Oktoberfest Email Marketing: Examples, Subject Lines & Templates [2025]

It’s hard to resist a good, refreshing glass of beer. And there’s a specific time of the year when it steals the spotlight: Oktoberfest.

What began in 1810 as a wedding celebration in Bavaria has grown into the world’s most popular beer event. Held mainly in Munich, where it first took place, Oktoberfest is also celebrated in cities across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Europe.

The festivities usually start in mid-September and end on the first Sunday of October. Many businesses, especially those offering Oktoberfest-themed products or services like breweries or restaurants, take advantage of the festival to promote their goods.

If you’re one of them, this guide to Oktoberfest email marketing has you covered. Discover practical tips, inspiring examples, ready-made subject lines, and copy templates to save time.

Oktoberfest Email Marketing Best Practices

Ready to kick off your Oktoberfest email marketing strategy? Once you’ve added it to your holiday marketing calendar, follow these steps to make it count.

1. Create an Oktoberfest-themed email

Oktoberfest celebrations are full of beer, food, and good vibes. Your promotional emails should reflect that festive spirit with themed elements.

For example, enhance the email design with Bavarian colors, like blue and white. Include Oktoberfest visuals such as beer glasses, pretzels, or people wearing traditional clothing like lederhosen.

Also, sprinkle in words related to the festival, such as Prost, Bavarian, and of course, beer. To add a more traditional touch, include a few German words such as Lederhosen, Dirndl (attire for men and women) or Wiesn, which is the local name for the festival.

Finally, if you’re promoting an event, share a few details to set expectations. Live music performances or photos of beer tents can make your emails more engaging. To save time, choose a ready-made HTML template from your email marketing or design software and customize it based on your needs.

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2. Segment your audience

Will everyone on your email list be interested in Oktoberfest? Probably not, just like other celebrations such as Mother’s Day or Halloween. To avoid boring or confusing your audience, target specific segments that would be interested in your Oktoberfest initiatives.

For instance, you can focus on beer lovers, event enthusiasts, or people who’ve previously interacted with Oktoberfest-related content. You can also use location-based criteria to target people living close to your physical store or event venue. Avoid sending beer-related emails to people who might be under the legal drinking age.

If you run seasonal campaigns for an e-commerce business, it’s worth offering a preference center during the signup process. This allows subscribers to choose which celebrations they’re interested in. Also, make it easy for them to opt out from specific campaigns, or unsubscribe altogether, through clear, accessible buttons.

3. Offer limited-time promotions

Since Oktoberfest lasts between 16 to 18 days, time-sensitive offers and campaigns are a great fit. But how can you do this without sounding pushy?

First, you can include a few urgency cues in the subject line and email copy. Words and phrases like “Now,” “Limited time,” and “A few days left” next to a clock or hourglass emoji can create that effect.

Design-wise, countdown timers are great additions, especially if the expiration date for your Oktoberfest initiative is getting closer. Most email marketing services let you easily add and customize them inside their editors.

However, use this tactic in moderation, otherwise your content may feel spammy. And if you run a campaign throughout Oktoberfest, keep urgency only for the last emails.

4. Include a clear CTA

Subscribers should grasp within a few reads what your Oktoberfest email is about. Is it a flash sale or an event email inviting them to your next beer festival? Create a clear call to action and communicate it with readers through relevant content.

The CTA button should stand out from the rest of the text. Make it pop out using a bright or complementary color. As for the copy, you can either add urgency through “Shop” or “Register Now,” or action-oriented phrases that flow well with the rest of the copy.

If you’re looking for something more fun, use the Oktoberfest theme and drive more click-through rates with options like:

• Prost to Big Savings!
• Tap Into Oktoberfest Deals!
• Cheers & Beers Await – Register Today
• Dress Festively – Oktoberfest Styles Inside

5. Add value through content

Apart from a call to action, your Oktoberfest campaign should reflect your value proposition.

To get it right, step into your recipients’ shoes and ask yourself: What do they need around Oktoberfest? What will reassure them that your offers will cover their needs? Mention the key benefits and assets to get them on board.

For example, if you’re sending an event invitation, explain what makes your event special. That could be your selective Bavarian buffet, the children’s fun fair, or the bands that will perform live music.

As for e-commerce, reassure leaders about the quality of your products. Add images or social proof like testimonials and star ratings to show what others think of your brand.

6. Build automated workflows

A single email won’t usually bring the results you’re longing for. People are busy and might skip an email they’re genuinely interested in because of email fatigue or other pressure factors.

Instead, set up an email sequence with more emails to target subscribers at different times. For example, you can plan an announcement email, a follow-up, a few days later, and a last call close to your events or sale’s expiration date.

Most email marketing software lets you easily craft those workflows with premade recipes, following a simple if/then logic. You can also use these platforms to trigger abandoned cart email series. Consider adding your special Oktoberfest initiatives temporarily to them to gain more traction.

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Compelling Oktoberfest Email Marketing Campaign Examples

Draw inspiration from these Oktoberfest emails before your craft yours:

Red Bull

Subject line: Oktoberfest is calling! 🏒🥨

Red Bull München, the professional ice hockey team owned by the energy drink company, launched an exclusive jersey for Oktoberfest.

Why it works:

• The subject line hinted at the email content, adding a creative touch through relevant emojis.
• The copy was short yet powerful, with an exclusive tone and a mention of the date the team will wear the jersey to hook potential customers.
• The CTA pops out from the rest of the text, using the brand’s trademark red color.

Happy Socks

Subject line: Celebrate Oktoberfest in Style! 🍺

Happy Socks created a dedicated Octoberfest-themed sock line to attract festival enthusiasts.

Why it works:

• They creatively sprinkled Oktoberfest references into the copy to make it more creative.
• Each product is combined with fun and engaging copy, followed by “Shop Now” buttons.
• They stayed true to their brand tone and delivered an engaging campaign that was hard to ignore.

Death Wish Coffee

Subject line: Rolling Bones & Getting Tanked

Death Wish Coffee reinvented one of their main products and invited customers to serve their beer in one of their huge mugs.

Why it works:

• This email campaign includes a plot twist which makes it highly engaging.
• They introduced their products using their own brand tone to appeal to existing and potential customers.
• The free gift incentive encouraged recipients to spend more to claim it.

The Hotel Emma

Subject line: Supper Special: Emma’s Oktoberfest Dinner

The Hotel Emma promoted their Oktoberfest menu, inviting subscribers to order on specific days.

Why it works:

• The subject line reflects the purpose of the email to attract interested subscribers.
• The menu is explained in detail to set the right expectations for customers.
• They shared information on how and when they can receive the Oktoberfest menu via delivery or pick-up.

Oktoberfest Subject Line Suggestions

The subject line plays a key role in conversions. If you succeed in transferring the value of your email at first sight, you’ll get more open rates from people interested in Oktoberfest campaigns.

Here are some examples for more inspiration:

• A tradition that never gets old! 🥨
• The wurst news ever…
• Don’t Miss the Wurst – Oktoberfest Ends Soon!
• Prost! 🍻 Our Oktoberfest Sale Is On!
• Oktoberfest Is Brewing – Tap into Exclusive Offers
• Beer, Brats & Big Discounts!
• Celebrate Oktoberfest the Bavarian Way
• Get Your Lederhosen Ready – Oktoberfest Starts Now!
• Join our Oktoberfest feast 🍺

Looking for the best subject line for your email? Use an AI writer to get suggestions based on your industry. You can also try A/B testing to the one that resonates with your target audience.

Premade Oktoberfest Email Templates

Save time with these ready-to-use email Oktoberfest templates. Customize them using your brand tone and tailor the copy to the email intent.

Oktoberfest sales email template

Subject line: Raise Your Stein to Big Savings! 🍺

It’s that time of the year and Oktoberfest deals are finally here!

Claim exclusive discounts on your favorite products. Stock up for the season or treat yourself to [Discount].

Use the code [Code Number] at checkout to get the discount before [Date].

Don’t miss out. These deals are going fast, just like the beer at Oktoberfest. Prost🍺

CTA: Shop The Sale

Oktoberfest event email template

Subject line: 🍻 You’re Invited: Our Oktoberfest Is Brewing

We’re throwing our Oktoberfest event and we’re happy to share that you’re on our guest list!

Join us to enjoy the traditional fare, Bavarian food and music, and of course, plenty of beer.

📍 [Venue Name]

📆[Date]

⌚ [Time]

Sing up until [Expiration Day] and get ready to raise a glass with us!

CTA: RSVP today

Oktoberfest giveaway email template

Subject line: Win a trip to Oktoberfest! 🍻

It’s time to raise a glass to the world’s largest beer festival! We’re celebrating Oktoberfest by giving you a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Munich, Germany!

To enter, simply [explain the entry method, e.g., “follow us on Instagram and tag a friend,” “sign up for our newsletter”].

Prizes include:

✈️Round-trip airfare and accommodations for two

🎫Tickets to the official Oktoberfest grounds

🍺A $50 gift card for traditional Bavarian beer

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience the best of German culture, food, and, of course, beer. Prost!

CTA: Enter today

Prost To Successful Oktoberfest Campaigns

Mark your email calendar and create a unique Oktoberfest campaign that is hard to forget. Plus, share this initiative on other offline and online channels, such as social media, to gain more traction.

And don’t forget to have fun in the process. Such emails leave plenty of room for creativity. Brainstorm with your team to find the best idea for your audience.

FAQs

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions regarding our topic.

1. What is the history of Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a public celebration of the royal wedding, featuring horse races and festivities. It evolved into a global beer festival, where people get to enjoy beer, live music, and Bavarian food.

2. How can you successfully promote Oktoberfest?

You can combine different tactics, both online and offline, based on your target audience. For example, if you’re organizing a festival, you can send invitations via email, run relevant social media posts, and share pamphlets to inform the locals.

3. How can you create an engaging Oktoberfest-themed email?

Blend Oktoberfest-related visual elements and copy to put recipients into the right mindset, with emphasis on the subject line. You can also add urgency and social proof to make them more appealing.