Go against the tide

Going against the tide in marketing can get you attention when everyone else does the same thing. I thought of it in November 2012, when the US presidential election dominated the radio so much that I could barely find a talk station covering anything else. My irritation turned into a question: What could a business gain by turning around and doing something completely different?

Go against the tide in marketing when everyone talks about the same thing

Winter had arrived and it was chilly, and the US presidential election had taken place the previous day. I almost felt it received more coverage in Danish media than a Danish parliamentary election.

I did not deny that others might find it interesting. It simply did not interest me, and I thought the scale of coverage was completely over the top. I was desperately pressing the radio buttons, but apart from the music stations it was constantly Obama, Romney and more of the same.

Then I thought about it in marketing terms. When everyone did one thing, the person doing something different could suddenly become more interesting. I imagined Radio 100 and other music stations might get more listeners that day because some people were tired of election coverage. That was my thought, not a figure I had measured.

In my opinion, a Danish talk radio station choosing to discuss something else would have a good opportunity. I would certainly have liked that option as a listener.

Our stand could become a magnet at a car show

I remembered trade shows we had attended before. Some of the best had actually been car shows.

Of course, people came to look at cars. They walked around, enjoyed themselves and looked at one car after another. But eventually they had seen enough cars too.

Then they came to our stand, which had a completely different theme and did something completely different. It was as if the contrast became a huge magnet. Suddenly, something broke with everything they had just seen.

It was a great opportunity. If everyone else moved in the same direction, you could gain something by going the other way. The sheer number of competitors was not necessarily the problem. Their sameness could also make the contrast clearer.

Imagine a Hawaiian party in the middle of Christmas shopping

I had used another example before: the high street in December. Every shop had decorated for Christmas, with little Christmas elves everywhere.

I poked fun at how "innovative" it was when artificial snow appeared in the windows again, along with Christmas elves and decorations going round just like the year before. Of course, I was being ironic. It was hardly one surprising new solution after another.

Then imagine a shop holding a Hawaiian party instead. People had been looking at Christmas for months and might be getting a little tired of it. Amid all the identical decorations, a shop suddenly lit up with a completely different theme.

There was sand on the floor and Hawaiian music. Instead of a Christmas bag, the customer got one with palm trees on it. The shop assistants wore Bermuda shorts and surfing gear.

It was a hypothetical example of how to stand out. I was not describing a particular shop that had done it or a documented result.

Some people get annoyed; others get something to laugh about

Of course, some might be annoyed by a Hawaiian party in the middle of December. I knew that perfectly well. But I also thought many would laugh and find it entertaining.

I felt the chance of good publicity could also be quite high. When something stood out so clearly from its surroundings, there was an opportunity for both PR and building your brand by being a little contrary.

So I suggested occasionally asking yourself: When everyone goes in one direction, what would happen if I turned around and did the exact opposite? Would it be so terrible? Or could there be an opportunity in it? Read also Iværksætter til jeg dør about my experiences of finding opportunities and creating a business.

That was the thought I wanted to pass on. My own starting point was very down to earth: I did not want to hear any more Obama and Romney that day. I had simply had enough. And that very feeling made me see an opportunity for someone offering something else.