25 comical subject lines + tips for funny email ideas
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2025 7:03 am
Want a surefire way to engage your subscribers and get them to open your emails? Make ’em laugh. A humorous subject line is a great motivator.
So, how do you write funny subject lines? Since hiring Amy Schumer or John Oliver is probably out of the question, you’ll have to channel your own inner comedian. Don’t worry; we’ll help you find your funny bone. We have four tips that will make it easier to create chuckle-worthy subject lines. But, before we start, here are some funny subject lines to use as inspiration:
OpenTable: Licking your phone never tasted so good
Chubbies: Cruisin’ for a jacuzzin’
Travelocity: Need a day at the beach? Just scratch n’ sniff your way to paradise…
Dollar Flight Club: You entered the giveaway! We love you
Old Navy: It’s official: you CAN wear white (no stain stick required)
Uniqlo: “Is that new? I love it!” – Everyone
Bright Cellars: Heads up! We created a newsletter for winos just like you.
Groupon: Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)
Eater Boston: Where to Drink Beer Right Now (Sent at 6:45 am on a Wednesday)
Fabletics: Your Butt Will Look Great in These Workout Pants
Taco Bell: Keep your pants on! We’re revealing our new Naked Chicken Chalupa NOW.
UrbanDaddy: You’ve Changed
Influitive: So I’ll pick you up at 7?
BloomThat: Better than a pumpkin spice latte!
Petco: This email is littered with options
The Bold Italic: Just Pho You: Where to Eat SF’s Best Pho
Sur La Table: Can We Cut In? Top-Rated Knives up to 60% off
The Muse: We Like Being Used
BuzzFeed: Yes, We’re Still Talking About Kim Kardashian’s Butt
Groupon: There are no deals in this email
Warby Parker: Pairs nicely with spreadsheets
The Hustle: Oh boix, La Croix
NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences: Show Us Yours and We’ll Show You Ours
Baby Bump: Yes, I’m Pregnant. You Can Stop Staring At My Belly Now.
Benefit Cosmetics: Do you like to watch?
Tips for writing amusing subject lines:
1. Connect things that don’t go together
To get subscribers to crack a smile and click open on your email, try combining two things rcs database that may not necessarily fit together. The “Pairs nicely with spreadsheets” subject line from Warby Parker is a good example. Try to combine your product or service with something out of the ordinary. For example, an online retailer could connect hip trends to the older generation. A subject line like, “10 trendy styles even your grandmother thinks are on fire,” could get a smile from your readers and encourage customers of all generations to open your email.
2. Use movies and song titles
Draw inspiration from movie quotes, song titles and infamous TV or internet moments. Think of movies that relate to your business or famous quotes that you could incorporate into your subject line. For example, a dating service could reference the movie title “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” in a subject line. A spa or salon could weave in the movie title “Inside Out.” A landscaping business could reference the online game Angry Birds. A local pub could use “Seinfeld”‘s Kramer quote, “These pretzels are makin’ me thirsty.”
So, how do you write funny subject lines? Since hiring Amy Schumer or John Oliver is probably out of the question, you’ll have to channel your own inner comedian. Don’t worry; we’ll help you find your funny bone. We have four tips that will make it easier to create chuckle-worthy subject lines. But, before we start, here are some funny subject lines to use as inspiration:
OpenTable: Licking your phone never tasted so good
Chubbies: Cruisin’ for a jacuzzin’
Travelocity: Need a day at the beach? Just scratch n’ sniff your way to paradise…
Dollar Flight Club: You entered the giveaway! We love you
Old Navy: It’s official: you CAN wear white (no stain stick required)
Uniqlo: “Is that new? I love it!” – Everyone
Bright Cellars: Heads up! We created a newsletter for winos just like you.
Groupon: Deals That Make Us Proud (Unlike Our Nephew, Steve)
Eater Boston: Where to Drink Beer Right Now (Sent at 6:45 am on a Wednesday)
Fabletics: Your Butt Will Look Great in These Workout Pants
Taco Bell: Keep your pants on! We’re revealing our new Naked Chicken Chalupa NOW.
UrbanDaddy: You’ve Changed
Influitive: So I’ll pick you up at 7?
BloomThat: Better than a pumpkin spice latte!
Petco: This email is littered with options
The Bold Italic: Just Pho You: Where to Eat SF’s Best Pho
Sur La Table: Can We Cut In? Top-Rated Knives up to 60% off
The Muse: We Like Being Used
BuzzFeed: Yes, We’re Still Talking About Kim Kardashian’s Butt
Groupon: There are no deals in this email
Warby Parker: Pairs nicely with spreadsheets
The Hustle: Oh boix, La Croix
NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences: Show Us Yours and We’ll Show You Ours
Baby Bump: Yes, I’m Pregnant. You Can Stop Staring At My Belly Now.
Benefit Cosmetics: Do you like to watch?
Tips for writing amusing subject lines:
1. Connect things that don’t go together
To get subscribers to crack a smile and click open on your email, try combining two things rcs database that may not necessarily fit together. The “Pairs nicely with spreadsheets” subject line from Warby Parker is a good example. Try to combine your product or service with something out of the ordinary. For example, an online retailer could connect hip trends to the older generation. A subject line like, “10 trendy styles even your grandmother thinks are on fire,” could get a smile from your readers and encourage customers of all generations to open your email.
2. Use movies and song titles
Draw inspiration from movie quotes, song titles and infamous TV or internet moments. Think of movies that relate to your business or famous quotes that you could incorporate into your subject line. For example, a dating service could reference the movie title “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” in a subject line. A spa or salon could weave in the movie title “Inside Out.” A landscaping business could reference the online game Angry Birds. A local pub could use “Seinfeld”‘s Kramer quote, “These pretzels are makin’ me thirsty.”