Best Practices For Juneteenth Email Marketing

What is Juneteenth and why is it important?

Juneteenth commemorates the day when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, and announced that the war was over and all slaves were free. This holiday is also known as African-American Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

In a symbolic nod to the growing movement for racial justice, in 2021 president Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Today, Juneteenth is celebrated in the United States as a day of emancipation and freedom. Companies and organizations across the country hold events and special promotions to mark the occasion.

Last year, many companies were going above and beyond to show their support for Juneteenth. And major corporations like Apple and Facebook were giving their employees the day off to observe the holiday. Several large companies, including Amazon and General Motors, sponsored Juneteenth events to promote unity. These events featured musical performances, speeches, and other live shows.

Businesses have a unique opportunity to show their employees and customers that they’re committed to equality and racial justice by making Juneteenth a company holiday. It is an occasion that offers many opportunities for effective email marketing campaigns.

Juneteenth email marketing best practices

As Juneteenth is a significant day for the African American community and the rest of the American population, it is important to be respectful when celebrating and participating in the holiday. There are some email marketing best practices to show that you are one with the Black community.

Take a day off from promotional ads

During Juneteenth, the best marketing strategy is to refrain from marketing altogether. This allows Black Americans to celebrate without feeling like they are being exploited or taken advantage of. By taking a day off from ads, companies can show their respect for this important cultural holiday and demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Educate your audience

Remember the power of storytelling in email marketing. Stories have the ability to connect us on a personal level and remind us of our shared humanity.

That’s why it’s a good idea to bring awareness to the holiday by sharing its significance with your audience. Start a conversation about why it’s important to celebrate Black culture. This will help create a more understanding society. Here’s a solid example.

One popular tactic for Juneteenth emails is giving a timeline of events connected to the holiday. It’s a great decision that allows you to give all the information in a concise and digestible way. Take a look at this Juneteenth email from Doughp.

Plant People suggested a different format of Juneteenth educational emails. Instead of writing a wordy copy about the holiday, they shared sources about racial inequality and Juneteenth as an important milestone. This format might come off as a bit lazy. But it follows the “Nothing about us without us” principle, which is a fairer move towards the Black community.

Collaborate with organizations that impact the lives of Black Americans

There are many organizations that focus on the empowerment of Black Americans. Find one or two that you can partner with to help promote their message through your email marketing.

For example, Tapestry INC (the parent company of Coach) has demonstrated active allyship by taking the Active Allyship Pledge and working with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to promote talent and development within the Black community. Through these types of efforts, businesses can build genuine and meaningful relationships with members of the Black community, helping to build trust.

Another great example is this email from Marcella. They ran a non-profit email campaign and listed three charity funds that make an impact on Black women’s lives. It’s a good move because if you just say you donate a percentage of your proceeds, it forces people to buy something from you. Donating is great — but donating and informing people about good non-profit organizations is even better.

Promote Black voices

You could also use this day to show support for Black voices, businesses, and community-led organizations. This would be a great way to show your solidarity with the Black community and help promote equality. 

If you want to focus your email content strategy on promoting Black voices, consider sharing emails from Black historians or influencers, articles written by Black authors, and information about Black-owned businesses.

Here’s a great example from ShopAkira. For their Juneteenth email campaign, this clothing brand interviewed the founders of Black Village Foundation, which is an organization that helps small Black-owned businesses.

Another great example is this email from Bar & Cocoa. In their Juneteenth email campaign, the luxury chocolate company highlighted Black-owned gourmet food businesses. It’s an awesome move because such campaigns both make an impact and improve your brand reputation — you present yourself as socially responsible.

Use Pan-African flag colors thoughtfully in email designs

Use the red, green, and black colors in your Juneteenth graphics to represent the Pan-African flag — a powerful symbol of freedom and unity for all people of African descent.

This Juneteenth, take some time to integrate these colors into your email campaigns as a way to show solidarity with the African Diaspora. Even if you normally stick to your brand colors, this is a great opportunity to experiment with some new hues.

There are many Juneteenth email templates online — take a look at some of them to get inspired. For example, we like this template for non-profit campaigns and event promotion we found on Stripo. It uses the appropriate color scheme, it’s bold and brutalist, and its overall aesthetic reminds us of vintage political posters.

Juneteenth emails content ideas

Juneteenth should be seen as an opportunity to connect with your audience and raise awareness about issues related to racial equality. Communications during the Juneteenth month should include regular or recurring topics related to the holiday. Some possible topics for the Juneteenth email might include:

1. Share some facts and history about Juneteenth with your readers.
2. Invite your subscribers to celebrate Juneteenth with you by attending special events or participating in activities.
3. Encourage your subscribers to learn more about Juneteenth and its importance by sharing resources like books or websites.
4. Send Juneteenth recipes and hosting ideas to help others make the most of their celebrations.
5. Share photos of your team enjoying this important holiday.
6. Talk about the ways your company supports and promotes Black-owned businesses, including through mentorship programs, networking events, and more.

Juneteenth email subject line ideas

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, make sure your subject lines and content are culturally sensitive and respectful, keep subject lines respectful, clear, and aligned with the purpose of your campaign. 

• Celebrating freedom
• Celebrating Juneteenth tomorrow
• Remembering our roots
• Emancipation day
• A day to reflect on our history
• Juneteenth: A time for healing and unity
• Honoring those who fought for our freedom
• Join us in honoring Juneteenth

Best Juneteenth email examples

These Juneteenth email examples show different ways brands can approach the holiday through education, storytelling, community support, and representation.

To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of some of the best Juneteenth email examples from around the web. The brands mentioned below are sending powerful messages that celebrate Black culture and honor the history of this important day.

Aftershokz sent an email to celebrate Juneteenth and to amplify the voices of Black people in their community. They included a link for following individual contributors who shared what Juneteenth means to them. By helping grow their following, Aftershokz helps keep these voices heard long after the email is sent. They kept the focus on the holiday and the people, rather than on their products.

In honor of Juneteenth, Primary has created an email campaign that educates readers about the holiday and its significance. They have also amplified the voices of the Black community by sharing links to blog posts with stories and perspectives from Black writers and thinkers.

The Little Market is a company that supports vulnerable communities by raising awareness about social justice and inequality. They strive to make a difference in the world through their platform. By supporting this company, you can help make a positive change in the world.

In its email, the company tells about the history of Juneteenth and encourages everyone to take action.

For many Black people, Juneteenth holds a great deal of meaning. It is a day to remember the past, reflect on the present, and take action for the future. The Skillshare company spoke with three Black creatives and teachers to learn more about their thoughts and experiences surrounding Juneteenth. Through these conversations, they gained a better understanding of what this holiday means to them and how we can continue fighting for racial justice. The company shared these thoughts with its customers via email.

This email from Gwen Beloti highlights Black-owned jewelry brands. The copy tells a little about the owners and their brands’ values, showcases their works and gives links to their websites. It’s a little salesy but it has every right to be this way — Gwen Beloti is a Black-owned brand too.

These are just a few examples — we encourage you to get creative in how you celebrate Juneteenth with your email list! What matters most is that you show your support for the Black community and take a stand against racism.

Conclusion

On Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, African Americans celebrate the end of slavery in the United States. This holiday is about more than just freedom from oppression, it’s also about celebrating Black culture and unity.

This year, take some time to learn about Juneteenth and what it means for Black Americans. Here are some best practices for Juneteenth email campaigns you can use to get started:

• Share the history and significance of Juneteenth with your audience.
• Start a conversation about why it’s important to celebrate Black culture.
• Educate your audience about the importance of inclusion and diversity.
• Partner with organizations that focus on the empowerment of Black Americans.
• Highlight Black-owned brands in your email campaigns.
• Integrate the colors of the Pan-African flag into your Juneteenth graphics.