Be a Maverick: Breaking Marketing Rules Can Make Your Brand Unforgettable
In this blog post, we will discuss five ways to break marketing rules and explore how some brands have defied conventional advertising norms, creating exceptional campaigns through their rebellious nature.
David Bowie’s 1972 album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, was pivotal in establishing him as a legend.
It is a groundbreaking record that defies traditional album conventions.
Like the music industry, marketing has its own rules we’ve learned through years of experience and training.
Learning the best way to do something has its place, but so does breaking those rules and creating something truly original, as Bowie did.
1. Unbranded Advocacy: Let the Message Speak Louder than the Logo
That self-centered friend? Meeting Them is a solo theatre show.
Many brands focus solely on their products and the positive reviews they receive, much like a self-centered friend who only talks about themselves.
Nowadays, many consumers prioritize the values of the brands they buy from and seek a sense of belonging to a movement rather than simply engaging in a transaction.
Sharing unbranded content that supports a social cause can enhance your brand’s reputation by breaking the rules.
Ex: Hillary’s, a specialist in blinds in the UK, created a “Lost Sleep Calculator” after learning about the effects of sleep deprivation from prominent sleep science organizations, so they shared a tool to help people check if they weren’t sleeping enough.
Only the name, tagline, and a brief statement at the bottom of the page were branded.
Here’s a helpful tip to avoid detention if you break the rules:
Brands must choose relevant causes they stand behind, not jump on the bandwagon. Many have failed, with embarrassing results.
2. The Content Silence Strategy: Say Nothing to Say More
Maintaining consistency in content creation is important, but you may worry that if you constantly talk about your brand, your audience will lose interest.
However, going silent before a new product launch can create anticipation and curiosity if it fits with your brand’s personality.
Ex: Bose, a master of sound-canceling headphones, has done an incredible job in this field.
The brand often adopts understated marketing strategies and avoids flashy and attention-grabbing campaigns. Instead, it chooses to use more relaxed and understated campaigns to create curiosity among consumers about the brand and its products.
Bose’s products speak for themselves. You have to try them out to find out if they’re worth the investment.
Here’s a helpful tip to avoid detention if you break the rules:
This works best for mysterious and intriguing products and brands. It may not be effective if your brand personality is “ordinary person” or “caregiver.”
3. Collaborative Critique: Let Customers Take the Lead
Businesses are like precious things we’ve nurtured and protected from infancy.
Naturally, we’re wary of handing over the marketing reins to anyone else, fearing that they might say something negative about our precious offspring.
Allowing customers to influence marketing can effectively raise brand awareness and build trust.
Ex: Starbucks’ 2014 White Cup Contest encouraged customers to share their doodles on social media.
For three weeks, a coffee franchise held a competition for customers to submit their cup doodles. The winning doodles were then printed on a limited-edition reusable cup.
They received almost 4,000 entries and gained recognition from customers, all while promoting their reusable cups and dedication to sustainability.
Here’s a helpful tip to avoid detention if you break the rules:
This is an effective way to highlight your unique features and stand out from competitors.
4. Empowerment Over Aspiration: Be Real, Not Ideal
Brands are moving towards more authentic content rather than idealized content.
Indeed, many brands are still opting for an aspirational appearance, such as
Eva Longoria looks stunning in the Pantene ads, showing off her glossy locks. It’s common to believe that this is the only way to advertise products. After all, why would people invest in products or services that wouldn’t make their lives better? But what if your brand’s content didn’t inspire customers to make a change? What if it instead encouraged them to embrace who they truly are?”
Here’s a helpful tip to avoid detention if you break the rules:
Identify your audience’s struggles and make them a common enemy in your content.
5. Deconstructed Narratives: Break the Storytelling Formula
Storytelling is an essential component of marketing. However, breaking storytelling rules can be powerful enough to make your marketing stand out.
Novels often follow a particular structure and have the same elements, such as hero/enemy and conflict/resolution.
All the good novelists will tell you that you should learn the rules first so that you can spectacularly break them.
Ex: When it comes to male grooming, the same old story is often told: a good-looking man wants to look his best but struggles with skin problems caused by using cheap razors, and finally, he finds the brand’s razor.
Wow, how many blades does it have? And whoa, that’s the closest shave he’s ever had! Somehow, it has made him ten thousand times more handsome. His jawline is now as sharp as a great white shark’s incisors. He’s now heading to absolutely nail that board meeting, sports game, or sold-out rock concert. It’s meant to be a classic hero’s journey, but we’ve seen it a hundred times.
Dollar Shave Club’s launch video was different. The founder spoke to the camera, criticizing traditional razor brands with humor and an offbeat tone. The video lacked the usual groomed model/actor/businessman/rockstar.
Here’s a helpful tip to avoid detention if you break the rules:
DSC’s approach aligned with its playful and humorous brand identity. Avoid dissecting narratives needlessly. It must resonate with your brand’s overall personality and messaging.
Final Thought: Break the Rules… On Purpose
Rules exist for a reason—they’re tested and often reliable. But the most iconic brands don’t just follow the rules—they rewrite them.
If you plan to go off-script:
- Have a purpose.
- Know your audience.
- Make sure the risk aligns with your brand.
Who knows? You might just create the next Ziggy Stardust moment in marketing.