20 Jan The Wall: When “Smart” Stops Working
At some point, every marketer hits a wall.
I did too.
Early on, I thought the job was to be clever:
Better headlines. Better campaigns. Better hooks.
Sometimes it worked.
Then I’d watch a “less clever” brand win anyway.
Why?
Because customers weren’t choosing the cleverest message.
They were choosing the brand that felt:
- safer
- more familiar
- more aligned
- more human
- more trusted
That’s when my work shifted.
I stopped asking, “How do we get attention?”
And started asking, “How do we earn preference?”
That shift is basically the bridge between all three books:
- Cult Branding: belonging and identity
- Why We Talk: meaning that spreads
- Customers First: trust proven in behavior
In my next email, I’ll share the most direct diagnostic question I ask leaders.
Have a great day ahead!
BJ