Create ideas using: Tell a story: Against social norms
How do I challenge social norms without alienating people who follow them?
Frame it as expanding choices, not condemning existing ones. Show the courage required to go against norms without implying people who conform are wrong. The story should celebrate the choice to be different, not attack those who aren't. Give people permission to see themselves in either position--the rebel or the supporter.
What if my brand has nothing to do with social change?
Then don't force it. Not every brand needs to be revolutionary. But most products do enable some form of non-conformity--choosing quality over trends, prioritizing function over fashion, valuing craft over mass production. Find where your product supports people going their own way, even in small ways.
Example: How it could look
Airbnb doesn't just sell travel--they celebrate people choosing experiences over possessions, local over touristy, authentic over packaged. Their 'Don't go there, live there' campaign challenges the norm of tourist-trap vacations. They're not condemning hotels; they're celebrating the choice to travel differently.
Or like this:
Why is Tell a story: Against social norms a great technique?
Stories of challenging norms tap into the universal desire for authenticity and the courage to be different.
Appeals to people's desire for individuality
Creates strong identification with rebels
Positions brand as enabler of authentic choices
Generates conversation through provocation
Social norm stories work because everyone feels pressure to conform and secretly admires those who don't. When your brand supports going against the grain, you attract people tired of following the crowd. That's a passionate, loyal audience.
! When not to use the Tell a story: Against social norms Technique
When you're manufacturing rebellion for brands that are actually mainstream. Fake counterculture positioning is transparent and embarrassing.
Technique first described by www.deckofbrilliance.com