Implausibility Could Be Your Brand’s Secret Weapon

Cue the scene: 14-year-old me sitting in the stands at my middle school dance. No girl wanted to dance with me. I couldn’t understand. I had what I thought were top notch dance moves. But there I was, sulking in a dimly lit corner in the front row, where no one could even reach me.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but let’s use this as an analogy for advertising. I was invisible, unreachable and, worst of all, I didn’t even try. My biggest enemy that night? Me.

Brands, much like myself in college, spend time figuring out how to get people to like them, creating their best version of the “Michael Jackson moves” that they think people want to see. But they rarely ask themselves the most important question: why don’t people like us? Why are we neglected, ignored or, even worse, avoided? Let’s unbox it.

Reasons not to believe

Most brands are obsessed with their “reasons to believe” but almost never stop to think about their “reasons not to believe”.

Why do people skeptical? Is it because there is a competitor who does better? Is it because your brand didn’t deliver on its promises? Is your messaging a little too… corporate? Once you start asking these uncomfortable questions, you’ll find that the answers unlock more than just a few adjustments. They unlock the strategy.

There may be an elephant in the room that your brand needs to address before people can trust you again. Maybe you have a habit of being inconsistent and making promises that you don’t really keep. The fact is, understanding why people don’t trust or like you is the first step to developing a strategy that can change their minds.

Is this just a misconception?

If people don’t like your brand because of a misconception, congratulations, there is a solution to this problem. When your brand is misunderstood, misjudged, or misaligned in the public eye, you can do something about it.

But here’s a pro tip: don’t just correct the misconception in your post; fix it in your product. Remember, as the old saying goes, good advertising can help a bad product fail faster. Fix the product’s flaws first, then let your advertising do the heavy lifting. It’s much easier to change perceptions when you have a product that supports the new narrative.

Your voice reviews are a gift

When people don’t like your brand, they don’t always stay silent. And that, my friend, is a gift wrapped in barbed wire.

Your criticisms? They offer free feedback to focus groups. They tell you exactly what you need to do to convince them. Of course, they might not say it in the nicest way possible – maybe that stings a little. But behind their speeches lies the truth.

Instead of running away from criticism or pretending it doesn’t exist, brands should address it. Listen to what your critics say. Often, they point out your weaknesses with the precision of a laser pointer. Fix these weaknesses and they might just become your strongest advocates.

Liability You Can Reverse

One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. What may seem like a brand liability – something people don’t like – could turn into a goldmine of opportunity if positioned correctly.

Let’s say there’s an aspect of your brand that people find off-putting or irrelevant. Maybe this doesn’t fit your current target audience, but have you considered a different audience? The one who wants exactly what you offer?

Sometimes the problem isn’t that your brand is “fake”, it’s just being presented to the wrong audience. The magic happens when you realize that what one group rejects, another can love. The trick is to identify this treasure and market it to the right people.

Your best kept secret… is it still a secret?

Sometimes people don’t like your brand because they simply don’t know the best about it. Maybe you’re offering something amazing, but your message hasn’t communicated it effectively. It’s like throwing the best party in town, but no one got the invitation.

If there’s a feature, benefit, or differentiator that people have overlooked, it’s your job to shout it from the rooftops. Often what is missing is not innovation, but communication. Don’t let your brand’s best assets gather dust. Show them. You might be surprised how quickly people change their minds once they see the big picture.

Define what you stand for

In today’s world, brands that try to offer “all things to all people” are quickly becoming invisible. What does your brand represent? Don’t be afraid to turn off certain audiences. When you stand for something specific, people who resonate with that message will truly resonate.

You don’t have to be everyone’s cup of tea, you have to be some people’s glass of whiskey. When your audience feels understood, they become your biggest evangelist.

Stop doing the same thing

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Well, advertising madness is running the same tired campaigns and wondering why the sales aren’t changing.

Brands sometimes find themselves stuck in a rut because it seems safer to stick with what’s familiar. But here’s a reality check: Maybe it’s time to move on to something new.

Maybe your brand needs a complete overhaul: a new creative direction, a new strategy or even a new agency. If current tactics aren’t working, shake things up. Try something that scares you. Trust me, staying safe is the riskiest decision of all.

Accept the lack of sympathy

If you’re serious about creating a brand that people love, you first need to understand why they don’t like it. Accept the unlikable character. Ask the tough questions. Deal with difficult feedback. And remember, in every review lies conversion potential.

The very reasons people reject your brand can be transformed into the reasons they fall in love with it — if you’re willing to listen, adapt, and maybe, just maybe, show off those dance moves.