Fortune Favors the Bold Brands

We as consumers choose brands that are considered “appropriate” for our self-image all the time. Not just to claim luxurious status but for a way to express our personal identity. Am I a Harley Davidson or a KTM guy? Am I an iPhone or a Samsung girl? We do it all the time because in a way it tells everyone a little bit about who we are and what we aspire to be. As a result, we pursue brands as a lifestyle “beacon” to stand out against the rest of society.

After the 2018 election, we have accepted that cultural riffs are just apart of who we are now. Controversy and disagreements with friends, family, and co-workers are the new norm, regardless of what side we are on. This has presented brands a new opportunity to be bold and draw real or fictitious lines in the sand and ask their customers to take a stand with them. This can be as topical and extreme as backing an athlete like Colin Kaepernick or as simple as choosing organic as opposed to processed ingredients in your hamburger.

What makes a Bold Brand.

When brands decide to make a bold statement, they first need to find an enemy. By that I mean, people have a natural tendency to compete. They want an opponent to compare themselves and ideals to. We need Luke Skywalker to have Darth Vader. We need Ford to have Chevy. These types of rivalries help consumers figure out where they stand and which side they’re on.

This type of marketing can be very powerful in getting people to invest in the brand emotionally because it forces them to choose and get behind their choice to fight back against the opposition (The Mac vs. PC campaign is a great example). However, you don’t have to find an enemy in one of your competitors, you can also find a concept or movement to rival for or against. Below are some examples of fortune favoring the bold in recent advertisements.