The Power of Human-Centred Product Imagery
On Running is one of the fastest-growing footwear brands in the world right now, and their visual strategy explains a big part of that momentum. When you look across their website and email campaigns, they follow one foundational rule: product photography with people in it converts better than standalone shoe cutouts.
Across their seasonal campaign layouts, roughly 50% to 80% of the visual content features real people actively moving in the gear. They do not just show a pair of shoes sitting on a grey studio background. They show runners hitting pavement and trails in varied weather conditions.
If you sell apparel, footwear, or fitness gear, showing the product in motion provides immediate context. It helps the subscriber visualise the fit, the use case, and the lifestyle. That single visual tweak reliably drives higher click-through rates across promotional campaigns.
Why Left-Aligned Typography Converts Better
One detail On Running executes brilliantly is text alignment. A lot of ecommerce brands default to centre-aligning every header and body paragraph in their emails. That is a mistake.
Roughly 95% of written languages read from left to right. When you centre-align three lines of body copy, the starting point of every line shifts, forcing the reader's eye to work harder to find where each sentence begins. On Running keeps their email copy strictly left-aligned against clean white space.
They also stick to high-contrast black text on white backgrounds. It sounds basic, but high contrast and left alignment make your copy effortless to scan on mobile devices. If your subscribers cannot scan your message in three seconds, they delete it.
Fixing the Above-the-Fold CTA Problem
Despite their strong visual aesthetic, On Running drops the ball on button placement. In several of their primary campaign emails, the main call to action sits well below the fold on mobile screens.
When a subscriber opens an email, you have a split second to tell them what you are showing them and where they should go next. If your hero image takes up 600 pixels of vertical height without a button or a clear link visible on the initial screen, you lose clicks.
- Keep your primary hook and headline visible without scrolling.
- Place a prominent, high-contrast button above the fold.
- Add secondary buttons directly beneath individual product grid items further down.
On Running includes great product blocks lower in the layout, but they frequently skip the individual button beneath each shoe style. Relying on subscribers to tap a raw image is leaving money on the table.
Writing Action-Driven Email Headers
Copywriting in ecommerce emails needs to be punchy and directive. On Running sometimes leans a little too far into passive brand descriptions rather than active directives.
Using a headline like "Awe-inspiring performance" describes a mood, but it does not tell the subscriber what to do. Compare that to an action-oriented phrase like "Pack the essentials" or "Start gifting before the countdown ends". Verbs drive momentum.
In my books, every primary header should either promise a direct benefit or instruct the reader to take the next step. Pair an active verb with clean left-aligned typography, and your click rates will reflect the change.
The Sign-up Form Mistake Costing Them Sales
The biggest flaw in On Running's acquisition funnel is not in their emails. It is on their sign-up form.
When you opt into their newsletter via their website form, the success screen tells you to go check your inbox to find your welcome code. Forcing a ready-to-buy customer off your site to hunt down an email in their inbox creates massive friction. Many will get distracted by unread messages and never make it back.
Your sign-up form should always display the discount code directly on the success screen, accompanied by an "Auto-Apply and Shop" button that passes the discount straight to the Shopify checkout via URL parameters. Send the welcome email as a backup, but never force a hot prospect away from your product catalogue.
Final Thoughts
On Running succeeds because their creative is clean, human-focused, and stripped of unnecessary clutter. Fix their below-the-fold button placement and eliminate the friction in their welcome pop-up, and that machine would perform even better. Emulate their visual discipline, but make sure your emails are built to drive immediate action.
Audit Your Email Campaigns
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