We all know the purpose of marketing: to attract, engage, and delight customers.
But sometimes, we do the opposite. Sometimes we interrupt, overwhelm, or completely alienate them. That’s not just bad marketing, it’s what we call Brand Repellent Marketing.
Brand Repellent Marketing happens when our actions push people away instead of drawing them in. Marketing should tickle your customers pink – not annoy, frustrate and anger them. And yet, here we are, spamming stalking, re-targeting, using dark patterns to trick them into doing what we want instead of listening to what they want, and providing it. The result: driving them to your competitors.
It’s the pop-up that blocks the article you wanted to read. The tenth “exclusive” email this week that you cannot unsubscribe from. The creepy retargeting ad that follows you across the internet. The unwanted text message that won’t STOP even when you unsubscribe. It’s not just ineffective, it actively erodes trust and loyalty.
We use a simple acid test to spot it:
If your customer feels interrupted, insulted, or ignored, you’re not marketing, you’re repelling. Are you doing something FOR your prospect, or are you doings things TO your prospect?
Before launching any campaign, run it through our Brand Repellent Marketing Checklist. If you check more than two boxes, stop. Fix it. Make it about the customer again. If you check two or more of these ten tactics, you’re in the danger zone.
Interruptive Timing: Our message shows up when customers least want to hear from us.
Overload: We send too many emails, ads, or notifications in a short period.
Irrelevance: Content is generic or mismatched to what the customer actually cares about. Just because AI allows you to create tons of crap, does not mean you should.
Overpromising: The headline sounds amazing but the reality disappoints. These are often referred to as “click-bait”, leaving the viewer dissatisfied with the entire experience.
Hard-Sell Tactics: Urgency, fear, or guilt is being used instead of value and trust. Trying to close a sale when there is no sale to close – every time you touch a prospect, desperately chasing a sale sends the wrong message about the brand.
Tone-Deafness: Language or imagery that feels pushy, patronizing, or out of touch.
Privacy Intrusion: Using individual’s personal data in ways that feel creepy, unjustified or self-serving.
No Escape: Customers can’t easily opt out, unsubscribe, or set preferences. You make it easy to sign up and very difficult/impossible to opt-out in order to increase your retention stats.
Lack of Care: We’re busy chasing clicks and desperately begging for sales, not improving the customer’s life or pleasing them in any way.
Brand Disconnect: The message doesn’t align with the brand values customers believe in. You invest hard-earned dollars to chase your customer away – to your competitors.
Marketing, done properly, always puts the consumer first.
Brand Repellent Marketing puts sales and profits first, eroding trust and loyalty and driving customers away.
