a single source, nothing corroborates it

Pick an enemy and say what you are against

A campaign with only a protagonist has no conflict and nothing to follow, and uncomplicated positivity gets scrolled past. Naming a belief system, a received narrative or a rival to argue with sorts readers into the ones who stay, and the hostile replies are the price of that sorting rather than evidence it went wrong.

The method

1. 01

   Choose a belief system, a received narrative or a set of principles to argue against rather than a person, and state plainly what you back and what you oppose.

2. 02

   Accept that attacking a common narrative loses you the readers who disagree, because that sorting is what leaves you with an audience that sticks.

3. 03

   Stake out a position on a contested question in your field and accept the hostile replies as part of the cost.

4. 04

   Name the villain your customers are up against and campaign against it in public, which separates you from an aisle of near-identical products.

5. 05

   Give the campaign an opponent, because a story with only a protagonist has no energy and nobody engages with uncomplicated positivity.

What it returned

• Welsh notes this for and against structure is standard in politics and activism and is reused by the best creators across content, message and products.

• An example post of Welsh's says that because he wanted an employer who genuinely cared about him, he became his own.

• Welsh's best-performing content argues directly against the constant-hustle crowd. It brings him hate mail along with an aligned following.

• Oatly took the position that plant-based milk belongs in school cafeterias and posts regularly about what it is doing to get there, which Katelyn Bourgoin reads as a deliberate wedge against dozens of rival milks on the same shelf.

Sources

• Negativity Bias - Why We Buy 🧠Katelyn Bourgoin · customercamp.co · ​Bring controversy into your marketing · undated
• Every Creator Needs An Enemy (Or Two)Justin Welsh · justinwelsh.me · Every Creator Needs An Enemy (Or Two) · 2023-01-07
• Nobody knows you exist. Now what?Justin Welsh · justinwelsh.me · #2 Take a strong stance on controversial topics in your industry · 2024-04-27
• Counterpunch like CarlHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · Counterpunch like Carl · undated
• My Twitter Inspiration HandbookHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · 6/ Brand beef · undated