Whole Foods:
Email Design System

Project Overview

As part of the digital marketing team at Whole Foods, I contributed to the development of a scalable email design system used across national campaigns and regional store communications. The goal was to create modular components that allowed marketing teams to quickly build emails while maintaining consistent branding and usability. Within the system, I led the creation and ongoing management of two key components: the store location map module and the seasonal header system, both of which became foundational elements used across campaigns throughout the year.

The Challenge

Whole Foods needed a scalable email UI library that could be used company-wide by designers and content creators. Campaigns were often built from scratch, which created inefficiencies and inconsistencies across marketing communications. The objective was to create a modular system that allowed teams to assemble emails quickly while maintaining brand consistency and supporting localized content such as new store announcements and regional messaging.

My Role

Visual Designer — Email Design System

• Art directed, designed, and developed modular email components
• Designed and managed the store map module used for new store announcements
• Created and maintained seasonal and holiday email headers
• Ensured visual consistency across campaigns and marketing initiatives
• Collaborated with marketing and production teams to implement the system

Design Approach

The system was built around reusable HTML modules that allowed marketing teams to assemble emails using consistent components while maintaining flexibility for different campaign types. Each module was designed within the constraints of email clients and optimized for performance, reliability, and scalability across multiple regions.

Store Location Map Module

One of my primary contributions was the design and ongoing management of the store map component, used to highlight new store openings and help customers quickly identify their nearest location. I created a flexible template that allowed the marketing team to update store markers and location details without rebuilding the design each time.

• Designing the original map module layout
• Creating maps for new store announcements
• Maintaining and updating the module as new locations opened
• Ensuring reliable rendering across email clients

Seasonal & Holiday Headers

I also managed the design of seasonal and promotional email headers, which were updated throughout the year to support holiday campaigns and seasonal promotions. Each header maintained Whole Foods' visual identity while allowing campaigns to feel timely and relevant.

• Holiday campaigns
• Seasonal promotions
• Limited-time marketing events

Tools Used