Why Gamified Emails Crush Standard Promos (And How to Steal This)

Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.

Most brands send the same email during the holidays.

"20% OFF EVERYTHING"

"FINAL HOURS"

“DON'T MISS OUT"

After studying Javvy Coffee’s holiday email flow, I realized they did something completely different. They sent scratch cards, slot machines, word searches, and gift boxes.

Here's the breakdown.

Key Takeaways:

• Gamification triggers variable reward psychology (same reason slot machines are addictive)

• "Reveal" mechanics create curiosity gaps that force clicks

• These aren't coded interactive games - just images linking to landing pages

• Perfect for high-volume send periods when your list is getting hammered by every brand

The Slot Machine

Here's what makes this work:

This email looks like something you play, not something you read.

The three matching icons mimic a slot machine, which immediately triggers that variable reward part of your brain. You don't know what you're going to get. Could be 10% off. Could be free shipping. Could be the best offer they've got.

That uncertainty is the entire point.

A standard email says "Here's 25% off." You know exactly what you're getting. There's no reason to click unless you were already planning to buy.

A slot machine email says "You might win something good." Now you HAVE to click just to find out.

The copy "Are you going to win our BEST OFFER?!" is doing a lot of heavy lifting too. It implies tiers. Some people get okay deals. Some people get great deals. Which one are you?

Everyone probably gets the same offer, nit it doesn't matter. The curiosity gap already did its job.

The Scratch Card

This is the most classic gamification play in email. And it still works because the physical metaphor translates perfectly to digital.

Everyone knows what a scratch card is. Everyone knows how satisfying it feels to scratch one off. That association carries over even when you're just clicking a button on your phone.

The design here is smart too. The scratch card is the hero. It takes up most of the email. There's no competing messaging, no product shots, no paragraphs of copy explaining the offer.

Just: scratch this thing.

The "Deck the Halls with Deals" headline ties it to the season without overcomplicating it. You get festive + game in one.

And notice they're not telling you what the offer is anywhere in the email. That's intentional. If they said "Scratch to reveal your 30% discount," you'd already know the outcome. The mystery would be dead.

By hiding the offer completely, they incentivize the click.

The Word Search

This one's the most creative of the bunch.

It takes a game everyone played as a kid and turns it into an email. That nostalgic hook is powerful. You see a word search and your brain immediately wants to start scanning for words. It's almost involuntary.

The highlighted words are doing double duty here. They're showing you the "answers" while also reinforcing the offer: FREE, GIFTS, SAVE, PRIZE. You're absorbing the value prop while you're playing the game.

"Everyone's a winner but some bigger than others" is a smart line. It removes the risk of disappointment (you're definitely getting something) while maintaining the intrigue (but you don't know how much).

That balance is key with gamification. If people think they might "lose" and get nothing, some won't bother playing. If everyone clearly gets the same thing, there's no game. You need the middle ground.

The Gift Unwrap

This one taps straight into the Christmas morning excitement.

Wrapped presents = anticipation. Unwrapping = satisfaction. It's the same psychology that makes unwrapping presents addictive.

The 9-present grid is smart because it implies multiple things to reveal. That's equates to a lot of clicks.

“Santa came early" reframes the entire email from "here's a promotion" to "here's a gift." That's a subtle but meaningful shift. Promotions feel transactional. Gifts feel generous.

And they're saying "you WON" in the headline, which is past tense. You already won. The game is already decided in your favor which removes buyer friction.

Final Thoughts

During peak seasons, every brand is pushing louder discounts, bigger sales, and more urgency.

Gamification is a pattern interrupt.

It doesn't matter if your offer is the same as everyone else's. If your email looks like a game instead of an ad, you've already won the first battle: getting the click.

Javvy used four different mechanics across their holiday campaign. Slot machines, scratch cards, word searches, gift unwraps. Same core psychology, different packaging.

Very fun, very creative way to engage with your list.

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand:
Casely

Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mHOIcyQXHRb1sqrv5zEZjp_XMa-nZH8x/view?usp=sharing

Notes:
Super creative and fun design… we are stealing this for our clients. Creative design like this helps keep your list engaged! Invest in proper design, the long term benefits are there.

Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.

Cheers,

Max Sturtevant | Well Copy

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