Create ideas using: Reverse Expectations
How do I reverse expectations without it just feeling like a cheap trick?
The reversal has to make sense once revealed. It's not about randomness--it's about showing people they had the wrong assumption for a good reason, then proving why the opposite is actually true. The surprise should lead to insight, not just 'gotcha.' If people feel tricked instead of enlightened, you did it wrong.
What if people get mad that I subverted what they expected?
Good reversals don't make people angry--they make people reconsider. If you're getting backlash, you either reversed something sacred without respecting it, or the reversal didn't deliver enough value to justify the disruption. The payoff has to be worth the surprise. Subversion for its own sake is just being contrarian and annoying.
Example: How it could look
A luxury car brand doesn't show the car--they show someone choosing public transit over driving. The twist: they sold the car because the resale value was so high it funded a year of adventures. Reverses the expectation that luxury brands never acknowledge alternatives, while proving value retention is the real luxury. Unexpected, but strategically sound.
Or like this:
Why is Reverse Expectations a great technique?
Reversing expectations breaks autopilot thinking and creates memorable moments by challenging what people assumed they knew.
Creates instant attention through surprise
Forces deeper processing and consideration
Makes message memorable through unexpectedness
Positions brand as confident and unconventional
Expectations are mental shortcuts. When you deliberately break them, you force people to actually think instead of pattern-match. That cognitive engagement is where messages stick. Just make sure the reversal earns its shock value with real insight.
! When not to use the Reverse Expectations Technique
When you're subverting expectations just to be edgy without having a real point. Surprise without purpose is just noise.
Technique first described by www.deckofbrilliance.com