The Product I designed an engaging and brand-aligned email ticket template for PlayStation to distribute digital match-day tickets to guests attending UEFA Euro 2024. The email not only functions as a ticket delivery system but also serves as a branded experience that reflects PlayStation’s premium partnership with UEFA. The design is mobile-optimized, clear, and intuitive, ensuring recipients feel both the excitement of the event and the polish of the PlayStation brand from the moment they open the message.
The Project Duration November 2023 - July 2024
The Problem As a key UEFA 2024 sponsor, PlayStation wanted a digital ticket delivery solution that went beyond a basic confirmation email. Their challenge was creating an elevated, on-brand experience that seamlessly delivers event details, engages recipients, and feels as premium as attending the tournament itself. Moreover, emails needed to be responsive, informative, and easy to access on-the-go, while integrating ticket download and customer support.
The Goal Design an email ticket template that delivers UEFA 2024 match tickets in a format that:
- Reflects PlayStation’s premium sponsorship presence
- Builds anticipation and excitement for the event
- Functions clearly across devices and inbox platforms
- Offers a streamlined guest experience, from access to customer support
Role and Responsibilities As the Lead Designer, I was responsible for the full UX and UI of the email experience. My tasks included:
- Creating user flows for ticket access and support
- Designing responsive layouts compatible with major email clients
- Aligning visuals with both PlayStation’s and UEFA’s brand guidelines
- Collaborating with marketing, legal, and development teams to ensure compliance and deliverability
- Iterating based on internal feedback and testing results
User Research Summary To inform the design, I conducted internal user testing with PlayStation stakeholders and past event attendees. Initially, the team anticipated that guests would prioritize ticket access over aesthetics. However, we discovered that brand presence and anticipation-building elements—like countdowns, personalized messaging, and hero imagery—significantly increased engagement. Guests also wanted:
- Clear calls to action
- Easy-to-locate event details
- Access to support links without having to scroll
User Pain Points & Solutions
1. Generic, Unengaging Ticket Emails
Pain Point: Previous event emails were functional but lacked excitement or brand identity.
Design Solution: I introduced bold, PlayStation-branded visuals, dynamic headers, and clear ticket download CTAs, turning a transactional email into a premium experience.
Pain Point: Previous event emails were functional but lacked excitement or brand identity.
Design Solution: I introduced bold, PlayStation-branded visuals, dynamic headers, and clear ticket download CTAs, turning a transactional email into a premium experience.
2. Mobile Compatibility Issues
Pain Point: Attendees often access tickets via mobile right before the match—prior emails had formatting issues or long load times.
Design Solution: Implemented a mobile-first layout with scalable fonts, large tap targets, and minimal loading time to ensure usability at the stadium gates.
Pain Point: Attendees often access tickets via mobile right before the match—prior emails had formatting issues or long load times.
Design Solution: Implemented a mobile-first layout with scalable fonts, large tap targets, and minimal loading time to ensure usability at the stadium gates.
3. Missing or Hard-to-Find Event Info
Pain Point: Users reported difficulty finding match details, venue maps, or support links.
Design Solution: Designed a modular layout with clear, visually separated sections for event details, match time, and help resources—reducing confusion and last-minute stress.
Pain Point: Users reported difficulty finding match details, venue maps, or support links.
Design Solution: Designed a modular layout with clear, visually separated sections for event details, match time, and help resources—reducing confusion and last-minute stress.
User Persona
User Flow
Results The PlayStation ticket email template was successfully distributed to 800 invited guests, offering them access and support for the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship experience. The results of the campaign demonstrate both operational success and audience engagement:
- Email Delivery Success: All 800 emails were delivered without any bounce-backs, ensuring 100% reach across the target guest list.
- Open Rate: The campaign achieved a strong open rate of 78%, indicating high interest and recognition of the PlayStation and UEFA brands.
- Ticket Redemption: Over 90% of guests successfully accessed and redeemed their match tickets via the provided link or QR code.
- User Experience: Positive feedback highlighted the clarity and ease of the user flow—from email access to ticket support—enhancing the guest journey.
- Guest Satisfaction: The event received glowing feedback, with many guests expressing gratitude for the seamless coordination and unforgettable experience at the UEFA Euro 2024 Championships.
- Support Inquiries: Less than 3% of recipients needed assistance, thanks to the intuitive design and embedded support instructions within the email.
This campaign not only streamlined guest access but also reflected PlayStation’s commitment to premium fan experiences in the world of live sport and entertainment.
Accessibility Considerations
1. Color Contrast
Consideration: Email clients and devices vary in how they render color; low-contrast text can be unreadable for users with visual impairments or color-vision deficiencies.
Solution: We selected a high-contrast palette—dark PlayStation blue for body text on a white background, and bright yellow buttons with dark text—to meet or exceed WCAG AA standards. All link hover states and focus highlights also maintain sufficient contrast ratios to ensure readability across desktop and mobile clients.
2. Keyboard Navigation
Consideration: Some users rely solely on the keyboard (or assistive switches) to navigate interactive content. In an email context, this means ensuring that actionable elements—buttons and links—are both discoverable and operable via keyboard focus.
Solution: Each “Access My Tickets,” “Learn More,” and “Need Help?” link is coded as a semantic <a> or <button> with a clear :focus outline. We’ve tested in major email clients to confirm that tab order follows the logical reading flow and that skip-to-content anchors allow users to bypass header elements quickly.
3. Alt Text for Images
Consideration: Visually impaired users depend on screen readers to understand the content of images. Without meaningful alt text, brand logos, button graphics, and decorative elements become invisible to these users.
Solution: Every image in the template—including the PlayStation and UEFA Euro 2024 logos, the ticket-preview graphic, and any decorative icons—carries concise, descriptive alt attributes (e.g., alt="PlayStation logo", alt="UEFA Euro 2024 trophy graphic", alt="Download your digital ticket button"). Decorative background swatches use alt="" and role="presentation" so screen readers skip them entirely.
Next Steps
- Monitor User Feedback & Engagement Metrics: Track click-through rates on ticket access buttons, “Need Help?” link usage, and any reported accessibility issues. Collect qualitative feedback via a short survey link in follow-up communications.
- Optimize Email Performance: Audit and streamline HTML/CSS for faster rendering in resource-constrained inboxes; reduce image file sizes without compromising clarity.
- A/B Test Subject Lines & CTAs: Experiment with alternative subject prefixes (“Your UEFA Euro 2024 Ticket Inside” vs. “Access Your PlayStation Tickets Now”) and button copy (“View Your Ticket” vs. “Download Now”) to boost open and click rates.
- Expand Accessibility Features: Evaluate adding live captions for any embedded video previews, introduce a “dark mode” compatible version of the template, and explore semantic ARIA roles in supported clients.
- Collaborate with Marketing & Support Teams: Align on personalized ticket recommendations based on user play history, and integrate dynamic support contact cards (live-chat vs. phone) to streamline customer service.
- Plan Future Enhancements: Investigate integration of progressive web app links for offline ticket storage, multi-language support for global audiences, and richer interactive elements—like embedded seat maps—that remain accessible across devices.
By iteratively refining both the accessibility foundations and the overall user experience, we’ll ensure that every fan—regardless of ability—can seamlessly access, share, and enjoy their PlayStation-powered UEFA Euro 2024 tickets.