Emails We Love: Bye to Sprout and The Wiggles
Sometimes, one unsubscribes from an email program because they're fed up—either with the marketer, or their content, or some other aspect of a campaign.
But in other instances, it's simply time to move on. Such was my parting with the email lists of Sprout and The Wiggles. Both offer quality content, but my boys have simply aged out of their core demographics.
For those without kids, Sprout is a 24-hour preschool cable network, created as a co-venture between Comcast, HIT Entertainment, PBS and Sesame Workshop. The Wiggles are an Australian band that have a series of best selling children's albums, DVDS and merchandise, and create a Beatles-like fervor for their fans in concert.
The unsubscribe process for both was quick and painless—unsubscribe links were easily found in both brands' messages. The Wiggles link took me to a page asking why I no longer wanted their emails—did I just not want them, did I never sign up for the list in the first place, did I consider them inappropriate, or was I deeming them spam? I checked "other" and said while my kiddos were past the age of wiggling', in their hearts they'd always think fruit salad was yummy, yummy.
The Sprout page offered me the option to reconsider unsubscribing, or a box to check to make the process final.
It seems there's a bit of a missed opportunity here not having an "aged up and out" option to select. While the Wiggles doesn't have a 'tween brand to transition older kids over too, Sprout surely has other products and shows in their sister companies’ stables they could refer those who have "sprouted" beyond the cable net' to—my boys aren't quite ready for "Downton Abbey" but they're certainly in the demo for Electric Company and other shows.
As for Sprout emails, I have to admit I still peeked at them fairly regularly, even if my kids now typically bypass them on the cable dial. The messages did a great job of engaging parents with fun things to do with their kids online, as well as promote upcoming programming. (There's a Fireman Sam movie? Okay, he's not quite as cool as Postman Pat but I may have to check that out.)
One recent email invited kids to share an act of kindness they had performed. In exchange, they can get a personalized video from a Sprout character like Barney or Big Bird. And the engagement ties in with offline experiences—another email announced the appearance of "Super Why" characters at a local grocer.
The Wiggles email appeal has waned for me, as presale concert notices aren't really relevant anymore (particularly when they're for theaters nowhere near my home). And there's definitely more of a sell-sell-sell element to their messages.
What emails have you loved this recently? Let me know at [email protected]
