The Redemption Arc of the Out-of-Office Reply
In an industry powered by the quick-zip of Slack messages and the psychic ping of Teams notifications, the humble out-of-office reply feels like a relic. Yet here we are, mid-2024, and I’ve just come across one so perfectly constructed, I screenshotted it. It did not say, “I’ll reply when I get back.” It said, “Currently re-learning how to surf. Back July 12 with sunburn and probably a broken phone.” No corporate wallpaper. No faux-warmth. Just personality, presence, and weirdly, brand.
Yes, brand. Because for marketers, often the most public-facing piece of writing we’ll ever send is the one saying we’re not around. And instead of treating it like a Sunday chore, it’s time to see it as a canvas. There’s something quietly brilliant about these mini self-portraits. Are you whimsical? Are you a robot in disguise? The OOO reveals all. Some agencies have finally caught on, encouraging staff to spice it up. I once got one that included a link to the sender’s favourite Spotify playlist and a disclaimer saying, “I’ll judge you based on how many songs you skip.” That’s better than 80% of self-promo decks.
It also hints at a deeper shift in how we think about responsiveness. Being constantly available isn’t a flex anymore. The best marketers are carving out time to think, wander, noodle with weird ideas. The OOO is the polite smoke signal that we’re not just busy, we’re investing in that creative recharge. And it tells clients, politely, this: trust us to be humans. Not vending machines with corporate lanyards.
So as July looms and inboxes start to echo, I invite you to write the OOO reply you wish you’d get. Put away the template. Borrow from poetry. Add a link to a map of weird bakeries in Barcelona. Show a sliver of the person who’ll be back to pitch wild ideas in two weeks’ time. Because authenticity doesn’t start with a campaign. It starts with your inbox auto-responder.
Yes, brand. Because for marketers, often the most public-facing piece of writing we’ll ever send is the one saying we’re not around. And instead of treating it like a Sunday chore, it’s time to see it as a canvas. There’s something quietly brilliant about these mini self-portraits. Are you whimsical? Are you a robot in disguise? The OOO reveals all. Some agencies have finally caught on, encouraging staff to spice it up. I once got one that included a link to the sender’s favourite Spotify playlist and a disclaimer saying, “I’ll judge you based on how many songs you skip.” That’s better than 80% of self-promo decks.
It also hints at a deeper shift in how we think about responsiveness. Being constantly available isn’t a flex anymore. The best marketers are carving out time to think, wander, noodle with weird ideas. The OOO is the polite smoke signal that we’re not just busy, we’re investing in that creative recharge. And it tells clients, politely, this: trust us to be humans. Not vending machines with corporate lanyards.
So as July looms and inboxes start to echo, I invite you to write the OOO reply you wish you’d get. Put away the template. Borrow from poetry. Add a link to a map of weird bakeries in Barcelona. Show a sliver of the person who’ll be back to pitch wild ideas in two weeks’ time. Because authenticity doesn’t start with a campaign. It starts with your inbox auto-responder.