Unfortunately, an un-branded email looks suspicious and unprofessional nowadays. You'll get more complaints and unsubs than ever versus a well-crafted (not over-the-top) engaging layout.
> "If you're a front-end developer, at some point you were probably given an awesome-looking PDF, then expected to make a website/app that is a 1:1 representation of it. Of course, that never ends up happening and you have explain why it could never be a reality."
I'm going off topic, but as a designer and a front-end developer, I get frustrated when the developed product isn't a 1:1 representation (when sending out the work to get coded). The end result should be a pixel perfect match of the artwork. Nothing is impossible translating an image to a website/app.
I just invented something (probably not). Voluntary Ad Photo Submissions™. Someone takes a photo of their friend drinking Pepsi. Posts it, tags the advertiser: @pepsi. Use a hashtag, whatever. Pepsi looks through their submissions, selects a photo they like and uses it for their Instagram ad campaign. BAM. Now it's a game. The "winner" is popular, they get the likes. Pepsi gets tons of free advertising from everyone posting Pepsi photos.
Facebook have something somewhat similar to that called Sponsored Stories. Page admins can pick a user post and promote it/turn it into an ad. Doesn't have the cool acronym VAPS though :)
