The wEiRdEr something seems, the more likely it is to grab your attention 👀& stick in your brain. 🧠
That’s the Von Restorff Effect - also known as the Isolation Effect - which basically means your brain notices and remembers the thing that looks different from everything around it.
And when it comes to email marketing, that’s crucial.
Because if you want people to hire you or buy from you, your emails need to stand out and be remembered.
The Marmite Effect 🤢😋
Marmite tastes weird and their marketing is weird.
So it’s no wonder that it polarises people.
But whether you LOVE IT or HATE IT you can’t IGNORE IT.
And I’m totally OBSESSED with it!
Being weird is Marmite’s superpower!
How to use the Von Restorff Effect in your email marketing
The Von Restorff Effect is a widely used buyer psychology and marketing technique that you can use in your email marketing to supercharge your sales.
1. Start with a killer hook 👀
A killer hook is the ultimate "isolation" tool. In the Von Restorff Effect, this is known as Novelty - if the first sentence breaks the expected pattern of a marketing email, the brain flags it as important.
Just a reminder that a hook is a creative copywriting tactic. It’s a compelling opening sentence or question designed to grab your reader by the eyeballs, "stop the scroll," spark curiosity, and trigger an emotional response so they keep reading.
Hook Type | The "Autopilot" Line | The "Restorff" Killer Hook |
Direct | "We’re excited to announce..." | "Most people will delete this email in 3 seconds." |
Benefit | "Our tool saves you time." | "What would you do with an extra 45 minutes every morning?" |
Social | "Many people use our app." | "12,000 designers are currently using this one trick." |
2. Make ONE thing stand out 🧠
Pick ONE thing you want your reader to remember and make that the star. If everything is trying to stand out, nothing stands out.
Weird email marketing helps you stand out!
If an email has five "urgent" buttons, three different fonts, and four "limited-time" offers, the brain treats it as "noise" and ignores everything.
Famous brands use Visual Hierarchy and Decision Minimalism to ensure that "one thing" is unavoidable.
Strategy | The "Noisy" Way (Fails) | The "Restorff" Way (Succeeds) |
Welcome Email | "Follow us, buy now, read our blog, and refer a friend!" | "Click here to claim your first-timer gift." |
3. Be specific instead of generic🎯
Generic copy gets ignored because it talks to everyone. Specific copy is much harder to ignore because it feels direct, clear, and relevant to the reader.
Generic Copy (Forgettable) | Specific Copy (Memorable/Isolated) |
"Our customers love us." | "Rated 4.9/5 by 12,402 verified hikers." |
"A sale you don't want to miss." | "40% off all blue denim until midnight." |
"Improve your workflow today." | "Save 2 hours on your next project report." |
4. Say something with a spine 💥
Safe emails blend in because they are written to sound agreeable instead of memorable. Being a bit weird, edgy, or funny - while still getting your point across - is what makes people sit up and pay attention.
The "Agreeable" (Invisible) | The "Spine" (Memorable) |
"We value your feedback." | "Tell us why our last product sucked." |
"Join our community of experts." | "Stop hanging out with people who don't challenge you." |
"Quality ingredients you can trust." | "If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. Our label has 3 words." |
How other famous brands apply the Von Restorff Effect
Distinctive Brand Voice: Harry’s uses a unique, humorous tone that stands out from the standard corporate jargon used by competitors, making their messages more memorable.
Unexpected Timing: Sending emails outside of standard marketing cycles such as a "just because" discount rather than a Black Friday sale - helps a brand's message avoid being buried in the seasonal clutter.
Unique Value Propositions: Casper often includes educational infographics about sleep hygiene instead of pure sales pitches, making their brand an authority rather than just another retailer.
Subject Line Isolation: Using unconventional characters, emojis, or short, punchy subject lines create "pattern interruption" in a crowded inbox.
Brand | Application of Von Restorff Effect |
ASOS | Uses conversational subject lines and heavy contrast for CTA buttons |
Monzo | Leverages their "Hot Coral" fluorescent colour in all email headers to ensure instant recognition |
Harry's | Combines witty copy with informative content to break the "sales-only" pattern |
Casper | Focuses on sleep statistics and advice to provide value distinct from standard product promos |
Milka | Consistently uses their purple cow mascot to deviate from traditional luxury chocolate branding |
People love wEiRd content - whether it’s email marketing or social media so don’t be afraid of embracing your weird side!
I’m having a break over Easter so will be back in two weeks time!
Wishing you a Happy Easter if you celebrate! 🐰
AND FINALLY A FEW WORDS FROM ANNIE
Hope you found this week’s GSD newsletter helpful. If there’s anything particular you’d like me to cover in future newsletters, let me know - I’d love to hear from you! 😍
HAVE A GREAT WEEK & THANKS FOR READING!😊🙏
I’m back on LinkedIn if you want to follow me and/or connect there!
P.S. If you need an SEO Copywriter or tech-savvy/creative Virtual Assistant to help you supercharge your sales & productivity, get in touch - [email protected]
