---
title: Personalized salutations
slug: campaign/docs/personalized-salutations
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-07-20T15:45:32.739Z
---

This topic describes [ODR](docId:3NCGtESWLCPSzcLDKFl31) and [Velocity](docId:3NCGtESWLCPSzcLDKFl31) salutation logics. By default, Optimizely Campaign uses ODR salutation logic.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

Use your specific data and recipient list fields, and test the field functions before using them in a mailing.
:::

## [personalized-salutations.mdx](docId:3NCGtESWLCPSzcLDKFl31)ODR

Below you can find standard and special ODR salutation logics including field function templates.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

ODR cannot display special characters as HTML codes. Since some email programs require the respective HTML codes to display special characters correctly, you must use Velocity for these cases.
:::

### Salutations without title

You can use the following ODR code for the personalized salutation *Dear Mrs.*, *Dear Mr.* or *Dear Sir or Madam*:

```html
<odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation)}" var="salut"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname}" var="lname"/><odr:choose>  <odr:when test="%{not isEmpty(lname) and (salut eq 'mr' or salut eq 'mrs')}">    <odr:choose>      <odr:when test="%{salut eq 'mr'}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mr." />      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{salut eq 'mrs'}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs." />      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>    <odr:out value=" %{lname}" />  </odr:when>  <odr:otherwise>    <odr:out value="Dear Sir or Madam" />  </odr:otherwise></odr:choose>
```

### Salutations with title

If your recipient list contains a recipient list field for the salutation title, you can display it with the following ODR code:

```html
<odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation)}" var="salut"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.title}" var="title"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname}" var="lname"/><odr:choose>  <odr:when test="%{not isEmpty(lname) and (salut eq 'mr' or salut eq 'mrs')}">    <odr:choose>      <odr:when test="%{salut eq 'mr'}">        <odr:out value="Dear" />      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{salut eq 'mrs'}">        <odr:out value="Dear" />      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>    <odr:choose>	  <odr:when test="%{not isEmpty(title)}">	    <odr:out value=" %{title}" />      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>    <odr:out value=" %{lname}" />  </odr:when>  <odr:otherwise>    <odr:out value="Dear Sir or Madam" />  </odr:otherwise></odr:choose>
```

### Mixed salutations

If you have different entries in the recipient list field for the salutation, you can use the following ODR code

```html
<odr:set value="(m|1|male|mr|mr.)" var="male" /><odr:set value="(w|2|f|female|mrs|mrs.)" var="female" /><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname}" var="lastname" /><odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation)}" var="salutation" /><odr:choose>  <odr:when test="%{!isEmpty(lastname) and (matches(salutation, male) or matches(salutation, female))}">    <odr:choose>      <odr:when test="%{matches(salutation, female)}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs." />      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{matches(salutation, male)}">        <odr:out value=Dear Mr." />      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>    <odr:out value=" %{lname}" />  </odr:when>  <odr:otherwise>    <odr:out value="Dear Sir or Madam" />  </odr:otherwise></odr:choose>
```

:::hint{type="info"}
**Tip**

The code example assumes that the recipient list field contains the values *M*, *1*, *Male*, *Mr*, *Mr*. or *W*, *2*, *F*, *Female*, *Mrs*, *Mrs.*.
:::

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

If *Mr* and *Mrs* are queried, the female salutation must be given first, since *Mr* applies to both *male* and *female*. Otherwise, the male salutation is always displayed.
:::

### Multiple salutations

If you have multiple recipient list fields for different salutations, you can use the following ODR code as default replacement:

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

You must reference appropriate recipient list fields for both salutations and last names.
:::

```html
<odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation)}" var="salut"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname}" var="lname"/><odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation2)}" var="salut2"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname2}" var="lname2"/><odr:choose>  <odr:when test="%{(not isEmpty(lname) and (salut eq 'mr' or salut eq 'mrs')) and (not isEmpty(lname2) and (salut2 eq 'mr' or salut2 eq 'mrs'))}">    <odr:choose>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mrs') and (salut2 eq 'mrs')}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="&lt;br&gt;"/>	 <odr:out value="dear Mrs. %{lname2},"/>      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mr') and (salut2 eq 'mrs')}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname2}," />	 <odr:out value="&lt;br&gt;"/>		 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname},"/>	      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mrs') and (salut2 eq 'mr')}">	 <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="&lt;br&gt;"/>			 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname2},"/>		      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mr') and (salut2 eq 'mr')}">	 <odr:out value="Dear Mr. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="&lt;br&gt;"/>			 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname2},"/>      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>			  </odr:when>  <odr:otherwise>    <odr:out value="Dear Sir or Madam" />  </odr:otherwise></odr:choose>
```

You must also add the following ODR code as text content:

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

You must reference appropriate recipient list fields for both salutations and last names.
:::

```html
<odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation)}" var="salut"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname}" var="lname"/><odr:set value="%{lower(user.data.salutation2)}" var="salut2"/><odr:set value="%{user.data.lastname2}" var="lname2"/><odr:set value="%{character('10')}" var="br"/><odr:choose>  <odr:when test="%{(not isEmpty(lname) and (salut eq 'mr' or salut eq 'mrs')) and (not isEmpty(lname2) and (salut2 eq 'mr' or salut2 eq 'mrs'))}">    <odr:choose>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mrs') and (salut2 eq 'mrs')}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="%{br}"/>	 <odr:out value="dear Mrs. %{lname2},"/>      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mr') and (salut2 eq 'mrs')}">        <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname2}," />	 <odr:out value="%{br}"/>		 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname},"/>	      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mrs') and (salut2 eq 'mr')}">	 <odr:out value="Dear Mrs. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="%{br}"/>			 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname2},"/>		      </odr:when>      <odr:when test="%{(salut eq 'mr') and (salut2 eq 'mr')}">	 <odr:out value="Dear Mr. %{lname}," />	 <odr:out value="%{br}"/>			 <odr:out value="dear Mr. %{lname2},"/>      </odr:when>    </odr:choose>			  </odr:when>  <odr:otherwise>    <odr:out value="Dear Sir or Madam" />  </odr:otherwise></odr:choose>
```

## [personalized-salutations.mdx](docId:3NCGtESWLCPSzcLDKFl31)Velocity

You can use the following Velocity code as standard replacement for the personalized salutation *Dear Mrs.*, *Dear Mr.* or *Dear Sir or Madam*:

:::hint{type="info"}
**Tip**

To convert special characters into HTML code, the Velocity code includes the function `$HtmlUtils.encodeEntities()`.
:::

```velocity
#set($salutation = $!user.data.salutation)#set($lastname = $!user.data.lastname)#if (!$StringHelper.isEmpty($salutation) && !$StringHelper.isEmpty($lastname) && ($salutation.equals("Mr") || $salutation.equals("Mrs")))  #if ($salutation.equals("Mr"))    Dear Mr.  #else    Dear Mrs.  #end  $HtmlUtils.encodeEntities($user.data.lastname)#else  Dear Sir or Madam#end
```

You must also add the following Velocity code (without the function `$HtmlUtils.encodeEntities()`) as single-line text content:

```velocity
#set($salutation = $!user.data.salutation)#set($lastname = $!user.data.lastname)#if (!$StringHelper.isEmpty($salutation) && !$StringHelper.isEmpty($lastname) && ($salutation.equals("Mr") || $salutation.equals("Mrs")))#if ($salutation.equals("Mr"))Dear Mr. #else$!{null}Dear Mrs. #end$user.data.lastname#else$!{null}Dear Sir or Madam#end
```