Written by: Vickie Sullivan | July 30, 2024
How to Leverage Controversy for Powerful Content Marketing
One way to get people to notice your content marketing is to highlight the absurd and play devil’s advocate. Consider the following controversial cultural example.
Recently, the Washington Post published a feature article about Nick Adams, another player in the “alpha male” movement. Adams is a “masculine influencer.” “He’s Christian, he’s very concerned about there being only two genders, he rails against ‘woke.’ In other ways, his version of MAGA manhood is so over-the-top, so uncanny that it almost seems like performance art,” Ben Terris writes in the article.
Terris’ writing tactic is an effective reaction to the obnoxious among us. Advocating that young men are having trouble can invite brutal pushback nowadays. However, using Adams’ popularity paves the way for more exploration and possible acceptance of a bigger problem.
You can use a calmer version of this approach in your content marketing, too. Here are two ideas to help you:
• As a provocative “why.” Instead of supporting or mocking Adams, Terris used him as an example of a bigger problem. He positioned Adams’ popularity as a result of one political party ignoring a constituency that the other acknowledged. You can use this pretext to position your point-blank assessments.
• Introducing the secret sauce. Key quote from Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men: “The combination of humor and irony and transgression … are like crack for a young boy.” This explains why the bombastic style—which appears so repelling—actually works. This technique is great when pointing out paradoxes and juxtapositions.
To stand out in crowded markets, it may be tempting to emphasize the ridiculous. However, a more advanced messaging strategy involves using the outrageous to convey a valid point.
Listen: When Should We Highlight the Absurd?
Now Read This:
- How to Tell the Brutal Truth and Not Sound Like a Jerk
- Brand and Message Strategy for Thought Leaders