Picture this: You’re scrolling through social media, bombarded with the usual ads. Another discount sale. Another influencer raving about a product. Another brand trying way too hard to sound relatable.
Then, something different pops up. Maybe it’s a brand telling you not to buy their product. Or a company responding to a complaint with humor instead of a robotic apology. It catches your eye. It makes you stop. Maybe you even send it to a friend.
That’s the power of the unexpected. It’s why brands that ditch the predictable playbook don’t just get attention—they get engagement.
The Power of Unexpected
People are wired to notice what’s different. Think about how your brain tunes out background noise but immediately perks up when someone says your name. That’s because your brain filters out expected information, keeping space for what actually matters (Schmidt et al., 2020).
The same principle applies to marketing. If it looks like every other ad, your audience ignores it. If it breaks the pattern, their brain pays attention.
Here’s why:
- We Notice the Unusual – Novelty sparks curiosity. When something isn’t what we expect, our brains shift gears and focus (Barto et al., 2013).
- Surprises Trigger Emotion – When something makes us laugh, shocks us, or makes us feel included in an inside joke, we remember it (Berlyne, 1970).
- We Share What Stands Out – If something feels fresh and exciting, we talk about it. It’s why people love sharing memes, bizarre headlines, and marketing stunts that make them do a double take (Berger & Milkman, 2012).
The bottom line? People don’t remember boring. They remember different.
Real-World Proof That Unusual Works
The best way to understand why unconventional tactics work is by looking at brands that have done it right. Here are some of the smartest (and strangest) moves that got people talking.
The “Don’t Buy This Jacket” Campaign
Patagonia is in the business of selling clothes. So, when they launched an ad urging people not to buy their jackets, it felt like a mistake. But it wasn’t. It was a message about sustainability, encouraging people to think twice before making unnecessary purchases (Patagonia, 2011).
Instead of pushing for sales, Patagonia built trust. Customers appreciated the honesty, and the campaign strengthened the brand’s reputation. Ironically, it also led to higher sales—because people prefer to buy from brands they trust (McKinsey & Company, 2022).
A Horror Movie Villain Selling Real Estate
Imagine browsing home listings and seeing a house for sale… with Ghostface from Scream posing in every picture. That’s exactly what happened in Lansing, Michigan. A real estate agent decided to ditch the usual staged photos and instead, dressed as the iconic slasher villain for every shot (Boucher, 2022).
The listing went viral, racking up millions of views in just a few days. The house? Sold almost immediately. No expensive marketing budget—just a clever, unexpected twist.
Coca-Cola’s “Happiness Machine”
Coca-Cola set up what looked like an ordinary vending machine. But instead of just dispensing soda, it started giving out surprises—extra bottles, snacks, even full pizzas. People’s reactions were filmed, capturing their shock and joy (Coca-Cola, 2010).
The video went viral, generating millions of views. The takeaway? People love experiences that feel personal, unexpected, and shareable.
Wendy’s and the Art of the Roast
Most brands avoid social media feuds. Wendy’s? They built a reputation on it. Their sassy, no-filter Twitter responses transformed a fast-food chain into an internet sensation. When a competitor tweeted, “We have the best nuggets,” Wendy’s shot back with, “Then why are you always out of them?” (Duffy, 2018).
People ate it up—literally and figuratively. Wendy’s gained millions of followers, tons of free press, and a brand voice that stood out in a sea of corporate-speak.
What These Success Stories Have in Common
None of these campaigns followed traditional marketing rules. They didn’t rely on massive budgets or overly polished messaging. Instead, they tapped into something deeper:
- They broke the pattern – Whether it was humor, honesty, or a bizarre visual, each campaign made people stop and look.
- They triggered emotion – Laughter, surprise, curiosity—when you make people feel something, they remember you.
- They were easy to share – These weren’t just ads. They were conversations waiting to happen.
How You Can Use This in Your Marketing
You don’t need a massive budget to grab attention. Sometimes, the simplest, most unexpected ideas work best. Here are some ways to break the norm and create engagement:
1. Flip the Message
Instead of following the usual “Buy now!” approach, try saying the opposite. Can you take a playful, self-aware approach? A burger joint might run an ad saying, “Honestly, you don’t need another burger… but you’re gonna want this one.” It disarms the audience and sparks curiosity.
2. Inject Humor
People love brands with personality. If your industry allows for it, find ways to be funnier, wittier, or more self-aware. It makes your brand feel more human—and people engage with humans, not faceless companies.
3. Create Interactive Experiences
Give people something to do instead of just something to watch. Whether it’s an unexpected giveaway, a social media challenge, or an in-person surprise, making people part of the moment boosts engagement.
4. Find the Unexpected Angle
If everyone in your industry markets the same way, do the opposite. Sell skincare? Instead of the usual “glowing skin” promise, run a campaign about what happens when you don’t take care of your skin. Sell office supplies? Market the weirdest, funniest, most bizarre use cases instead of the usual “work smarter” angle.
5. Keep It Simple
You don’t need an over-the-top stunt. Sometimes, a single tweet, a clever image, or a well-timed response can make all the difference.
A Team That Knows How to Get People Talking
Finding that perfect balance between unexpected and effective isn’t easy. That’s where The it Crowd comes in. Instead of cookie-cutter campaigns, they find fresh angles, unexpected hooks, and creative ways to make people actually care about what you’re offering.
Because at the end of the day, the brands that stand out are the ones people want to engage with. And that doesn’t happen by accident.
References
Barto, A. G., Mirolli, M., & Baldassarre, G. (2013). Novelty or surprise? Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 907.
Berger, J., & Milkman, K. (2012). What makes online content viral? Journal of Marketing Research, 49(2), 192–205.
Berlyne, D. E. (1970). Novelty, complexity, and hedonic value. Perception & Psychophysics, 8(5), 279–286.
Boucher, A. (2022, October 11). Scream-worthy listing: Realtor’s Ghostface photos go viral. USA Today.
Coca-Cola. (2010). Coca-Cola happiness machine [Video]. YouTube.
Duffy, B. E. (2018). (Not) getting paid to do what you love: Gender, social media, and aspirational work. Yale University Press.
McKinsey & Company. (2022). Consumer trust and brand loyalty: A new perspective on engagement.
Patagonia. (2011). Don’t buy this jacket. New York Times.
Schmidt, L., Kullen, B., Rueschemeyer, S. A., & Bekkering, H. (2020). The surprise factor in engagement. Cognition and Emotion, 34(1), 123-138.
