphic scares. Moderation is key: your newsletter content should remain inclusive and avoid shocking anyone. Steer clear of overly frightening or gory visuals, as well as dark or ambiguous jokes—anything that might offend part of your audience.

 
<Img img="/uploads/graveyard_puns_a2d98fcd15.png" alt="graveyard-puns.png" src="Graveyard puns from an ingredient delivery brand. Source: reallygoodemails.com"/>
 

## How to Create an Original Halloween Campaign: Tips

Below are some practical tips on how to prepare your marketing communications for All Hallows’ Eve so that your newsletter stands out from competitors and brings real value to your business.

### Start with your audience

Before sending anything out, tidy up your customer database. Remove “dead souls,” refresh your lists, and think about who would actually be interested in a Halloween campaign. Break subscribers into segments (loyal customers, newcomers, long-inactive users, etc.) and set up personalized messages for each group. We’ve shared more on how to segment your audience [**here**](https://guides.altcraft.com/en/user-guide/segmentation/).

A personalized approach significantly boosts response rates. For example, you can send loyal customers an SMS with a special privilege, while gently re-engaging “sleeping” clients via messenger with a reminder about upcoming promotions. Also keep in mind that the holiday may not resonate with certain segments—don’t force everyone to take part. For some (e.g., older users), a neutral autumn offer may work better than a Halloween promo, or you might want to exclude them from the campaign altogether.

<Baner
 title='Make your newsletters smart and personal with Altcraft'
 desc='Set up campaigns that speak your customer’s language.'
 theme='light'
 btn_title='Learn more'
 background_color='linear-gradient(92.74deg, #3583FF -36.98%, #4A2DFF 50.34%, #790FFF 123.51%)'
 href='https://altcraft.com/features/personalization' />


### Focus on Value

To cut through the noise of competitors, you need to offer people real benefit or genuine interest—not just another stream of spam. Think about what value your subscriber will get from your message. Maybe you’ve prepared an exclusive discount for subscribers, early access to a new collection, a gift with purchase, or truly useful seasonal content (a guide, recipe, checklist)? Perfect—make that the centerpiece. Formulate your [**USP**](https://altcraft.com/glossary/unique-selling-proposition-usp) clearly and without clichés.

It’s better to send one truly compelling email than five empty “reminders.” For example, you could write: “Just for you—a Halloween gift inside!” That’s the kind of message a reader will be eager to open. The key, of course, is to keep your promise inside and deliver something worthwhile: a promo code, a limited-time deal, unique content, and so on.

 
<Img img="/uploads/postcards_halloween_bcea93434c.png" alt="postcards-halloween.png" />
 

### Be Original: Idea, Story, Format

Don’t let your Halloween email be just another greeting—make it a mini event by adding a touch of play, storytelling, or surprise. Storytelling works especially well: share a short themed story connected to your product. For example, instead of a dry list of discounts, spin a spooky tale about your products “coming to life” on Halloween night and rushing to meet their new owners—with a nice discount, of course. Or try something playful like a Halloween horoscope, a quiz, or a subscriber challenge. Holiday emails are the perfect place for creativity, so experiment with unusual formats: poems, mini-stories, puzzles, infographics—anything that breaks the mold.

You can also add gamification: a little game right inside the email (find the hidden prize, take a quiz). Modern email technologies (like AMP emails) make this possible. Even something simple, like a promo code giveaway or a costume contest announced via email, can instantly make your campaign feel more alive. The possibilities are endless—the key is to make it fresh and spark that “oh, fun!” reaction from your subscribers.

<Note>
Creating interactive AMP emails is easy with Pixcraft. You can try it [here](https://pixcraft.io/).
</Note>

Creativity doesn’t always require big budgets—you can work wonders with imagination alone, no special effects needed. Sometimes a touch of light self-irony fits perfectly. For example, you might write something like: “Yes, yes, we know—you’ve already been wished a frightfully fun Halloween a hundred times, but we really do have something special for you…” That kind of friendly tone and humor shows your brand is “in on it” without taking itself too seriously on the day.

Of course, the key is balance—don’t slip into clownishness if your brand usually communicates in a strictly formal style.

If you don’t have time for AMP emails, you can simply give subscribers a choice of gift or discount, as in the example below.

 
<Img img="/uploads/dunkin_donuts_email_6e6d984bee.png" alt="dunkin-donuts-email.png" src="Source: reallygoodemails.com"/>
 

### Email Design: Stand Out While Staying True to Your Brand

Holiday newsletter design requires a special approach. On the one hand, the email should immediately set the right mood, please the eye, and capture attention. On the other hand, it’s important not to lose your brand’s style and recognizability.

The mistake some companies make is that, in the chase for flashy design, they completely copy typical holiday attributes while forgetting their own brand guidelines. As a result, emails from different companies all look the same. To avoid this, use festive design elements—but integrate them into your brand concept.

*Here, even though the standard Halloween elements are present, the brand is still recognizable:*

 
<Img img="/uploads/nextdoor_email_9f3725eddd.png" alt="nextdoor-email.png" />
 

Stick to your brand’s overall visual language: if your emails are usually minimalist, keep the Halloween one in the same style (add a touch of “magic,” but don’t turn it into a garish horror comic if that clashes with your aesthetic).

That said, you still need to stand out visually: look at how your competitors design their emails—and do it differently. This could mean using an unconventional color scheme: not just orange + black, but, for example, purple with silver, or your brand colors with small Halloween accents. Or it could be an unusual central illustration that draws the eye.

When designing, follow a mobile-first approach: many subscribers will open the email on a smartphone, so every detail should be clearly visible on a small screen, text should be easy to read, and buttons easy to tap. And don’t overload the email with graphics at the expense of meaning: visuals should support your offer, not cover up the lack of one.

### Cover Multiple Channels and Keep Them in Sync

Beyond email, make use of SMS campaigns, push notifications (if you have a mobile app or web push), and messengers. Of course, you don’t have to use everything at once—choose the marketing channels where your audience is most active. But an omnichannel approach significantly increases reach.

For example, you could send an email with campaign details, and for those who don’t open it, follow up with a short SMS or messenger reminder closer to the date. Or the other way around: first spark interest with a messenger message (“We’re preparing a Halloween surprise for you—check your inbox tomorrow!”), then send the full details via email. The key is for all communications to complement one another, stay consistent in style, and avoid contradicting each other.

Managing multiple channels can be challenging, but technology takes some of the load off. Altcraft Platform, a Russian omnichannel system, unites Email, SMS, push notifications, and messengers in one place. With such a platform, marketing management (planning, segmentation, trigger launches) becomes much more convenient. You can set up message chains across channels, track responses, and maintain a unified customer profile. You can see the platform in action [**here**](https://altcraft.com/en/request).

## Halloween Copywriting Without Clichés
### Write Without Bureaucratese

A Halloween newsletter isn’t the place to scare people with stiff, formal language. Write as if you’re talking to a real person: light, friendly, and with a touch of humor.
Even if your brand’s marketing strategy usually calls for a strict tone of voice, try to add a little warmth and festivity.

A good holiday email is recognizable by its style: the reader should immediately think, “Oh, this is definitely from that company—I can feel their voice right away.”

### Avoid Overused Phrases and Empty Greetings

Clichés are the biggest enemy of creativity. We’ve already mentioned “frightfully good deals” and other punny phrases that get recycled from one email to another. Try to cut them out of your text—or at least keep them to a minimum. A single lighthearted Halloween pun in the subject line or opening paragraph is forgivable, even charming. But when the whole email is stuffed with “spooky,” “nightmarish,” “devilish,” and the like, it quickly becomes exhausting to read.

The same goes for clichés like “Happy scariest holiday!” or “Wishing you a frightfully fun Halloween…” These lines add no value. If you remove them and nothing changes in the message, they’re unnecessary.

Subscribers won’t be upset if you skip the bland “Happy holiday!”—but they will be disappointed if they waste time on a boring, uninformative email. It’s better to get straight to the point: hook them with an interesting story or a compelling offer.

### Respect Cultural Differences and Language Nuances

If your audience is international or multicultural, make sure your content doesn’t include anything that could be misunderstood. When translating emails into other languages, rely on professionals so that clever wordplay doesn’t turn into awkward phrasing. Remember too that Halloween isn’t embraced everywhere—some regions celebrate it enthusiastically, while others might not connect with it at all.

Above all, keep the tone positive. Halloween may be about scares, but your goal isn’t to actually frighten your customers—it’s to entertain and delight them. Even if you use spooky imagery, balance it with humor or a lighthearted “happy ending.” When readers finish your email, they should walk away with a smile—or at least the feeling that they were invited to join a fun seonal moment, not just hit with another sales pitch.

## Checklist for a Great Halloween Campaign

- **Originality.**Your campaign needs a hook—a unique theme, story, or format. A contest, game, or exclusive content will help you stand out from competitors.
- **Brand Alignment.** The campaign should fit naturally with your product and values. Even without a logo, the email should sound like you. Avoid risky jokes or styles that don’t match your brand.
- **Value for the Subscriber.** Offer something real: a discount, a gift, free shipping, or at least a genuine emotion. The email should feel like care, not just a box checked.
- **Copy.** Keep it short, friendly, and free of clichés or fake grandiosity. Sprinkle in brand-specific language, highlight key ideas, and finish with a clear call to action.
- **Design.** Bright and festive, but still on-brand. Use high-quality images or animations, make sure the layout is responsive, and keep load times fast.
- **Omnichannel Approach.** Think across channels (email, SMS, push, messengers), don’t duplicate unnecessarily, and pick the right time to send.
- **Testing.** Double-check links, layout, and run it through a test group for reactions.

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Learn how to skip the usual pumpkins and horror clichés in your Halloween emails and create a marketing campaign that truly impresses your subscribers.

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Why it’s worth ditching the typical pumpkins and horror tropes — and how to craft a festive marketing campaign your subscribers will actually enjoy.

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Beyond Pumpkins: Fresh Halloween Newsletter Ideas That Truly Engage

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