• by April 2, 2008

We were talking to a potential client last week who was looking to dip his big toe into the world of viral communication. He is the owner of a large, but not well-known, national brand. Being the owner, he enjoys the luxury of being able to do whatever he wants without having to report to shareholders and boards, and he isn't afraid of using that freedom to create some controversy.

Not being shy of controversy ourselves, we took an instant liking to him, and we were excited to help. But at the same time, we thought it was our responsibility to point out some of the risks of controversial marketing approaches.

On the plus side, a little controversy helps smaller, less visible brands get noticed, and also helps them compete with the large budgets of their high-profile competitors. And perhaps most important, controversy can spark a viral effect that is otherwise difficult to achieve.

But there's a downside that sometimes catches people unaware: Controversy requires debate. And debate means that people will take sides - some people will like you, and some will probably hate you. As Oscar Wilde put it, "Every effect that one produces gives one an enemy." And thanks to the anonymity of the Internet, even the most polite enemy will not be afraid of aggressively voicing their hatred.

To illustrate this, I have gathered some of my favorite bits of flame mail from the last three years:

First, the standard fare of comments on video-sharing sites, where, for every "LOL! This was great!! XDXD," you are pretty much guaranteed a "This is just... DISGUSTING!" Next, come the threats to withdraw their business. For example, the following came in response to a pro bono film we made to raise awareness of the persisting danger of unexploded land mines: "I saw your mine commercial; you people SUCK! You can damn sure bet I will never buy anything associated with your name!"

Of course, anything remotely political is bound to generate a slew of comments. But what's most interesting is that people hear what they want to hear (a dynamic called confirmation bias). For example, the following comments came in response to the same, slightly political, campaign: "You seem to be a right-wing nut case. Hope your business fails." And then there was, "I am so sick and tired of you liberals bashing this country and our president. I will NEVER use your site."

It is also interesting to note that some of the most flowery insults tend to come from the most conservative people: "You are a bunch of bunny-humping, tree-hugging, leaf-licking, mother-fucking, greenie bastards!"
Another interesting dynamic, is that often the most outraged seem to be speaking on behalf of others. These are some of the responses to a campaign encouraging viewers to "lighten up" that we ran for a weight-loss pill:
"Wow! I heard this commercial being called incredibly offensive and hateful, but I was not prepared for the reality of it!! This is the most hateful thing I've seen since I watched those singing white-supremacist sisters."

And, from someone in the target market: "I am quite certain most of the people who complain about the 'insensitivity' of this ad are not overweight. Hell, I am, and I found it hilarious. Finally, someone who isn't trying to make you feel okay about being a tub of lard. Chill out and learn to laugh at yourself a little bit."

(Note: we weren't responsible for the singing white-supremacist sisters but we did increase sales by 20 percent for the diet supplement.)

Some comments I just don't understand: "The idiots in your ad agency are stupid mother fuckers to be making fun of a tragic hunting accident involving the vice president of the United States."

(What else would you do following a tragic hunting accident involving the vice president of the United States?)

While others are loud and clear: "You suck and so do your ads."

So there you have it. A brief (but telling, I hope) glimpse behind the scenes of viral marketing. Our lesson from all of this is simple: If you or your clients are thinking about igniting a viral fire by courting controversy, be warned. Interesting brands invariably stand for something, but when you take a stand, there will always be people who stand against you.

Paul Parton is the brand-planning partner at The Brooklyn Brothers, a creative collective. (paul@thebrooklynbrothers.com)