ChatGPT has proven to be surprisingly effective for designing HTML emails, transforming a previously plain-text newsletter into something visually appealing. The author describes their monthly customer newsletter, "The Proton Playbook," which had seen steady open rates despite its lack of design. To enhance its appeal, the marketing team decided to revamp the newsletter with a sports theme that resonated with their target audience. They replaced standard phrases like “New Feature” with “MVP of the Month,” signaling a shift toward a more engaging and relatable tone. The team also introduced a mascot—a distribution truck with a clipboard—to add character and charm to the newsletter. This creative touch was complemented by the author’s collaboration with ChatGPT, which helped generate the HTML layout. The results exceeded expectations, producing a design that aligned well with their vision. To ensure the email rendered correctly across various platforms, they used a tool called Parcel, which helped them visualize the newsletter's appearance across different email clients, including Gmail and Outlook. While there were minor issues in dark mode, the overall response was positive, and the author is keen to see how this branding effort impacts metrics like open rates and clickthroughs.