Shame is an ornament of the young (brand); a disgrace of the old (brand).”
— Aristotle
For brands that win in 2025, there will be shame in abundance.
What once worked — being polite, cautious, and conforming to norms — has become a recipe for being ignored. We live in an era where the rules of branding and communication have been upended, and those who refuse to adapt risk fading into irrelevance. Attention is the currency, and it’s harder to capture than ever before. Brands must now embrace radical, divisiveness and constant reinvention to succeed. The lines between entertainment, controversy, and authenticity are blurred, and this new reality is shaping the way organisations and products are marketed.
Consider how a brand like Burger King chooses to market itself today. A recent campaign features women who have just given birth eating burgers. It’s not a traditionally ‘polite’ ad. In fact, it pushes boundaries by highlighting an everyday moment in a way that is raw, bold, and unexpected. This isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a clear signal that standing out in a crowded, saturated market demands more than following societal norms. It demands attention. And in today’s marketing world, attention is everything.
The era of bland, middle-of-the-road messaging is over. Now, it’s better to be divisive than to be forgettable. Donald Trump’s entire public persona is built on this premise. By being deliberately controversial, Trump mastered the art of commanding media attention, whether through admiration or outrage. And while the business of politics is distinct from the world of branding, the lessons are the same. Try to please everyone end up pleasing no one. Divisiveness cuts through the noise, drawing a line in the sand that people can’t help but notice.
Algorithms only amplify this effect and they push the messages. The more extreme and provocative the content, the more likely it is to be seen and shared. Consider O2’s Hang Gliding Goat TV, a campaign that sounds mad — and it was. But it worked precisely because of its absurdity. Algorithms favour engagement, and people are more likely to react strongly to something that breaks the mould, whether it’s by making them laugh or shocking them. Clicks, views, and shares rule. Extreme, attention-grabbing content wins. If you’re not pushing boundaries, you’re not being seen.
Shamelessness is no longer something to avoid — it’s something to embrace. Take viral figures like the “Hawk Tuh” girl or Kim Kardashian. Their fame isn’t built on playing by the rules of respectability. They flaunt convention, creating personas that people love or love to hate. These tactics work for brands too. Brands and branding might have stuck to a kind decorum, but now, brands that hold back are ignored. In a world where whispers ruled, now everyone is shouting and only the seemingly crazy voices are heard.
Execution supercharges your brand. Successful brands must be a relentless, omnipresent force. The Barbie movie campaign, for instance, was a masterclass in flooding the zone. You couldn’t escape it. The marketing was everywhere — on social media, in stores, through partnerships, in unexpected places. Saturation ensures that your message stays in the public eye for longer when people have shorter attention spans than ever. Persistence is key.
The blending of entertainment points to enduring ‘compound creativity’ in brands. It’s not enough to inform or just persuade — brands need to make you guffaw. Trump may not intend to bring in the laughs, but his audience do it for him — the bizarre musical remix video of his “Eating the Cats” clip, kept him in the spotlight by entertaining his audience. I couldn’t work out if it was from a critic or a deluded supporter. Simply put, people are busy so if you want them to pay attention, you had better have something they enjoy. From humour to music, or even absurdity, entertainment value is no longer optional — it’s a must.
Just as tech improves daily, consumers are savvier than ever and they crave authenticity. This has been another significant change in the rules of branding. Slick won’t cut it anymore. Once, projecting authority and professionalism was the cornerstone of big brand messaging, but now brands need to project reality. Look at how the UK’s COVID-19 response was received. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson played the role of the authoritative leader (a step change from the buffoon) — it was Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty who gained the public’s trust with his straightforward, no-nonsense approach. People don’t want brands to be perfect, they want them to be honest. Show the human side, the flaws, and the process. In an era of polished fakery, authenticity is the most valuable currency. Just don’t tell Apple.
Brands need to understand the power of opposition. Conversation thrives on conflict. The most successful campaigns create a clear enemy. Simon Cowell’s role on The X Factor is a classic example. By playing the villain he became indispensable to the show’s success. People tuned in not just for the singers but to see what harsh cutting comment Cowell would make next. For brands this could mean positioning themselves as the underdog. As the voice of rebellion against an outdated system. Cast a competitor or an idea as the enemy. Conflict generates attention — attention is the game.
Brands need to have strong beliefs but be willing to pivot when the market shifts. EasyJet built its brand on being a low-cost airline. But as the market evolved it flipped to convenience and customer experience. Core values remain but its message has changed to stay relevant. This ability to pivot without losing sight of core principles is crucial in a world where consumer expectations are constantly changing.
Repeat messages over and over again. Repeat messages over and over again. Politics has long understood this principle. Brands should follow suit. “Make America Great Again” or “Cool Britannia” worked because they were repeated until they became ingrained in the public consciousness. If your message isn’t clear, and if you’re not saying it enough, it just won’t stick.
The rules of branding continue to change daily, but for me, these are the rules of 2024. Playing it safe, adhering to norms, trying to appeal to everyone just lead to a slow death. The new era where the radical, the divider, the shameless and the entertainer reign supreme. Adapt or spend a lot of money discovering you need to.
