Don’t Be Afraid To Offend – It Could Be Your Best Marketing Decision

When General Motors came out with the Hummer H1, they caused quite a stir. Some consumers protested and journalists accused it of contributing to everything from global warming to terrorism. Some activists even broke into car dealerships and burned H1’s to the ground to keep them off the road!

But another group of people absolutely loved the H1. It fit with their identity, and GM exceeded their sales expectations.

Similarly, when the Prius hybrid car came out, it caused equally strong emotions. While some consumers viewed the car as weak and dangerous, others instantly fell in love with it as an answer to their prayers.

Both cars offended one group of people, but also gained a devout following, because they weren’t afraid to commit to one ideology. They took a stance, and stuck to it.

What do you think would have happened if the Hummer and the Prius were combined to create a car that could reach a wider audience?

In todays economy, you quite simply can’t afford to be lost among the shuffle. Companies that play it safe and try to please everyone, end up pleasing no one because they are never remembered in the first place.

It’s time we woke up and realized two very important points:

1. Being authentic in your brand’s message is critical. Consumers can smell BS from a mile a way. If you believe it, say it, whether it offends others or not.

2. Being controversial can actually be a great marketing tool.

Quick story: A friend of mine recently got his first book published. It was a “mind, body, and spirit” book (a genre I’m not very familiar with, but apparently it is a large market).

Part of the book contained non-erotic nude photographs of people doing various poses related to strength and meditation. It was a unique combination of art and education that hadn’t been done before to his knowledge.

Unfortunately, when his agent approached Barnes & Noble they turned the book down flat, saying they wouldn’t consider a title with nude photography. Whoops!

At this point my friend’s agent advised him to re-shoot the photographs without the nudity, since Barnes and Noble represented such a large percentage of sales potential. They tried a test shoot, but my friend just wasn’t comfortable with the results. He considered changing the images, but ultimately felt they changed his message too much, and stuck to his guns. He wasn’t going to change his life’s work to appease Barnes and Noble, or anyone else.

Long story short, his book was only allowed on Barnes & Noble’s website (not their stores) where it became the #1 Mind, Body, and Spirit book of the year. Barnes & Noble finally caved, ordering hundreds of copies to sell in their stores.

If he had changed the photos, he would have had a book that was unoffensive, but also unremarkable. Do you think he would have the sales success he sees today with his “toned down” version?

We see examples of this all around us.

Freakonomics was one of the most popular books in 2005, which contained the extremely controversial idea that legalizing abortion caused the huge drop in crime in the 90’s.

Some people became enraged at the very thought! Others were staunch supporters. But one thing’s for sure: a huge amount of buzz was generated about the book, and many more people heard about it as a result.

Tucker Max built a small empire of readers on his website (www.tuckermax.com) by simply speaking the truth in his stories. He wrote about his controversial thoughts and feelings that many young men had, but few were willing to admit, and for that he won their respect (and money).

Whether people loved him or hated him, they were talking about him. Authenticity has that effect on others.

Of course I wouldn’t normally suggest offending others intentionally just to create buzz.

The perfect test you should ask yourself is this: do I actually believe in this message?

If the answer is yes, then you should write it, say it, and publish it to make your brand synonymous with this message. We are too often concerned, as companies and as human beings, with our image and what others will think. Ironically, it is those who are able to admit the most controversial, offensive, or embarrassing ideas, that we pay attention to. Take a stance, and stick to it.

As human beings we can’t help but notice these types of messages because they are different (no one else has the guts to say it) and they ring true. If your brand can be the first to bring one of these to light, you will instantly gain followers.

I’ll end with a quick scenario which boils down to this idea: you can’t be everything to everyone, nor should you try.

Imagine ten customers see your brand for the first time, and you’ve played it safe to appeal to everyone. Each of those ten customers might walk away feeling ok about your company. No one would hate your brand, but no one would love it either.

Now imagine ten more customers see your brand, but this time you’ve specialized and stuck to your own beliefs. You are on the extreme when compared to your competition, but for some you are absolutely perfect. This time 3 customers might absolutely love your brand, 3 might absolutely hate is, and the rest might fall somewhere in the middle.

Which would you rather be? Just ok to everyone, or loved by some and hated by others?

It’s my contention that today you have to be the in the second position, because customers who just feel “ok” about your product don’t buy. They will go to the specialized brand that they absolutely love. With enough specialized brands to cater to everyone’s tastes, there is no room left for the company that tries to please everyone.

Remember to:

1. Be authentic in your brand’s message. Speak your mind, whether it offends others or not, and you’ll be respected for your honesty.

2. Enjoy controversy as a marketing tool. As they say, any news is good news, and if you’ve got people talking, that’s half the battle. Every person who hates your product will probably end up complaining to at least one person who wouldn’t have otherwise known about you. That person can then form their own opinion.

3. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Specialize and craft a brand that you are passionate about. This is the only way to develop a group of customers who are as passionate as you are.

About the Author:
Brian Armstrong is a serial entrepreneur who became financially free running his own business at the age of 23. Today he helps others quit their 9-to-5 jobs to start working for themselves. Discover how to take the risk out of business ownership and learn the secrets of self-made millionaires at his website: http://www.StartBreakingFree.com/