• by Beth Tripaldi , Yesterday

Despite the world being more digitally linked than ever, studies show loneliness is at an all-time high. Algorithms and AI have become merchants of outrage and sensationalism, designed to capture attention through anxiety, division, and fear. 

It’s making us shut down and shut others out. News outlets hide commentary behind paywall barriers to reinforce their echo chambers. Online participation has dropped for fear of backlash and unwanted negativity. Some people are reverting to “dumb phones” or landlines to help protect their mental health. 

We’ve been conditioned to believe that negativity drives engagement. And when controversy emerges, most brands default to silence, believing it's the safer choice. 

But when has any brand been rewarded for building a negative, disconnected world? 

Optimism is an untapped competitive advantage

Gap was on a downward spiral and lost its appeal with stone-faced models pushing hype drops. So its reset and brought the brand back to its timeless identity, fueled by dance, nostalgia, and inclusion. Its recent partnership with girl group Katseye not only received record views in the first few days of release, but sales have also rebounded from prior-year slumps.

Nintendo has a history of choosing whimsy over warfare in its marketing, evoking feelings of adventure, discovery, and nostalgia. This has resulted in a positive brand experience you want to share across generations, transcending the console world.

And more recently on social media, brands like Nutter Butter and Scrub Daddy have adopted “unhinged” behaviors to break up our doomscrolling with a laugh. While one can question if this is a long-term strategy, their social profiles certainly gained a lot of traction these last few months.

Focus on the feel-good. Instead of asking, "What will get attention?" start asking, "What will people be grateful they encountered in my marketing?" Design every touchpoint to leave people feeling lighter, connected, or genuinely entertained. 

Be unique, not ubiquitous. Throwing your brand into rising trends makes you a copycat at best and a culture vulture at worst. Just ask Poppi about the initial blowback from its fake "Amaya Papaya" flavor mockup. Sharing equity is not the same as building it. Define a POV that drives ownable content and conversations. 

Invite co-creation. Co-creation brings like-minded people together, amplifying positivity over shared experiences and interests. This can be achieved through IRL or digital, offering means for consumers to contribute to a brand’s world.

Optimize for sentiment. Clicks, likes, engagements, and views are all valid KPIs to optimize creative performance. Alone, these metrics can be misleading. It's important to understand intent and emotional response. Have you driven a comment because people are outraged or because they want to be a part of your world and share it with others?  

The Choice Is Yours

In an attention economy engineered for negativity and anxiety, brands that consistently offer joy become sanctuaries. Your customers will actively seek out your brand and fiercely protect it, knowing it satisfies what they cannot easily get elsewhere online. The question is whether you can reset your own behaviors to take advantage of this opportunity.