There are a lot of words marketers can’t seem to quit. “Unique.” “Authentic.” “Real.” But these are threadbare clichés, which have all but become nullified due to the erosion of their meaning, a dilution fueled by the desire for brands to be generally, yet specifically, for everyone. But “everyone” is not a target audience. It’s a comfortable void. What brands really need right now isn’t another lap around the buzzword block. It’s courage. Courage to lean into the one trait that could cut through in a world of algorithms, sameness, and mediocrity. Marketers need to be weirder.

If you want a sociological anecdote of how weird wins, look no further than online dating. Dating apps have shown us that people don’t actually want the most “normal” partner. They want quirks that stand out. Hinge

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