I made an email signature for Spark Media on Claude the other day. Took about two minutes.
And the annoying thing is, it’s rather cool.
In fact, it grabs your attention so effectively that it might be a bit annoying. Imagine receiving a perfectly ordinary email saying “Noted, thanks”, accompanied by a signature determined to be the most interesting thing on your screen.
I was impressed. Then slightly concerned.
Because if I can do that in two minutes, what happens to creative agencies?
Much of what agencies once sold was the ability to turn an idea into something you could see, hear or use. That took people, time, software and the occasional small miracle before Friday.
Now you can have a thought over coffee and be looking at a polished execution before the coffee gets cold.
The creative possibilities are becoming almost ridiculous. Your imagination may genuinely be the biggest limitation.
But there’s a catch. AI has made polished work easier to produce. It’s also made more work easier to produce. More effects, more clever touches, more opportunities for a humble email signature to behave like the Olympics opening ceremony.
And if everyone can demand attention, the real question is whether anyone wants to give it.
Perhaps that’s where agencies have to change.
Not by defending the old process or pretending a designer needs three days for what a founder did in two minutes. Clients can see that.
But by understanding the difference between making someone look and making them glad they looked.
That requires knowing people, not just prompts. Knowing when to push an idea further, when to tone it down, and when the cleverest thing you can do is leave it alone.
I’m still rather pleased with my email signature.
I’m just not entirely sure I’d want to receive it.