Jules Foreman Vause
Senior Copywriter
29 Jan 2025
Once the mince pies were devoured and the crackers all pulled, we slowly but surely returned to our inboxes. Upon logging back in, the influx of ‘Year in Review’ emails, mostly all received in the final days of December, was an interesting discovery.
Of course, as CRM specialists, we are well aware of this marketing approach, having produced multi-channel campaigns around the theme before. But it was the upsurge and vast range of brands jumping on the trend that sparked our interest, particularly in investigating the value behind it.
All Wrapped up
Let’s start with the Mother: Spotify Wrapped. Initially called Year In Music, the viral marketing campaign has had people discussing and sharing their listening habits with glee since its launch in 2015. Its success lies in both personal nostalgia and a love for relatable, shared experiences, as well as the collective desire to show versions of ourselves on social media. For Spotify, the success is in people’s willingness for their data to be stored and shared in this way. There’s also the fact that millions of people are promoting the brand for free.
This incredible marketing win has inspired other brands to follow suit. Year in Monzo has become another widely anticipated and shared campaign. By leveraging spending data from users across the UK, Monzo is bringing people together by highlighting memorable events and common interests. And even if personal spending habits that might be considered shameful are revealed, the lighthearted tone makes it engaging and shareable. People want to be a part of it, resulting in a huge boost for the brand.

The feel-good factor
A 2024 Hubspot survey showed that 90% of consumers think brands should practice social responsibility. So what better platform than Year in Review comms for them to demonstrate their actions in this area?
Brands like Grind and Karma Drinks chose to focus less on how much coffee and cola we drank, but more on their charitable and sustainable initiatives, and how buying their products supports these. Whilst the shareable promotional side is absent, it’s a great way to encourage brand loyalty and retention. Most of us want to feel like we’re making a difference, so the warm fuzzy feeling brought on from supporting a brand you love in their social responsibility mission is hard to disregard


Sweaty Betty is another great example, highlighting initiatives that support inclusivity, female empowerment and promoting an active lifestyle. And Lucy & Yak struck a balance between featuring their social enterprise achievements alongside stats that show most-loved products and their own business wins.

We also love the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel’s cheeky nod to the Spotify Wrapped format in their review email, in which they outline their 2024 impact with pride.

It's not that deep
Well, not always. Some brands have utilised the trend to simply remind consumers about popular products and online interactions. And why not? This is a marketing splash that’s worth soaking up.
Whether it’s their own personal purchases or more general statistics that are featured, this serves as a tool for inspiration and - if presented the right way - a sense of belonging.


The power of data
Presenting people’s data to them in a relatable, digestible way builds a connection between a brand and their consumers. It’s about telling human-centric stories, using clever copy to weave the figures into beautifully designed CRM journeys that make the reader feel valued and proud to be associated with your brand.
Drop us a message to discuss how we can bring your brand’s Wrapped/Year in Review story to life. No matter what time of year you’re reading this, it’s never too early to start planning… there’s no time like the present!