Patagonia ran a Black Friday ad that said:
They explained why buying less is better for the environment.
Sales went up 30%.
The 59-sec takeaway:
Counterintuitive messaging builds trust.
Every brand says "buy more." Patagonia said "buy less."
People trusted them more because they prioritized values over sales.
Then they bought anyway (because they trusted the brand).
How I'd use this:
What's the opposite of what everyone in your space says?
Everyone says "sign up now" → You say "only sign up if you're serious"
Everyone says "we're the best" → You say "we're not for everyone"
I might do this with Under 59: "Don’t share this if you want to be smarter than your peers" ;)
Filters out the wrong people. Attracts the right people.
Peace,
Pavan
P.S. Do you guys not share this newsletter to stay ahead of your peers? Reply and let me know. I will just have to work harder to grow my following ;)
Trust is earned through honesty, not persuasion.