Make people feel something

I'd rather be annoyed by a brand than forget it exists.

A brand that makes you smile has made a connection. A brand that irritates you has at least managed to get your attention. A brand that leaves you completely indifferent has a much bigger problem.

Look at Marmite. It built a recognisable position around the fact that people either love it or hate it. Liquid Death sells water in cans that look more at home at a heavy metal concert, turning an ordinary product into something people talk about.

Neither approach would appeal to everyone. That's precisely why they stand out.

Of course, annoying people isn't a strategy. Being provocative without a reason is just noise. The reaction needs to come from something real about the brand, whether that's its personality, its beliefs or the way it challenges the conventions of its category.

But brands can become so focused on being liked that they sand off every interesting edge. The language gets safer, the identity more familiar, the campaigns less likely to upset anyone. Everything is perfectly acceptable, and forgettable.

Not every brand needs to provoke. Some can make us smile, others can surprise us or make us think differently about something familiar.

The point is to give people a reason to care.

Because a negative reaction can start a conversation. Indifference rarely does.