Six rules for brands to court controversy and thrive

Originally published in Mediashotz

Much loved car brand Jaguar courted much controversy and shocked the world when it revealed a massive, bold and radical rebrand this week. Both consumers and marketing experts were left open mouthed by the reveal. Nicholas LaManna, Brand Strategy Leader at Designit, shared his insights on how brands can court controversy without alienating the world to their carefully created brands.

Marmite is the ultimate opinion divider in the UK. Its marketing strapline is ‘You Either Love It Or Hate It’. And nothing gets Brits more riled than when they give their opinions on it. It’s become so ingrained in UK culture that ‘Marmite’ has now become a byword for something or someone that divides opinion. Without doubt, this is controversial terrain – and sometimes one that brands find they wander into accidentally. But for those brands that court controversy by design, like Marmite, well they can make some serious noise.

So how do you court controversy as a strategy without letting it takeover and consume your brand?

Courting controversy – aka ‘the Brewdog blueprint’

For some brands, controversy is intentional. They take a calculated risk, betting that the fame boost from being in the spotlight outweighs any negative associations that may arise.

UK brewing company Brewdog exemplifies this method. In its early days, it leaned into controversy—naming products after drug cocktails, selling drinks inside taxidermed animals, and dropping stuffed cats from planes are just a few stunts that landed Brewdog in the court of public opinion.

While controversy initially fuelled Brewdog’s growth, the prolonged backlash may have tarnished the brand’s image among drinkers. Brewdog may argue its tactics align with a ‘punk’ brand ethos, but there’s a sense that this value may have been retrofitted to justify its fame-at-any-cost approach—where tactics may have predated strategy.

Controversy and navigating brand positioning

Brands also tend to be more controversial in earlier and later stages of their lifecycle. Once they hit a certain critical mass and attempt to target the mass market, it’s not uncommon to see brands’ positioning become more diluted due to a misplaced believe that only way to grow is by sanding down our edges.

Sports brands Nike and Gymshark both started off with a very specific target audience (athletes and gym goers respectively) before expanding to cater for wider audiences in pursuit of growth.

However, Nike in particular seems to be making a return to messaging that harks back to its sporting roots with its ‘winning isn’t for everyone’ campaign. Similar to Patagonia, Nike’s return to a more aggressive message is based on the premise that it will boost brand loyalty amongst a particular customer segment, with the crucial difference being that it’s more of a conscious choice.

Currently, it’s looking like a smart move that would-be controversy courters can learn from.

Controversy and culture wars

Sometimes, controversy is unintentional. Last year, Bud Light found itself in a ‘culture war’ after a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, as part of a broader push to cultivate an inclusive image. The campaign sparked backlash and boycott from groups who felt ‘abandoned’ by Bud Light. The intensity of the backlash caught Bud Light off-guard, leading it to distance itself from Mulvaney — a decision that angered supporters and further damaged its reputation.

Bud Light may have fared better sticking to its principles and using the attention to attract new, sympathetic customers.

Industry vs audience controversy

When evaluating controversial campaigns, it’s important to note that the advertising media industry is not a mirror of the thoughts and feelings of your audience. Apple’s recent ‘crush’ campaign for the iPad Pro, for example, evoked negative reactions among advertising insiders but had a more neutral reception with the general public. That said, the advert didn’t secure a very high effectiveness rating when tested with target audiences by System 1 either…so it’s possibly just a controversial and ineffective ad.

In any case, the takeaway here is that it doesn’t matter what our industry thinks about the work – all that matters is your audience.

If you think a potentially controversial campaign could be a good fit for your brand, consider some of our do’s and don’ts of courting controversy.

If controversy is your aim…

Do: Stay true to yourself

A brand isn’t a chameleon. Make sure your bold statements match your true colours. Innocent (the wholesome smoothie company) couldn’t suddenly play the rebel and attempt to shock people, for example – it would feel too jarring and weird because it fundamentally contradicts what the brand stands for

Do: Check the cultural temperature

Even though climate change is the core of Patagonia’s DNA, the brand would most likely not speak out about the carbon footprints of private jets during a natural disaster, when said jets are being used to deliver supplies and emergency aid to those impacted.

Do: Know your audience

This allows you to actually lean into bad press and be unapologetic in your message and your offering, driving further loyalty amongst brand advocates. Swedish food company Oatly has done just this – it’s actually created a website called fckoatly.com to commemorate all of its controversies to date, in order to ‘help our fans—and the thousands of people who hate us—better understand everything that’s “wrong” with our company.’

Don't: Join a bandwagon

Empty vessels make the most noise. If your brand has nothing relevant or insightful to say about a particular issue, then resist the temptation to chime in just because everyone else talking. People can always spot when a brand puts on clothes that clearly don’t fit.

Don't: Stray from your vision

Doing so risks alienating the one group you really can’t afford to – loyal brand advocates. If you say something that doesn’t resonate with your brand champions, they’ll question your brand’s association with their identity and the consequences could be grave.

Don't: Be rigid

Culture evolves and attitudes change. Sometimes humanity calls for a change of message, and you have to ignore point number two. There’s a possibility this won’t go down well with a portion of your brand’s fan base, this can be counteracted by appealing to a new audience which can build a stronger connection forge a happier alliance with your brand over the long term.

These guidelines can help steer your brand through potentially polarising campaigns, but it’s crucial to note, that they’re just that – guidelines. When dealing with cultural topics, the goalposts are always shifting. What’s cool today might be cringe tomorrow. The key is to approach these situations with a strong conviction and the humility to pivot as the culture shifts around you.

At the end of the day, backlash is inevitable – there’s no stance that will make everyone happy. Even a well-meaning action could alienate your core audience, but being nimble, authentic, and committed to your principles can help you navigate the choppy waters of culture and emerge stronger.