The experiment was conducted using real ecommerce marketing emails containing animated GIFs. For each of the 14 animated emails, we created a version without the animated GIF by capturing a static frame of that email. The static frames used were fully representative of the email and differed from the animated emails only in the absence of any animated elements.

The emails were selected to include a wide variety of animated GIF types. The goal of the study was to compare users’ reactions to animated and static GIFs.

In This Article:

Email Pairs

For all the emails, we asked users to select 3 reaction words from a list of X positive and Y negative words. 4 of the 16 email pairs (as indicated below) were also rated for value and trust.

Word Changes static Word Changes GIf

Sierra – Text Change (included in value and trust ratings)

 
Word color changes no gif word color changes Gif

J.Crew – Word-Color Change (included in value and trust rating)

 
background image change static Background Image change gif

Sears – Background-Image Change (included in value and trust rating)

 
time sensitive static Time Sensitive Gif

JCPenney – Time Sensitive (included in value and trust rating)

 
AmbianceNoGif Ambiance Gif

Michaels – Animation for Ambiance

 
background color change Background-color change gif

Overstock – Background-color change

 
demonstrativ Demonstrative

Bonobos – Demonstrative

 
flashing colors static Flashing Colors Gif

Shopbop – Flashing Colors

 
multiple images change static Multiple images changing

Hayneedle – Multiple images changing

 
image wipe static Image Wipe Gif

Bonobos – Image Wipe

 
message reveal static Message Reveal

Bonobos – Message Reveal

 
product animation static Product animation gif

Bed Bath and Beyond – Product Animation

 
time countdown static Time countdown Gif

Dick’s Sporting Goods  - Time Countdown

 
word animation static Word animation

Madewell – Word Animation