Email Signatures Are NOT Advertising Hoardings
I understand that THE number one development request for GMail was the ability to have rich formatted signatures. Whilst I get that people want to have a little more than simple text there should be no requirement to fill it out with pointless logos, stupid figgin' colours and annoying "If you got this by mistake ..."!
BTW: URL's within GMail signatures are, if prefixed by http://, turned into clickable links by most email clients.
However, if your intention is to use your signature as advertising space for your company, please think again. Imagine how tedious it would be if you had to sign every physical letter with more than just your name and basic contact details!
Just because it can be done automatically doesn't mean you should.
Here's an example of an over the top email signature I recently received.
The actual email contained 3 lines from the sender but the whole email displayed was 4 times longer because of this monstrosity:
However, if your intention is to use your signature as advertising space for your company, please think again. Imagine how tedious it would be if you had to sign every physical letter with more than just your name and basic contact details!
Just because it can be done automatically doesn't mean you should.
Here's an example of an over the top email signature I recently received.
The actual email contained 3 lines from the sender but the whole email displayed was 4 times longer because of this monstrosity:
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The code behind it is of course full of Microsoft Word formatting, a table for placement and more <span>s than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All adding to the size of the email which I shudder to think about - their IT Department must love the extra storage required for all the "Fancy a bite to eat?" and, "Who's up for a drink tonight!?" internal emails.
[NAME]
[Title, blah de blah de blah blah]
* Email: [PERSON]@kiwibank.co.nz ( DDI: +64 (4) [NNN NNNNN] % Fax: +64 (4) [NNN NNNN] : Web: www.kiwibank.co.nz Kiwibank Limited, Level 8, 155 The Terrace, Private Bag 39888, Wellington 6332 | |
Kiwibank - best value bank four years running as awarded | |
This email, including any attachments, is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, distribution or copying of this email or the information contained in it is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify us immediately and delete it. Please consider the environment before printing this email. | |
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The code behind it is of course full of Microsoft Word formatting, a table for placement and more <span>s than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. All adding to the size of the email which I shudder to think about - their IT Department must love the extra storage required for all the "Fancy a bite to eat?" and, "Who's up for a drink tonight!?" internal emails.
When I asked, "WTF?!" it transpired it's a "corporate standard" that, I would imagine, has been dreamt up by someone working in communications.
This is NOT communications, this is advertising.
Stop it!
Stop it!
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