Our 20+ Year Love Affair with Email Marketing
In the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, where algorithms shift overnight and trends rise and fall in the blink of an eye, one channel has quietly remained a steady, reliable presence: email marketing. For more than two decades, email marketing has helped brands build lasting relationships, delivering messages directly to the people who want to hear from them—without relying on ever-changing algorithms.
At Cast Iron LA, we like to think of email as the quiet partner that’s been by our side through it all. We’ve spent over 20 years helping brands show up, stand out, and stay connected—and if there’s one channel that’s never let us down, it’s email.
Sure, we’ve flirted with shiny new platforms and had whirlwind romances with social media. We’ve launched big-budget campaigns that got their fifteen seconds of fame. But when we look back at what’s worked, what’s driven ROI, and what’s consistently built lasting relationships, it’s email that’s kept the spark alive.
Where the Love Story Began
Back when we started our careers, we—like most people—hated email.
Spam was everywhere. Inboxes were stuffed with junk. To us, email felt like digital direct mail: a shotgun blast of messages, sent out in the hope something might hit. It was impersonal, messy, and easy to dismiss.
But then something changed.
The agency we worked for hired Mike Margolin to head up email marketing for our clients. Mike was great (still is), and from him, we learned something we never expected: email could be done differently. It could be smart, targeted, and welcome.
Working alongside Mike on campaigns, we started to understand the intricacies of what works and what doesn’t, how subscribers are obtained, and—more importantly—why they opt in. And that’s when we began to fall in love with email marketing.
Because, as we soon realized, these weren’t random people plucked from some list bought on the cheap. These were subscribers. People who had raised their hands and said, “Yes, I want to hear from you.”
And in marketing, that’s rare.
Think about it: where else does a consumer invite a brand into their life, on purpose, and ask to be marketed to? You might have someone seek out a funny commercial on YouTube once in a while, but people don’t usually go looking for ads.
Email’s different.
Email is intimate.
When someone gives you their email address—or these days, their cell number—it’s a big deal. They’re saying, “I trust you. Show me something worth my time.” And that’s not something to take lightly.
As we dug deeper, we realized email wasn’t just about sending messages. It was about building relationships. You could tell if someone visited your site, what they browsed, what they added to their cart, and how much they spent.
Sure, that level of insight can feel creepy—but it can also be used to create thoughtful, personalized experiences.
And for creatives like us, that kind of data opens up endless possibilities.
We weren’t just blasting messages into the void anymore. We were crafting conversations, tailored to people who wanted to hear from us. For example, you can see this approach in action with our Erbaviva case study, where personalized email campaigns fostered meaningful connections and drove real engagement.
That’s when we knew: email wasn’t the necessary evil we once thought it was.
It was the channel we could believe in.
The Power of Email Marketing to Build Direct Connections
Think about your own inbox for a second. It’s personal. It’s where you get updates from your family, receipts from your favorite brands, and the occasional newsletter you actually want to read. Letting a brand into that space isn’t casual—it’s permission-based, intentional, and grounded in trust.
That trust is gold. Social platforms might give you reach, but it’s email that gives you connection. No algorithms to game. No guessing if your message will make it through the noise. Just a direct line to people who’ve raised their hand and said, “I want to hear from you.”
You hear it all the time: “Your email and SMS lists are your oxygen.” Gary Vaynerchuk says this often, and he’s right. You own your list. You control that connection. Unlike social media, where platforms can change the rules or limit your reach, your email list is yours.
But while the advice to “build your list” is everywhere—on YouTube channels, marketing podcasts, and webinars—the conversation often stops there. What’s missing is why that list matters and how to treat the people on it.
Because an email list isn’t just a numbers game. It’s not a scoreboard. Each subscriber is a person who trusted you with direct access to them. That relationship deserves more than constant sales pitches. It requires trust, relevance, and respect.
Own the Connection, Earn the Trust
Sure, social media offers opportunities for connection. Sometimes those one-to-one moments in comments or DMs feel even more personal. But algorithms decide who sees what—and when.
With email, you have a better chance of showing up. You’re not competing with 1,000 other messages in a feed. You’re in their inbox. Their phone lights up with your message. Best of all, they’ve invited you in.
And when you treat that space with respect, you turn a list into a community—and attention into loyalty.
What Makes Email Marketing a Reliable Channel Today
For a channel that’s been around for decades, email continues to evolve and impress—quietly but powerfully—especially when paired with its sidekick, SMS messaging. It’s all about the mobile phone now—but not in a new way. It’s been that way for a while. What’s important is to remember just how intimate that connection really is. Your message isn’t landing on a random screen. It’s buzzing in their pocket. A glow on their lock screen. Quietly waiting on their nightstand. That’s the level of access email and SMS give you today—direct, personal, and immediate.
The combination of email and SMS creates an immediate, personal line of communication that’s hard to beat. You’re in their pocket. You’re on their lock screen. You’re part of their day-to-day life in a way few other channels can match.
Personalization Has Grown Up
We’re way past “Hi, [First Name]” today. Personalization isn’t new—it’s been part of email marketing for years. And segmentation is still a crucial part of how we organize and understand our audiences. But relevance is where the real connection happens.
Segmentation helps you identify groups of people who share common interests, behaviors, or needs. Relevance ensures that what you send to those groups—and often, to the individuals within them—feels timely, meaningful, and worth their attention.
It’s about moving beyond generic group messaging and showing people that you understand where they are in their journey. Whether it’s following up on something they browsed last week, offering early access because they’re a loyal customer, or re-engaging them with something helpful after they’ve gone quiet, relevance turns segmentation into something more personal—and more effective.
AI Plays a Supporting Role
Artificial Intelligence is a valuable tool in modern email marketing. It can help predict optimal send times, suggest subject lines, and assist in segmenting your audience based on behavior. But AI isn’t running the show—it’s there to support your strategy, giving you more time to focus on creating authentic, meaningful messages that resonate.
Making Every Message Matter
The tools and tech are impressive—but none of it matters if you’re not delivering something your audience finds valuable. And that’s where thoughtful strategy makes all the difference.
The Intimacy of Mobile
Most people check their email on their phones. It’s often the first thing they see when they wake up and the last thing they look at before they go to sleep. That’s not just screen time—that’s personal time.
When your email lands there, you’re stepping into a space usually reserved for family, close friends, and life’s essentials. It’s an invitation. Respect it.
Make sure every message you send earns its place by adding value, showing empathy, and making the recipient feel like it was sent just for them.
Meet Them Where They Are
Not everyone on your list is in the same place—and your message shouldn’t be either. A first-time subscriber might need a warm welcome. A loyal customer might be ready for early access to new products or a well-deserved thank you.
Your VIP customers might appreciate early access to new products, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, or loyalty rewards that recognize their commitment. First-timers, on the other hand, may need a warm welcome—something that builds trust and eases them into your world, like a special offer or a simple guide on how to get the most from your products or services.
Make It Beautiful, Make It Matter
When someone opens your email, it’s a small moment—but it’s also an opportunity. A chance to show them they’re not just another name on your list. That you’ve put care into what you’re sharing, and how you’re sharing it.
Thoughtful design and engaging visuals aren’t about showing off—they’re about making someone feel valued. Clean layouts, striking imagery, and subtle motion can turn a simple message into an experience that feels considered and personal—even if it’s not personalized down to the last pixel.
And while visuals can add energy and excitement, empathy means knowing when to hold back. Heavy files and slow load times aren’t a sign of attention; they’re a burden. Keep it light, fast, and focused. Respect their time, and they’ll be more likely to give you their attention.
Whether it’s showcasing items they’ve browsed before or offering a simple, beautiful way to engage with your message, good design shows respect. It makes people feel like they matter—and that’s what keeps them coming back.
Earning and Keeping Trust
Trust is the backbone of successful email marketing. As privacy regulations tighten and consumers grow more aware of how their data is used, trust becomes your most valuable currency. Every email you send is a deposit in the trust bank. Deliver value consistently, and you build up goodwill. Start spamming, and you’re making withdrawals. Overdraw that account, and you’re out. Transparency is no longer optional. Be clear about why you’re reaching out and what you’re offering. And if you’re not delivering consistent value, someone else will.
How Success Looks Different Now
Measuring the success of email marketing requires looking at clicks, conversions, and ROI. With open rates becoming less reliable (thanks, privacy updates), marketers are looking at deeper metrics—clicks, conversions, revenue per subscriber. It’s not about how many people open your email; it’s about what they do next.
And testing? Still critical. But today, it’s smarter and faster, with AI running multivariate tests behind the scenes so you can focus on results instead of guesswork.
The Human Touch Matters More Than Ever
With all this talk of AI, automation, and optimization, it’s easy to lose sight of the human element. But the brands that are winning in email today are the ones that sound like real people. They empathize. They entertain. They tell stories. And most importantly, they deliver what their audience subscribed for—insights, updates, and offers that respect the relationship. AI can enhance your strategy, but it can’t replace genuine connection.
The Bottom Line
Email isn’t a relic—it’s a relationship. And in a world where communication feels increasingly fragmented and filtered, email may be the closest relationship you have with your customers outside of face-to-face interactions. It’s one of the few places where brands and audiences can still have a direct, meaningful exchange—unfiltered, personal, and intentional.
At Cast Iron LA, we’ve seen it firsthand: when brands invest in thoughtful, respectful, and well-crafted email marketing, they don’t just build lists. They build communities.
And in today’s marketing, that’s the kind of connection every brand needs.
