Enragement 😔 = Engagement šŸ“ˆ

The True Fuel of Social Marketing

Good Ad or Bad Bad?

Here’s a quick but critical reminder from inside the marketing conference room:

ā€œEnragement = Engagementā€

-Scott Galloway

It’s a phrase worth repeating—especially after a week full of internet outrage. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s the primary emotion of the internet, but I digress.
Whether you're praising a brand campaign or cancelling the brand through an angry video, you're part of the engine that drives its success.

šŸ’” What Industry Insiders Know

For those of us who’ve sat in countless marketing meetings, here’s what matters most on the campaign success scorecard:

  • Media impressions are king.

  • Shares, visibility, mentions—positive or negative—all count.

  • And yes, outrage counts as attention.

šŸ‘ŽšŸ½ Negative Sentiment? Still a Win.

You might think you're taking a stand against bad creative. But if you’re fueling the algorithm—even to criticize it—you’re still increasing its reach.

We may be past the era of canceling and entering one where:

  • Controversy is channelled, not cancelled.

  • Controversy finds the right audience by sometimes agitating the wrong one.

āš ļø Why This Works

Because here’s the ugly truth in a divided media landscape:

If 51% love your message, 49% will hate it.
And if 49% hate it loudly, the 51% will double down in support.

Especially in today’s incredibly toxic political discourse, condemnation fuels conviction. David French, a political commentator, calls it ā€œnegative partisanismā€, meaning we gain more points for who we hate in politics rather than what we stand for. Marketing is next.

āœ… What This Means for You (as a Critic)

Before you rate, review, or roast a campaign:

  • Remember how the metrics work.

  • Recognize your role in the distribution pipeline.

  • Ask: Is this outrage going to stop this, or fuel this? [ don’t be too sure with your answer]

Because, the more you complain, the more it signals to the algorithm that it’s a subject worth promoting.
Ignorant marketers will reap the benefits of their stumbled into outrage, and smart marketers will laugh all the way to the bank.

Oscar Wilde knew all along, ā€œNothing succeeds like excess.ā€

Education:

The BrandFathers new episode is out NOW: This week, The Fathers get into the sports marketing world and talk everything from Caitlin Clark & the WNBA’s conundrm to the blanding of running brands. Oren & Jordan explain the Caitlin Clark X Nike X WNBA challenges to Ashwinn, who known nothing about sports. It’s fun.

Inspiration:

The best Running Campaign of 2024 is back…

Aesthetic Weights: a new take on old medal.

This piece on the founder of MOOLAH Kicks, the women’s basketball shoe brand was fascinating.

Billboard Fun for Happy Gilmore:

Blessings: