Overview
Creative agency, Machine won Best Internal Email for its Sanlam Group email campaign in the You Mailed It Email Marketing Awards 2025, their second win in as many years.
This year’s entry showcased Sanlam’s commitment to sustainability through a special Earth Hour newsletter, designed entirely in dark mode. The bold, visual approach embodied the central message: small, intentional changes can create a big impact. The newsletter formed part of Sanlam’s weekly internal staff mailer.
The judges commended the email’s thoughtful design, and the innovative use of dark mode as both a symbolic and functional sustainability tool.
Samantha Page, senior content officer at Machine, said: “When our team (Machine and the Sanlam Group) chose to switch to dark mode for our weekly internal mailer to raise awareness about Earth Hour, it was about more than just function. We wanted to show how small behavioural shifts can add up to meaningful sustainability gains. We’re proud to be recognised for our commitment to environmental awareness and to see Machine’s borderless creativity as content marketing specialists acknowledged and celebrated.”
Objectives
The primary objective of the Earth Hour newsletter was to reinforce Sanlam’s commitment to sustainability among its employees. To achieve this, Machine used intentional design – specifically, a dark mode email format – as both a symbolic gesture and practical measure to reduce energy consumption.
This strategy was meant to inspire employees to adopt small, meaningful changes in their daily routines, while aligning the communication with Sanlam’s broader ESG objectives in a way that was engaging and visually distinctive.
Execution
The Earth Hour newsletter was in dark mode, a design choice that can extend device battery life by up to 47%. The mailer combined striking creativity with curated sustainability content, balancing bold creativity with clarity for accessibility.
Dynamic elements, including high-impact imagery, reinforced the Earth Hour theme and highlighted practical steps employees could take. The campaign moved beyond simple awareness to position sustainability as an active, daily choice. Sanlam led by example, demonstrating that even straightforward design decisions can have measurable environmental benefits.
Results
Overall, Sanlam’s internal email campaign has established itself as an invaluable internal communication channel, demonstrating an open rate of 32,74% and a click-through rate of 9,01%. The Earth Hour newsletter resonated strongly with its internal audience, standing out for its originality and strategic alignment.
Machine noted that these engagement figures demonstrate the impact of delivering tailored, relevant content through a single, cohesive newsletter. The You Mailed It judges also commended Machine for its creativity, innovation, and ability to drive meaningful business outcomes.
Ultimately, the initiative reinforced Sanlam’s position as a leader in sustainable corporate practices, proving that innovation doesn’t require complexity, only intentionality.