Create ideas using: Make em feel Guilty
How do I use guilt without being manipulative and gross?
Make it about genuine values alignment, not shame. Point out the disconnect between what they say they care about and what they're actually doing--but offer a real solution, not just finger-wagging. Guilt only works ethically when it's true, when people already hold the values you're invoking, and when you provide a clear path to feel better.
Won't making people feel guilty just make them resent my brand?
Yes, if you're doing it badly. Guilt that leads nowhere except feeling shitty creates resentment. Guilt that surfaces a real value conflict and offers redemption creates action. The difference is whether you're punishing or motivating. Give people a way to feel like a good person again, and guilt becomes a powerful driver.
Example: How it could look
A carbon offset program doesn't shame people for flying--they show the visual impact: 'Your flight to Bali produced enough CO2 to fill your house to the ceiling.' Then immediately: 'Offset it for $12.' The guilt is real, specific, and there's an immediate, affordable solution. No shaming, just honest accounting plus action.
Or like this:
Why is Make em feel Guilty a great technique?
Guilt works when it highlights the gap between values and actions, then provides a clear path to alignment.
Activates existing values people already hold
Creates immediate motivation to resolve discomfort
Works for causes and issues people care about
When paired with solutions, converts guilt to action
Strategic guilt isn't about manipulation--it's about surfacing cognitive dissonance and offering resolution. When done ethically, it helps people live according to their own stated values. That's not evil, that's providing a service. Just don't be a dick about it.
! When not to use the Make em feel Guilty Technique
When you're manufacturing fake guilt about bullshit people shouldn't actually feel bad about. That's manipulation, not marketing, and people will hate you for it.
Technique first described by www.deckofbrilliance.com