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A fresh approach to email

The Onion has been a staple of satirical news for nearly three decades. What started as a print newspaper in Midwestern college towns expanded into a multimedia empire—including a daily and weekly email strategy. While print ended in 2013, The Onion’s digital reach continued growing with video content, ClickHole, and The A.V. Club.

From CMS to smarter email tools

Previously, The Onion’s newsletters were auto-generated by a content management system, offering little flexibility. That changed when they adopted Mailchimp. According to Jordan David, Digital Manager at Onion Inc., the switch provided better tracking, template customization, and segmentation capabilities.

A newsletter for each brand

The Onion has daily and weekly editions. A.V. Club follows a similar cadence but also runs a television-specific newsletter. ClickHole, launched in 2014, offers a curated weekly edition. Each brand tailors frequency based on audience behavior and content goals.

Performance-driven content curation

The Onion publishes around eight new stories daily. For their newsletters, five are selected for the daily edition. The weekly version is curated based on performance—pulling in top traffic drivers from the week. Content already shared on social media helps guide these choices.

Headlines and subject lines go hand-in-hand

Onion headlines are crafted with editorial precision. But when it comes to subject lines, simple infographic-style titles like “Blizzard Survival Tips” often perform better. These high-performing headlines lead most newsletters.

Experimentation and future goals

While ad placements have been tested, the focus remains on driving traffic rather than revenue. However, Onion Inc. is exploring the idea of a unified newsletter combining content from all its properties—a move that could strengthen brand cohesion and audience relationships.

Building loyalty through tone and consistency

The Onion’s voice presents unique branding challenges, but its commitment to tailored emails, strategic frequency, and ongoing testing keeps its campaigns sharp. Their use of Mailchimp has empowered their team to adapt and optimize with ease.