December 21st. Four days before Christmas. I was scrolling my inbox at 2 AM when something clicked.

I'd just finished rewatching Shrek. You know that scene where Shrek and Donkey are racing to Duloc? Deadline ticking. Princess to rescue. Obstacles everywhere.

"We have to get to the castle before Farquaad marries Fiona!"

Then I saw this TSAS email: "Final hours for Xmas Delivery! Today is your LAST opportunity..."

Wait. That's the same formula.

Pressure. Urgency. Clear mission. Same psychology. Different quest.

By the end of this breakdown, you'll see exactly how TSAS used the same quest formula as Shrek, why it converts better than generic gift guides, and how to steal it for your last-minute Christmas Klaviyo campaigns.

Before we dive into today’s topic, here's what the FANBASED Formula does:

Netflix spent $17 billion figuring out how to hijack your brain. Disney mastered turning casual viewers into obsessed fans.

Meanwhile, most ecommerce brands send boring cart reminders and generic 20% off emails.

The FANBASED Formula takes the psychology Hollywood uses to keep you binge-watching and applies it to your Klaviyo campaigns. Same brain. Same triggers. Better conversions.

With that being said, onward to our movie of the week!

Shrek and Donkey have a mission: rescue Fiona before Farquaad marries her at sunset.

Clear deadline. Clear goal. Clear obstacles (dragon, castle, lava).

But here's what makes it work: Shrek doesn't just say "go rescue the princess." The movie SHOWS you the path.

The journey to Duloc. The map. The rope bridge. The dragon's castle. Step by step.

The psychology: Your brain loves clear paths when under pressure. Give someone a deadline WITHOUT a path, they freeze. Give them BOTH, they move.

The trigger: Quest structure. Deadline + obstacle + guided path = action.

This is the exact formula TSAS used in their Christmas email.

Both Shrek and TSAS's email use a variant of the 4 P's Formula: Promise, Picture, Proof, Push - but structured as a QUEST.

How Shrek Uses It:

Component 1: The Promise (Quest Goal) What happens: "Get your swamp back by rescuing Fiona" Why it works: Clear outcome, clear motivation

Component 2: The Picture (The Path) What happens: Shows the journey - rope bridge, dragon's castle, obstacles Why it works: Makes the quest feel achievable, not overwhelming

Component 3: The Proof (Guide/Companion) What happens: Donkey guides Shrek, provides support, comic relief Why it works: You're not alone on the journey

Component 4: The Push (Deadline) What happens: "Before sunset!" / "Before Farquaad marries her!" Why it works: Creates urgency without panic because you have a path

The Key: Shrek doesn't just dump you into chaos. It gives you pressure + a map. That's exactly what TSAS did in their Christmas email.

Here’s the actual email…

Email Quick Facts:

Subject Line Breakdown:

Why This Works: Immediately establishes the quest deadline, just like "rescue Fiona before sunset."

How This Email Mirrors Shrek's Formula:

Opening Section: The Promise (Quest Goal)

What they wrote: "Final hours for Xmas Delivery!" header with "Today (December 18) is your LAST opportunity to guarantee gifts arrive in time. Give the meaningful gift of creativity they'll never forget 🎨🎁❄️"

Movie parallel: Just like Shrek's quest is "rescue Fiona to get your swamp back," this email's quest is "find the perfect creative gift before the deadline."

Brain trigger: Clear promise. You know EXACTLY what you're trying to achieve and why it matters.

Middle Section: The Picture (The Path) + Proof (Guide)

What they wrote: Four organized product categories with clean images:

Each with "SHOP" CTA buttons

Movie parallel: Shrek's journey shows clear steps - rope bridge, dragon castle, tower. This email shows clear categories - brushes, canvars, arches. You're not overwhelmed with 50 products. You have a GUIDED path through the gift options.

Brain trigger: Organized journey. The quest feels achievable because you can see the steps. "Browse brushes → or canvars → or arches → click shop → done."

Closing Section: The Push (Deadline Reinforcement)

What they wrote: "IMPORTANT: Any orders placed after midnight tonight won't arrive on time. Don't wait till then!" with red star decorations for emphasis

Movie parallel: "We have to hurry! Sunset is coming!" - Donkey constantly reminding Shrek of the deadline throughout the quest.

Brain trigger: Final urgency push. But because you already have the path (the organized categories), this doesn't create panic. It creates ACTION.

Bottom Line: TSAS used Quest Formula the same way Shrek does. They gave you pressure (Christmas deadline) + a clear path (organized gift categories) + a guide (product images and CTAs). This is why it beats generic "shop our holiday collection" emails with 100 random products dumped on one page.

The Psychology: Shrek uses deadline pressure + guided journey to create forward momentum. You're not just watching chaos. You're watching a QUEST with clear steps.

TSAS applied this same principle, which is why it converts higher than overwhelming product catalog emails.

Generic Ecommerce Email: "Shop 100+ Holiday Gifts!" with endless scrolling, no categories, no clear path, just products everywhere

This Email: Deadline upfront + 4 organized categories (brushes/canvars/arches) + clear "shop" actions + final deadline reminder

Use This Formula For:

Why It Works: Your customer's brain responds to Shrek's quest the same way it responds to this email. Pressure alone = freeze. Path alone = no urgency. Pressure + path = action. The quest formula removes decision paralysis while maintaining urgency.

This week: Don't just add urgency to your emails. Add a QUEST. Test this in your next deadline campaign: Start with pressure (deadline), then organize your products into 3-5 clear categories (the path), then remind of deadline (the push). Customers convert higher when they can SEE the journey, not just feel the pressure.

Where to Watch: Peacock, rent on Amazon Prime

Focus On: The quest sequence from leaving the swamp to rescuing Fiona

What to Notice: How the movie balances deadline pressure with clear steps. Count how many times they mention the deadline vs. how much time is spent showing the journey. That's your email ratio.

Reply with your current binge obsession.

"We can do this, Donkey. We're almost there,"

Geb Vence
See you next week.

Want these movie formulas built into your Klaviyo account?

I run Email Rev Lab, an email marketing agency for ecommerce brands. We turn one-time buyers into repeat customers without burning margins on discounts.

What We Specialize In:

✓ Repeat Purchase Sequences that increase customer LTV
✓ Abandoned Cart Recovery (75% conversion rate)
✓ Product Launch Campaigns without discount dependency
✓ Win-Back Campaigns (13-28% hidden revenue)
✓ Newsletter Flows that keep subscribers engaged

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