If you’re in the marketing industry, chances are, whether you realize it or not, you’re no better than politicians. Modern politics revolve around the twisted goal of pleasing everyone, offending no one, taking zero risks, and thus making no difference. Looking for your marketing efforts to wildly succeed? Sack up and step away from the politics.
Modern political strategy, as complex as it can seem, usually boils down to one thing: the median voter theorem. That theorem states that the more aligned with the median voter a politician is, the more votes he will get, meaning, essentially, the most centrist candidate will triumph. As a result, elections are often a battle to be as middle-ground as possible, meaning, all rhetoric and staunch party affiliations aside, the platforms of the two leading candidates actually differ very little.
A candidate will do whatever it takes to avoid offending anyone at the cost of never making firm declarations that could significantly benefit the country. When citizens complain about the astonishing inefficiency of their government, a plethora of factors are at work, but one of the major factors is politicians’ insistence on pandering to the middle in an unfortunate effort to alienate as few voters as possible.
The sad reality is that most marketers are no different. From the CMO of a Fortune 500 company to a social media agency director to an owner of a small startup, everyone understands the power of marketing, but no one wants to realize its full potential. Few players in the marketing world are willing to take risks and create campaigns that actually make a difference and bring raging success to a brand.
That’s why I’m here to implore you to stray from the average marketing mindset. Go balls to the walls. Edgy marketing content works. It sticks with people far longer than the mundane, safe marketing we usually see. Daring digital content is far more likely to go viral, as people will want to share anything that surprises or shocks them. Inspire audiences to take action by making them laugh, cry, think, or care.
However, essential to keep in mind is that, whether it’s a snarky video, an experimental digital marketing tactic, an eccentric campaign idea, or anything else, your marketing cannot just be bold but must actually be good. Edgy alone won’t ensure success, but add that to creative, clever, and engaging, and your brand will skyrocket.
At the end of the day, sure, you may alienate a few followers, but the payoff will be far greater than any minor loss. Whether you’re on the creative or corporate side of marketing, today I ask you to take that risk you were thinking about taking. I understand how easy it is to stay in your comfort zone, but nothing great has ever been done by anyone who stayed curled up under their cozy covers.
Marketers, politicians, countrymen, yes, vanilla is delicious, but have a taste of the thousands of other exciting flavors out there. The results will be magnificent.
