Robot Fodder Vol 22
Why are brands going bad on purpose?
We’ve spent years being told that positivity sells. Be joyful. Sound friendly. Sprinkle a little playfulness on your brand story. But what if we told you negativity is the new relatability?
Let’s be clear, this isn’t about being cynical for clicks. It’s about tuning into the deeper human truth: negativity is our social glue. From TikTok takedowns to group DMs filled with yaps and shared gripes, people aren’t just bonding over shared interests, they’re bonding over shared disdain. It’s called trauma bonding, but make it branded.
Insight
Love to hate
In a world exhausted by fakery and feel-good filler, the brands breaking through are the ones brave enough to be negative. Not because it’s edgy, but because it’s honest. We don’t just bond over what we like, we bond over what we can’t stand. That shared eye roll or “yeah that’s so cringe” that’s real intimacy. Goat Rodeo Goods understand this need for connection. They’re not trying to be for everyone and in that exclusivity, they’ve built a cult-like community. Because when you stand for something (even if it’s petty or polarising) you give people something to feel united about.
Tension sparks creativity
They may say ‘negativity kills creativity,’ but honestly, the opposite is often true. Creativity needs conflict. It needs something to push against. Without that friction, all you’re doing is decorating. Positivity can soothe, but it rarely disrupts and disruption is where the magic happens. The brands catching fire right now are the ones weaponising dissonance. Take Slather, who ditched sunny SPF slogans for a positioning built around terrifying solar facts. Or Sad Girl Matcha, which serves up emotional burnout in a pastel green can. It’s unexpected, a little uncomfortable, and that’s the point, it makes you feel something. And once you do, you remember it.
Flipping the narrative
We’re culturally in our villain era, where likability is optional, and self-assurance is the new virtue signal. Being nice isn’t cool. Being sure of yourself, even if it ruffles feathers, is. That’s why the brands with edge are winning. They’re not chasing brand love. They’re chasing respect, relevance, and real talk. And while legacy names like BrewDog scramble to rebrand themselves into something softer and more palatable (leaving Punk IPA’s new image giving the same impression as Kim Kardashian in a Metallica t-shirt) the new wave is pushing harder. Brands like One Trick Pony flip criticism into identity. While most peanut butters don't bother pointing out the provenance of their ingredients, One Trick Pony owns its singularity with a self-deprecating name that flips the script on negativity.
What’s going on?
0121 DO 1
F37 Foundry have honoured Manchester’s deeply sarcastic and defiantly optimistic character with its new Mancunio typeface. In a series of billboards popping up across the city F37 have combined the dry, deft wit and warmth of the city’s tone to celebrate its people and counterculture.
Just don’t do it
Nike took an honest approach to London Marathon OOH ads. Highlighting the pain points of running and the physical struggles like chafing, pain, and fatigue. A turn away from the light tone of its competitors and an approach that divided public opinion.
Feeling pear-free
Almost Pearfect crashes the cider scene like it owns the place, showing up where no one asked, but everyone’s glad it did. It’s a name that laughs at perfection, a look that refuses to blend in, and an attitude that hijacks tradition and gives it a much-needed makeover.
"Life isn’t all sunshine and smiles. I learnt that the hard way recently, three hours into my first marathon (seriously, 'the wall’ should be respected). When shit gets real, brands that meet you where your head’s at are so much more relatable than those forcing a fake smile. Nike caught some flack for their blistering billboards but anyone who’s ground out 26 miles found something to identify with - we all felt like part of the club."
Torben
Designer
Image credits:
Image 1 - Goat rodeo goods (goatrodeogoods.com), Image 2 - Slather (slather.com.au), Image 3 - One Trick Pony (onetrickponynuts.com), Image 4 - F37 Foundry (James Cross Linkedin), Image 5 - Nike (nike.com), Image 6 - Almost Pearfect (almost-pearfect.com)