A masterclass in brand personality | Email teardown with Des Brown

When Des Brown, founder of Email Expert Africa, was picking an email for us to break down, he actually emailed me asking if Pit Viper’s emails might be… too unhinged.

I’ll admit, I had to take a minute to wrap my head around them. But the more I looked, the more I realised we just HAD to dive in. These emails are nothing like the usual stuff that lands in your inbox - and that’s exactly what makes them so brilliant. Full of personality, bold visuals, and a mischievous sense of humour, they’re a perfect example of how email marketing can stand out in a crowded inbox while staying true to brand voice.

Why Pit Viper stands out

Pit Viper is a brand of sports-focused sunglasses - think skiing, snowboarding, and all the adventure gear you might not buy every week. Yet, despite the low-frequency purchase cycle, their emails keep people opening, scrolling, and laughing. That’s no small feat in an inbox full of bland marketing messages.

Des pointed out that what makes Pit Viper’s emails so successful is how perfectly they match the brand’s personality. The visual aesthetic might look chaotic at first glance, but it’s carefully designed to grab attention and entertain. In a world where so many emails feel identical, Pit Viper dares to be different. And that difference isn’t random - it’s calculated. They know what their audience expects, and they deliver it.

Balancing creativity and consistency

One of the tricky things about email marketing is balancing brand consistency with creativity. Pit Viper pushes boundaries, but they don’t break the rules that matter. Des explained that they’ve got all the basics nailed: mobile testing, deliverability, and a clear hierarchy that guides readers through the email.

Once those foundations are in place, you can start experimenting - using humour, offbeat visuals, or even intentionally “wrong” design choices. Pit Viper’s emails feel like a rollercoaster, but they’re still structurally sound. And that’s the sweet spot: keeping your audience engaged without confusing them, or losing them altogether.

The genius of humour

From cheeky one-liners to exaggerated copy on buttons, there’s a playfulness throughout. Des and I both noted that while some elements, like a long line of text meant to act as a button, might be slightly confusing at first glance, they work within the context of the brand’s humour.

Even the footer - which so many marketers neglect - carries personality. Little jokes, small stories, and quirky icons turn what could be dead space into a final punchline. It’s these details that make the experience memorable.

Pushing best practices in a thoughtful way

Pit Viper also shows us that bending email marketing “best practices” can work, if you know the rules first. Des explained that to break conventions successfully, you need a solid understanding of what makes an email effective: clear brand identity, hierarchy, mobile responsiveness, and deliverability. Once you have those in place, you can get creative with visuals, copy, and tone.

Pit Viper’s emails are a masterclass in this. They’re bold, a little chaotic, and wildly entertaining, but the underlying structure ensures they still function.

Lessons for email marketers

So what can we learn from Pit Viper’s approach? First, personality matters. The emails could be chaotic, but because they feel human and entertaining, they capture attention in a way standard marketing messages rarely do. Second, structure is essential. You can push boundaries, but only if the foundation is solid. And finally, consistency with room for creativity keeps your audience coming back.

It’s a reminder that in a world of crowded inboxes, the emails that stand out aren’t necessarily the prettiest - they’re the ones that make people stop scrolling, smile, and pay attention.

If you’re in the email space and want to grow, meet other email senders, and learn more about sending better emails, check out Des’s Email Advice in Your Inbox newsletter or say hi on LinkedIn for a little daily inspiration.

Want your own (private!) email review? I can SHOW you what works, what doesn’t, and how you can make sure YOUR emails convert. I teardown your emails, so that you can build them up bigger and better - CLICK HERE!