Coca-Cola once tried to sell apathy in a can. They called it OK Soda — a grungy, "anti-brand" aimed at cynical Gen Xers. The ads were clever, the design was bizarre…and the product died within a year.
In Episode 107, we dig into why "anti-branding" almost always backfires, why Liquid Death succeeded where Coke failed, and the psychology of why brands can't thrive on indifference. Inside the conversation:
✅ The real reason OK Soda flopped despite massive hype
✅ Why apathy is the weakest emotion you can build a brand on
✅ The key difference between active vs. passive emotions in marketing
✅ How today's "anti-agency agencies" and "non-beauty beauty brands" are repeating Coke's mistake
✅ Why rebellion only works if you give customers an identity to step into, not out of
If you've ever wondered:
Why some "anti" campaigns take off while others flatline
How to pick the right emotion to anchor your brand around
What Liquid Death nailed that Coke couldn't figure out
And why fighting your own category is the fastest way to lose…
…this one's for you.
👉 Learn how to become a psychology-based creative strategist: skool.com/tether-lab
CoHost: Nate Lagos
Twitter: https://x.com/natelagos
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagos/
Tactical and Practical Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tactical-practical/id1752915534
CoHost: Sarah Levinger
Learn more at: https://www.tetherinsights.io/
Twitter: https://x.com/SarahLevinger
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlevinger/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.levinger/