Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

It's easy to feel bombarded with consumable recommendations when online, from the sponsored posts of influencers to the autoplay tracks from media algorithms. The Perfectly Imperfect newsletter provides an antidote by offering curated conversational recommendations from 'cool' people.

The email newsletter space has seen a surge in activity since the start of the pandemic. As the need for niche journalism increases, more people are willing to pay for the news they want to see. Substack is meeting this demand, allowing writers to make a living directly from their subscribers.

What better than a full-fledged pandemic to reveal the thorny nature of American healthcare? Armed with memes, quippy remarks, and an informal tone, online newsletter Out-of-Pocket breaks down a different issue each week in order to inform – but never overwhelm – its readers.

The social media era of the web is defined by overwhelming amounts of content – from news updates on Twitter to the proliferation of sponsored posts on Instagram. Amid this digital cacophony, the humble email is regaining relevance – but how can brands harness the power of newsletters?