# Email Campaign Brief: [Campaign name]

> A brief for one marketing email or a short sequence: objective,
> audience and list source, the consent or legal basis for each
> recipient group, sender identity, message plan, unsubscribe and
> suppression, deliverability checks, measurement and approvals. Based
> on common email marketing practice, with legal checks that cite US
> (CAN-SPAM Act), EU (ePrivacy Directive Article 13) and UK (PECR
> regulation 22) rules and the RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe standard
> as dated examples. Replace every `[bracketed]` value and every row
> marked *Example*. This is a documentation format, not legal advice:
> check the current official text and ask a qualified professional.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Fill section 3 (audience and consent) before any copy is written. If
  you cannot say why each recipient group may receive this email, the
  list is not ready.
- One brief per campaign; a recurring newsletter uses
  `writing/newsletter` instead.
- Common pitfall: importing a list from an event, partner or purchase
  and mailing it as if every contact had opted in. Record the source
  and basis per group, and exclude groups without one.
- The worked example is Larkspan, a fictional business-to-business
  software company. All figures are invented.
-->

## Document control

<!-- Guidance: Name the person who can stop the send. Email cannot be recalled once sent. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | [EML-YYYY-NN] |
| Campaign | [Campaign name] |
| Campaign code (UTM) | [*Example:* 2026q4-ap-automation-launch] |
| Type | [One-off / Sequence of N / Triggered] |
| Send window | YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD |
| Version | [0.1] |
| Status | [Draft / Approved / Sent / Closed] |
| Owner | [@lifecycle-owner] |
| Reviewers | [@brand], [@privacy-or-legal] |
| Last updated | YYYY-MM-DD |

### Approvals

| Role | Name | Decision | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign owner | [@owner] | [Approved] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Privacy or legal reviewer (section 3 and 6) | [@privacy] | [Approved / Changes] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Final send approval (after seed test) | [@owner] | [Go / No go] | YYYY-MM-DD |

### Revision history

| Version | Date | Author | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [@owner] | First draft |
| [0.2] *(Example)* | YYYY-MM-DD | [@owner] | Removed group AUD-03, no consent record |

## 1. Objective and success measures

<!-- Guidance: One primary objective with a number. Opens are unreliable since some mail apps pre-load images, so prefer clicks, replies and downstream conversions. Link the KPI to `marketing/marketing-measurement-plan`. -->

| Goal ID | Objective | KPI | Target | Guardrail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EG-01 *(Example)* | Book demos from trial users who stalled | Demo requests from campaign links | 40 | Unsubscribe rate under 0.5% per send |
| [EG-02] | [objective] | [KPI] | [target] | [guardrail] |

*Example forecast:* 20,000 sendable contacts x 2.5% click rate = 500
clicks; 500 x 8% demo conversion = 40 demo requests.

## 2. Message plan

<!-- Guidance: One row per email. Each email has one job and one call to action. Write the subject line so it honestly reflects the content. -->

| Email ID | Send day | Job | Subject line | Preheader | Call to action | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM-01 *(Example)* | Day 0 | Show the feature they missed | Approve invoices from your inbox | Two clicks, no login | Watch the 2-minute demo | [@copy] |
| EM-02 *(Example)* | Day 4 | Proof | How a 40-person finance team closed a day faster | A customer story | Read the story | [@copy] |
| EM-03 *(Example)* | Day 9 | Ask | Want us to set it up with you? | 20 minutes with a specialist | Book a demo | [@copy] |
| [EM-04] | [day] | [job] | [subject] | [preheader] | [CTA] | [@owner] |

Exit rule: [*Example:* anyone who books a demo, unsubscribes or replies
leaves the sequence immediately].

## 3. Audience, list source and legal basis

<!-- Guidance: Split the audience into groups by how and where the address was collected, then record the basis for each group and country. These are questions for your privacy lead or counsel, not conclusions. Exclude any group whose basis is unclear. -->

| Group ID | Description | Collected via | Countries | Basis claimed | Evidence held | Include? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD-01 *(Example)* | Trial users who ticked the marketing opt-in | Sign-up form | EU, UK, US | Consent | Timestamp, form version, wording | Yes |
| AUD-02 *(Example)* | Paying customers, similar product | Purchase | UK | Existing customer exception, opt-out offered at collection | Order record, opt-out shown at checkout | Yes, with legal check |
| AUD-03 *(Example)* | Badge scans from a trade show | Event partner | EU | None recorded | No opt-in evidence | No |
| AUD-04 *(Example)* | US business contacts from webinar registration | Webinar form | US | Commercial email with opt-out (CAN-SPAM) | Registration record | Yes |
| [AUD-05] | [description] | [source] | [countries] | [basis] | [evidence] | [Yes / No] |

Questions to answer with the reviewer (rules as of October 2026):

- **EU:** Directive 2002/58/EC Article 13(1) generally requires prior
  consent for marketing email to individuals; Article 13(2) allows a
  narrow existing-customer exception for similar products when an
  opt-out was offered at collection and in every message. National laws
  implement these rules and differ, including for business addresses.
  Which countries are in each group?
- **UK:** PECR regulation 22 sets similar rules, and the ICO guidance
  explains the "soft opt-in" for existing customers. The ICO says its
  PECR guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act
  2025. Have you checked the current ICO page?
- **US:** the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. 7701 and following; FTC rule
  16 CFR Part 316) is opt-out based, but every commercial message must
  meet the identity, address and opt-out rules in sections 4 and 6.
- **All:** is the list personal data under GDPR or UK GDPR, with a
  privacy notice at collection and a processing agreement with the email
  service provider (`legal-lite/dpa`)?

*Example audience size:* 24,000 contacts in scope, minus 1,150 earlier
unsubscribes, 480 hard bounces and 2,370 contacts in AUD-03 = 20,000
sendable.

## 4. Sender identity

<!-- Guidance: Recipients must be able to tell who is writing. EU, UK and US rules all prohibit disguising the sender, and the UK CAP Code rule 2.2 asks that unsolicited marketing email be obviously identifiable as marketing without the recipient having to open it. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| From name | [*Example:* Mira at Larkspan] |
| From address | [*Example:* mira@news.larkspan.example] |
| Reply-to | [*Example:* a monitored inbox, not no-reply] |
| Sending domain and subdomain | [*Example:* news.larkspan.example, aligned with DKIM] |
| Legal entity name in footer | [Legal sender name] |
| Valid physical postal address | [street address, registered PO box or registered private mailbox] |
| Advertisement identification | [*Example:* not needed for AUD-01 with prior consent; check for other groups under CAN-SPAM] |

## 5. Content and accessibility checks

<!-- Guidance: Review copy, claims and accessibility together. Every claim needs a source. -->

- [ ] Subject line and preheader honestly describe the content.
- [ ] Every claim (time saved, customer results) has a documented source; customer names used with written permission.
- [ ] Single-column layout readable at 320 pixels wide.
- [ ] Every image has alt text, and the email makes sense with images off.
- [ ] Text contrast meets WCAG 2.2 SC 1.4.3 (contrast minimum).
- [ ] Link text says where it goes, not "click here".
- [ ] Plain-text version generated and proofread.
- [ ] Links tagged with the UTM convention; no personal data in URLs.

## 6. Unsubscribe and suppression

<!-- Guidance: Unsubscribe must work quickly and without a login. The strictest rule you face sets your process time. -->

| Requirement | Rule or source (as of October 2026) | How we meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Opt-out in every message | CAN-SPAM; ePrivacy Art. 13; PECR reg. 22 | [*Example:* footer link plus header] |
| Opt-out honoured within 10 business days, link working at least 30 days after sending | CAN-SPAM (FTC compliance guide) | [*Example:* suppression in under 24 hours] |
| One-click unsubscribe headers | RFC 8058 (January 2017): `List-Unsubscribe` with an HTTPS URI and `List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click`, both covered by DKIM | [*Example:* set by the email service provider; verified in raw headers] |
| Visible unsubscribe link in the body | Google email sender guidelines for senders of 5,000 or more messages a day, enforced from 2024-02-01 | [*Example:* footer link] |
| Suppression list applied to every send | Practice | [*Example:* global suppression synced hourly] |

Header pair *(Example)*:

```text
List-Unsubscribe: <https://larkspan.example/u/opaque-token>
List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click
```

## 7. Deliverability and send checks

<!-- Guidance: Confirm each line on a seed test sent to at least two mail providers. -->

- [ ] SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass; From domain aligned with SPF or DKIM.
- [ ] Spam complaint rate in the provider's postmaster tool below 0.1% (Google's stated target; its requirement is below 0.3%). *Example:* on 20,000 sends, 0.1% is 20 complaints and 0.3% is 60.
- [ ] New sending domain or IP warmed up gradually.
- [ ] Send time set in the recipient's time zone where possible.
- [ ] Seed test reviewed in desktop and mobile clients; links and tracking work.

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A[Brief approved] --> B[Audience groups and basis checked]
  B --> C[Copy and design]
  C --> D[Content, accessibility and legal review]
  D -->|changes| C
  D -->|approved| E[Seed test and header check]
  E -->|fail| C
  E -->|pass| F[Send]
  F --> G[Suppress unsubscribes and bounces]
  G --> H[Results review]
```

## 8. Measurement and results

<!-- Guidance: Fill the targets now and the actuals after the send window. Record complaints and unsubscribes with the same care as clicks. -->

| Metric | Definition | Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivered rate *(Example)* | Delivered / sent | 98% | [N%] |
| Click rate *(Example)* | Unique clickers / delivered | 2.5% | [N%] |
| Demo requests *(Example)* | Demo forms with campaign UTM | 40 | [N] |
| Unsubscribe rate *(Example)* | Unsubscribes / delivered, per email | Under 0.5% | [N%] |
| Spam complaint rate *(Example)* | Complaints / delivered | Under 0.1% | [N%] |
| [metric] | [definition] | [target] | [actual] |

Lessons and decisions: [what to repeat, change or drop].

## 9. References and related templates

<!-- Guidance: Keep the official links next to the brief so reviewers can check the current text. -->

Checked 2026-10-30:

- FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business
- Directive 2002/58/EC (ePrivacy Directive), Article 13: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002L0058
- ICO, Electronic mail marketing (PECR): https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guide-to-pecr/electronic-and-telephone-marketing/electronic-mail-marketing/
- CAP Code section 2, Recognition of marketing communications: https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/02.html
- RFC 8058, Signaling One-Click Functionality for List Email Headers: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8058
- Google, Email sender guidelines: https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126
- Related templates: `writing/newsletter`, `marketing/campaign-brief`, `marketing/marketing-measurement-plan`, `marketing/landing-page`, `legal-lite/privacy-policy`, `legal-lite/dpa`, `compliance/gdpr-ropa`.

## Standard and licence note

Based on public law, regulator guidance and open standards cited as
dated examples: the US CAN-SPAM Act and FTC guidance, EU Directive
2002/58/EC Article 13, UK PECR regulation 22 and ICO guidance, the UK
CAP Code section 2, IETF RFC 8058 and Google's email sender guidelines.
The text is original and paraphrases those sources. Rules and provider
requirements change: check the current official version before each
campaign. This is not legal advice. Template licence: MIT.