Email is a tool that we just can’t quit

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What does email smell like? I visited a new exhibition at the Design Museum in London and discovered that they have a woody scent with a strong juniper flavor. Or, as Christian Widlic, the driving force behind the immersive display, explains: “They smell clean and fresh.”

Apparently, the purpose is to “evoke clarity” and “change mood and mindset.” Of course, this may not be something we often associate with email.

You may be wondering why I’m trying to sniff emails, but it’s all part of an interactive show where visitors enter via a giant yellow envelope. It goes on to tell the history of the medium (now over 50 years old), an email personality test (thankfully, I’m a “pro”), and even a think room that invites you to ponder the future of email.

“We’re obsessed with email and want to share it with everyone,” Widlic said. This is perhaps not surprising since he is also the creative director of email marketing platform company Intuit MailChimp, a sponsor of the show. Although the Design Museum exhibition is titled “Email Is Dead,” it’s more of a reminder of the tool’s staying power.

This includes its history. While there is still (hot) debate over who actually invented email, Queen Elizabeth II was indeed the first head of state to send email, using ARPANET (a very popular Internet connection) during a 1976 event. early public computer networks) to send email.

As head of the FT newsletter, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that I believe email is here to stay for a long time to come. But the numbers back me up: there are currently over 4.3 billion email users worldwide, and this number is expected to reach 4.7 billion by 2026, while revenue from email marketing is expected to reach £8.7 billion by the end of this year. Email may not be shiny and new, but the good and old still works.who do you know No Use email?

Of course, like any working man over fifty, there are bound to be a few missteps along the way. Inboxes fill up easily, some messages might be better than a phone call, and the “reply all” button is a disaster waiting to happen. You may remember the devastating email that was accidentally sent to all NHS England staff in 2016. The email took place on Monday morning, but that didn’t justify copying more than 840,000 colleagues – and many others have since followed suit.

This isn’t the only email no-no. Please be sure to double check the sending address. Just a few months ago, it emerged that the UK Ministry of Defense had to launch an investigation after emails containing classified information were sent to Malley instead of the Pentagon. Officials accidentally left out a key “i,” meaning the messages were sent to Mali’s “.ML” domain instead of the U.S. military’s “.MIL.”

But despite these misfortunes, a real replacement has yet to emerge. Not only has email replaced letters as the primary means of disseminating news, it has also been a source of education and inspiration, a way to promote events, and even a tool to verify identity. Plus, its archives are saved in your inbox and remain easily searchable.

Newsletters are just one way email is evolving. I’m obviously a fan – this format creates a connection between reader and author and quickly becomes a habit.

Take the mill, for example. The Manchester-based scheme, which launched in 2020 after its founder Joshi Herrmann became frustrated with the lack of depth in regional journalism, has just been valued at £1.75m and has secured a deal including new hires Investments from groups including principal Mark Thompson. CNN. “I turned to newsletters because it was cheap and easy,” Herman said. “It’s really eye-opening how interactive they are and how they bring them closer to the audience.”

How long this will last remains a matter of debate. Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram are definitely on the rise among the younger generation – replying to all the chains is not as important in their lives. But the success of email is that it fits seamlessly into every stage of life: a school address, then a college address, then a professional address. In other words, email isn’t dead. It’s everywhere.

sarah.ebner@ft.com

Email has expired Opens September 28th, runs until October 22nd

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