How amika Activated 92% of Their Email List Within 3 Weeks of Migrating to Attentive
2026-02-18 00:36 Diff
https://www.attentive.com/case-studies/how-amika-r-activated-92-of-their-email-list-within-3-weeks-of-migrating-to-attentive

A Brooklyn-born brand built on connection

amika® is a haircare brand known for its professional-quality formulas, bold aesthetic, and inclusive mission. Every product is designed for all hair types, and every interaction is rooted in one idea: haircare should be personal, approachable, and fun. As amika®’s loyal community grew, their lifecycle marketing needed to evolve with it. The goal wasn’t to send more messages—it was to make every one feel thoughtful, timely, and meaningful. To bring that vision to life, the brand needed stronger identity resolution, simpler orchestration, and a single, unified place to manage customer communication at scale.

“We want to feel like a trusted friend—someone who’s credible, approachable, and always there to help you find what works best for your hair.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

From SMS success to email transformation

amika® had already built a thriving SMS program with Attentive—one of the most consistent, highest-performing channels in their lifecycle mix. After five years of partnership, the team knew the value of personalized, direct communication. When the opportunity arose to unify their lifecycle under one roof, the team wanted to see how Attentive could elevate email. Before fully migrating, they tested Attentive-powered cart and browse abandonment automations while continuing to send campaigns through their previous ESP. The results were immediate: stronger identity resolution, higher conversions, and more efficient journeys.

“SMS was already such a strong channel for us on Attentive. Once we saw how well the early email automations performed, it just made sense to transition.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

Those early wins gave the amika® team confidence that Attentive could power a modern, connected lifecycle program that matched their brand voice and ambition.

Why Attentive for email

For Carah and her team, the decision to migrate email to Attentive came down to two things: partnership and precision.

“We’ve only ever worked with Attentive for SMS, and it’s always been a phenomenal experience. We weren’t getting that same white-glove service or level of sophistication from our previous ESP. Attentive offered both—and the ability to reach customers exactly when and how they want to be reached.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

That identity resolution and deliverability (combined with Attentive’s intuitive UI!) gave amika® the confidence to rebuild email as the center of their lifecycle strategy.

A smooth migration in just six weeks

Migrating a headless architecture is typically complex—but amika®’s transition to Attentive Email was seamless. With tight collaboration between the amika®, Attentive, and Roswell teams, the entire migration took just six weeks—far faster than the industry average of several months.

“Typically these transitions take months. Ours was just six weeks. It was organized, supported, and gave us confidence at every step.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

Once the new program launched, the difference was clear. Journeys were cleaner, logic more intuitive, and campaigns more reflective of how customers actually shop and engage.

“Once we rebuilt our journeys with Attentive, everything clicked. The flows became stronger, smarter, and more aligned with how our customers actually shop.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

Email as the backbone of amika®’s lifecycle

With Attentive, email became more than a channel—it became the engine of amika®’s storytelling. The brand uses it to deliver education, inspiration, and community-driven content that deepens loyalty and drives results. In just three weeks, 92% of subscribers were reactivated, with open rates as high as 71% and conversion rates reaching 74% on high-intent triggered messages.

The new strategy focuses on:

  • Deeper segmentation by purchase behavior, replenishment timing, and product affinity
  • Structured VIP experiences that reward loyalty
  • Reimagined post-purchase journeys built around education and care
  • Balanced storytelling that combines utility, creativity, and joy
  • Expanding use of UGC and stylist-driven content
“Email is where we can actually teach, show value, and bring people into the world of amika®—and Attentive makes that possible at scale.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

Automation that feels human

Automation plays a major role in amika®’s lifecycle, from high-performing welcome series to replenishment flows that drive long-term retention. The brand is currently rebuilding its post-purchase ecosystem to deepen personalization and optimize recommendations based on product affinity.

Using SMS with purpose

Where email educates and inspires, SMS delivers immediacy and connection. amika® is intentional about its SMS cadence, using the channel for moments that matter most—timely reminders, product drops, VIP access, and two-way engagement.

“Now, we're able to reach out in the mode customers prefer, exactly when they want it. That’s a dream scenario.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

Their strategy focuses on value, not volume—and it works. Some campaigns see ROI as high as 402x, and a simple VIP feedback message became one of the brand’s best-performing sends of the year.

Unified orchestration, shared insight

With both email and SMS under one roof, amika® can finally manage its lifecycle holistically. Engagement, purchase, and behavioral data now flow across channels, enabling precise segmentation and cohesive storytelling.

“Having email and SMS under one roof means unified strategy, shared attribution, and a clearer view of how every touchpoint impacts another. The more we can do that, the stronger our program becomes.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

This new clarity allows the team to think in moments, not channels—identifying when someone needs education, encouragement, or space—and ensuring each message lands at the perfect time.

Integrations that strengthen amika®’s lifecycle

Beyond core email and SMS, amika® uses key integrations—LoyaltyLion and Okendo—to deepen loyalty, drive repeat purchase, and enrich their post-purchase experience. With Attentive powering the orchestration layer, these programs now run with more precision and deliverability than ever before.

LoyaltyLion: Rewarding the right moments

amika® uses LoyaltyLion to recognize milestones, surprise loyal customers, and keep their points economy active. With Attentive Email sending these messages, they’re able to bring more personality, clarity, and timeliness to each touchpoint.

Their top-performing LoyaltyLion sends include:

  • Tier Earned emails that congratulate customers when they level up and explain the benefits unlocked
  • Points Available sends reminding shoppers when they have enough points to redeem on their next purchase
  • Birthday rewards that bring customers back with celebratory messaging and an incentive to treat themselves

These emails are short, clear, and conversion-ready—and the improved deliverability ensures they consistently land where customers will engage. Together, they help amika® reinforce loyalty and bring shoppers back into the ecosystem without relying on heavy discounts.

Okendo: Turning reviews into relationship-building

amika® uses Okendo to collect high-impact product reviews that fuel both trust and future personalization. The Attentive-powered review request emails are clean, visual, and optimized for action, encouraging responses that translate directly into stronger recommendation logic and richer customer profiles.

Their Okendo setup helps amika®:

  • Gather detailed, high-intent feedback on recent purchases
  • Recommend products based on real usage data
  • Strengthen their post-purchase journeys with authentic UGC
  • Reinforce loyalty by rewarding customers for sharing their experience

These review requests consistently drive strong engagement and help complete the loop between purchase, education, and community storytelling—one of amika®’s biggest brand differentiators.

Results

Email performance (first month live)

  • 92% of subscribers engaged within 30 days
  • 35%+ conversion rates across multiple campaigns
  • Up to 74.77% CVR on high-intent triggered emails
  • 63–71% open rates on welcome and session abandonment flows
  • 12.96% unique click rate on top journeys

SMS performance

  • 29x ROI across the SMS program
  • 14x average ROI on SMS campaigns
  • 42% CVR and 402x ROI from BFCM early-access campaigns
  • 283x ROI from automated SMS journeys
  • 60% CVR and 359x ROI from welcome journeys

Looking ahead

amika® is continuing to expand its post-purchase and loyalty ecosystems—layering in more personalized, UGC-driven education to strengthen long-term engagement.

“Attentive unlocked a new level of lifecycle marketing for us. We’re just getting started.”
- Carah Campbell, Director - CRM + Data Intelligence, amika

With email and SMS fully unified in Attentive, the brand now has the data foundation, automation, and creative agility to make every customer interaction feel personal, intentional, and distinctly amika®.