20+ Creative Email Campaign Ideas for Food and Beverage brands this January

January is a great time for eCommerce food and beverage stores to connect with their customers and promote their products. With many people looking to start the new year with a renewed focus on their health and wellness, it's a perfect opportunity to offer healthy options, meal prep ideas and more.

In this blog, we will look at how you can use trends, holidays, and events to create relevant and timely campaigns that will resonate with your audience. 

Whether you're looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or build customer loyalty, these email campaign ideas will help you achieve your goals and start the year off on the right foot.

1. New Year, New You

Create an email campaign that promotes healthy and nutritious food options to help customers kick off the new year on a healthy note.

‍2. End-of-Season Sale

Offer discounts on seasonal food items such as holiday-themed chocolates or Christmas-themed snacks.

‍3. New Year's Resolution

‍Create a campaign that encourages customers to set new year's resolutions related to food and offer products and services that can help them achieve it.

‍4. Comfort Food

Create an email campaign that promotes comfort food options to help customers beat the January blues.

‍5. Meal Prep

Create a campaign that encourages customers to start meal prepping for the new year, and offer products and services that can help them do so.

‍6. Dry January

Create a campaign that promotes non-alcoholic beverages and mocktails to customers who may be participating in Dry January.

‍7. Cozy up

Create a campaign that promotes warm and comforting food options such as soups, stews, and hot cocoa to help customers stay warm during the chilly January weather.

‍8. Veganuary

^Create a campaign that promotes vegan and plant-based food options to customers who may be participating in Veganuary.

‍9. New Year, New Products

Create a campaign that promotes new food and beverage products that have just been added to your eCommerce store.

‍10. Gift cards

Promote the option to purchase gift cards, making it easy for customers to give the gift of gourmet food or a meal delivery service to their loved ones.

Important dates in January

1. National Trivia Day - Jan 4th 

• Campaign Type: Quiz
• Segment: Not engaged 
• Campaign Ideas: 

Trivia Challenge

Create a challenge where customers can test their knowledge of food and beverages by identifying different ingredients, cooking methods, or origin of food, and offer a prize or discount to the winner.

‍Trivia Gift Guide

Create a gift guide featuring products that are perfect for food and beverage enthusiasts, such as cookbooks, kitchen gadgets, and gourmet ingredients.

‍Trivia Inspiration

Create an email campaign that features inspiration and information about different types of food and beverages, such as their history, origin, and traditional preparation methods.

‍Trivia Discount

Create a special promotion or deal for National Trivia Day, such as discounts on food and beverage items that were mentioned in the quiz or challenge

Trivia Fact

Highlight a fun fact about a particular food or beverage in your inventory and offer a discount on that item for that day.

2. National Cuddle Up Day - Jan 6th 

• Campaign Type: Discount sale
• Segment: All 
• Campaign Ideas:

Cuddle Up Sale

‍Offer discounts on comfort food items such as soups, stews, hot cocoa, and warm desserts.

‍Cuddle Up Collection

Highlight a collection of comfort food items that are perfect for cuddling up on a cold winter day.

‍Cuddle Up Gift Guide

‍Create a gift guide featuring food and beverage items that are perfect for cuddling up at home, such as hot cocoa mixes, and gourmet popcorn.

‍3. International Thank You Day - Jan 11 

• Campaign Type: Gratitude, Discount 
• Segment: All Purchasers in 2022
• Campaign Ideas:

A thank you discount

You could offer a special discount to your customers as a way of saying thank you for their business.

‍Customer appreciation sale

You could hold a sale on select products as a way of thanking your customers for their loyalty.

‍A Simple thank you email

You could send a simple email to your subscribers thanking them for their business and letting them know how much you appreciate them.

4. Martin Luther King Day: Jan 16th

• Campaign Type: Aspirational + Discount 
• Segment: All 
• Campaign Ideas:

A sale on products that support social justice causes

You could hold a sale on products that give back to organizations that support social justice causes.

‍A message of solidarity

You could send an email to your subscribers expressing your support for the principles of equality and justice that Martin Luther King Jr. stood for.

5. Get To Know Your Customers Day: Jan 19th 

• Campaign Type: Survey 
• Segment: Inactive, Active and Passives (Float three different surveys)
• Campaign Idea:

A customer survey

You could send out a survey to your subscribers to learn more about their preferences and what they like about your products. You could offer a discount or other incentive for completing the survey.

6. National Use your gift card Day: Jan 21st

• Campaign Type: Gift card
• Segment: VIP Customers + Discount Shoppers 
• Campaign ideas:

A sale on gift cards

You could offer a special discount on your e-gift cards or physical gift cards to encourage people to purchase them as gifts for their friends and loved ones.

‍A reminder to use gift cards

If you have customers who have purchased gift cards from your store but have not yet used them, you could send out a reminder email encouraging them to use their gift cards. You could also include a special offer or promotion to incentivize them to shop with you.

‍A special promotion

You could offer a special promotion or free gift with the purchase of a gift card to encourage people to shop with you on National Use Your Gift Card Day.

7. National Compliment Day: Jan 24th 

• Campaign Type: Bundles, Discount Coupons 
• Segment: All purchasers 
• Campaign idea:

A customer appreciation email

You could send out an email to your subscribers thanking them for their business and including a compliment about their previous purchases. It’s a great time to sell bundled products.

8. National Opposite Day: Jan 25th  

• Campaign Type: Follow up to previous one -> Add Humour 
• Segment: All purchasers who haven’t purchased in your previous campaign on Jan 24th 
• Campaign Ideas:

Opposite Day Sale

‍Offer discounts on items that are typically considered opposite to your normal offerings, such as savoury items for a dessert store or vice versa.

‍Opposite Day Collection

‍Highlight a collection of food and beverage items that are opposite to what you typically sell, such as spicy food for a store that specializes in sweet items.

‍Opposite Day Gift Guide

‍Create a gift guide featuring food and beverage items that are opposite to what you typically sell, such as savoury snacks for a store that specializes in sweet treats.

9. National Spouses Day: Jan 26th 

• Campaign Type: Gift/Coupon 
• Segment: Gender + Age (over 30) + not purchased in the last 120 days
• Campaign Ideas:

Spouse Day Sale

Offer discounts on products that are perfect for Spouse Day Sale: Offer discounts on items that are perfect for couples, such as gourmet chocolates, romantic meals, or wine and cheese pairings.

‍Spouse Day Collection

Highlight a collection of food and beverage items that are perfect for couples, such as romantic dinner for two, or a special "his and hers" gift set.

Spouse Day Gift Guide

Create a gift guide featuring food and beverage items that are perfect for couples, such as romantic meals, or a gift card for a cooking class for two.

‍Spouse Day Inspiration

Create an email campaign that features inspiration for romantic meals, or ideas for creating a special date night at home.

‍Spouse Day Recipe

Create a recipe that is perfect for couples to cook together on National Spouse Day.