Why Brands Are Choosing Controversy Over Civility
How attention scarcity is forcing companies to pick cultural fights
When Pepsi launched its "Share a Pepsi with burgers, not some bro" campaign, it wasn't just taking a shot at Coca-Cola's personalization strategy. It was declaring the end of an era where major brands competed politely, never directly attacking each other's campaigns.
This shift from diplomatic positioning to cultural warfare reflects a harsh reality: when consumers see an estimated 360 ads daily (with only 150-155 actually noticed, according to Media Dynamics research) and social media ad click-through rates have fallen to just 1.21% across platforms, brands face a binary choice between invisibility and controversy.
The Attention Economics of Aggression
Social media algorithms don't care if people love or hate your ad—they just want people talking about it. Pepsi's campaign works because it breaks the unwritten rules of polite competition, guaranteeing the kind of viral spread that nice campaigns never achieve.
The numbers tell the story. Publishers like news websites and blogs lose $54 billion annually because people install software like AdBlock Plus to stop pop-ups, banner ads, and auto-playing videos from appearing on their screens, according to eyeo's 2023 Ad-Filtering Report. Social media engagement keeps falling. Brands that play it safe become invisible.
Pepsi's direct attack isn't reckless — it's smart. In a world where attention is scarce, controversy has become valuable.
Cultural Positioning as Competitive Weapon
The best brands aren't just picking fights—they're staking out cultural ground that other companies can't copy. It's like hiring the biggest names in your industry before competitors can get to them.
Burberry's Festival Strategy features Liam Gallagher, Goldie, and Cara Delevingne in authentic British festival settings, claiming ownership of British cultural authenticity rather than simply selling luxury fashion. Competitors can copy products but can't replicate cultural DNA.
Goop's Wellness Empire positions Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand as the authority on luxury wellness, making competitors look like cheap imitators. The company isn't just selling skincare—it's curating an aspirational lifestyle that customers want to join.
These strategies succeed because consumers increasingly prefer authentic brand experiences over algorithmic personalization. Research from eyeo shows that 83% of users would accept non-intrusive, relevant ads online, while traditional brand content often gets filtered out entirely.
Why Playing It Safe Doesn’t Work Anymore
Brands used to win by being broadly appealing. Today, that strategy falls flat.
With limited attention to go around, only the most distinctive voices get noticed. Neutral, inoffensive branding — what some call “Brand Switzerland” — no longer cuts through the noise.
To stand out, brands need to take a stand. That means:
Having a clear cultural point of view
Authentically aligning with movements that matter to your audience
Being okay with turning off people outside your target
Sticking with it — even when it draws criticism
In a polarized world, the middle isn’t safe. It’s silent.
When One Brand Shakes the Whole Category
Pepsi’s bold cultural stance doesn’t just impact Coke — it rewrites the rules for the entire beverage industry. Brands like Dr Pepper, Monster, and indie sodas now have to find new ways to compete in a world where the biggest players have stopped playing nice.
This opens up new strategies:
Stand Out by Staying Neutral
Some brands can win just by opting out of the cola war. Think Topo Chico or LaCroix — quirky, chill, and comfortably outside the chaos.
Own a Cultural Niche
Go deep with a lifestyle segment that the big brands ignore. Monster leans into gaming. Liquid Death thrives on punk and metal energy.
Be the Anti-Brand
Frame yourself as the rebellion. Olipop positions itself as the healthy soda fighting Big Soda.
And this pattern isn’t limited to beverages. Brands in fashion, beauty, and wellness are seeing that cultural loyalty is more powerful than product specs.
Agencies Must Evolve — or Get Left Behind
When brands go bold, agencies have to change. Traditional methods — focus groups, legal reviews, committee-safe messaging — won’t cut it anymore.
Winning agencies today prioritize:
Cultural intelligence over demographics
Understanding how people behave and what they believe matters more than their zip code.
Bravery over brand safety
No more beige campaigns. Strategy needs to stand for something.
Speed over perfection
Think like a newsroom, not a broadcast studio.
Crisis readiness over cautious control
If you’re going to stir up conversation, be ready to manage it in real time.
Bold brands need bold partners — creatively, strategically, and operationally.
Stop Measuring Awareness — Start Measuring Cultural Impact
Traditional metrics like awareness and preference no longer capture whether a brand is shaping culture. Cultural relevance demands a new measurement playbook.
1. Cultural Relevance
Is the brand showing up organically in conversation — memes, creator content, think pieces?
Tools: Blackbird.AI, Talkwalker, Brandwatch
Example: Taco Bell became part of Gen Z slang — not just a fast-food option.
2. Depth of Engagement
Are people interacting meaningfully — remixing, debating, creating?
Tools: Canvs.ai, Sprinklr, YouScan
Example: Liquid Death fans generate skits, tattoos, and brand-inspired content — true engagement, not just likes.
3. Competitive Displacement
Is the brand stealing cultural mindshare from rivals?
Tools: Quid, Relative Insight, Google Trends, Reddit
Example: Skims overtook legacy shapewear in relevance by aligning with modern identity and values.
4. Staying Power
Does the brand’s cultural position last beyond a campaign?
Tools: Zignal Labs, MediaCloud, custom benchmarking
Example: Nike’s “Dream Crazy” remains a reference point for purpose-led branding years later.
Bottom line:
To lead culturally, brands need to track meaning, not just mentions. Old KPIs miss the story—new tools reveal it.
Culture Doesn’t Translate Automatically
Cultural positioning that resonates domestically may not translate abroad. Pepsi’s “burgers not bros” campaign reflects U.S. humor and values — but may falter in international markets.
Global brands face key strategic choices:
Universal messaging – Delivers consistency but risks cultural detachment
Localized positioning – Offers greater resonance but increases complexity
Hybrid models – Blend global coherence with regional authenticity
Burberry’s global success illustrates the rare case where national identity (Britishness) carries international appeal. Most brands must craft a more nuanced approach.
The New Rules of Branding
Playing it safe doesn’t work anymore. In today’s culture-driven marketplace, brand diplomacy isn’t wise — it’s invisible.
To break through, new rules apply:
Neutral = Irrelevant
Indifference gets lost in the noise. If a brand stands for nothing, it fades.
Culture > Features
Emotional alignment builds loyalty faster than marginal product advantages.
Polarization Beats Broad Appeal
Algorithms reward intensity, not consensus. Strong reactions drive visibility.
Bold Is the Baseline
With traditional advantages eroding, the only real advantage is cultural conviction.
Of course, boldness brings challenges: greater scrutiny, messier operations, harder-to-measure outcomes. But the alternative — blending into the background — is a far greater risk.
The brands that will lead the next decade aren’t just louder. They’re sharper, braver, and more culturally fluent.
Brand warfare is here.