Exceeding expectations is the most positive surprise; a service let-down is the most negative
PrincipleBrand & Creativity
Exceeding expectations is the most positive surprise; a service let-down is the most negative
Across 13,000 stated reasons for surprise in System1's Test Your Ad data, the most positive trigger is performance that exceeded expectations, and the most negative is a service let-down. Giving people more than they expect is the secret of good surprise; promising more than you deliver produces the exact reverse.
Source
The Startling Power of Surprise - eatbigfish x Uncensored CMO webinar (Cannes 2026 session) (2026)
Adam Morgan (eatbigfish), Jon Evans (Uncensored CMO)
00:24:48 chart; System1 Test Your Ad, 13,000 reasons for surprise
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