Safe marketing is invisible. It slides past the reader like elevator music; polished, agreeable, forgettable.
The stuff that sticks? That makes people stop, think, and care? It isn’t smooth. It isn’t harmonious. It has edges. It has tension.
That’s why I believe in Dissonant Marketing.
The same way music uses dissonance, those clashing notes that make you lean in, waiting for resolution, marketing can use friction to spark attention. Harmony is pleasant, but friction fuels attention.
Why Dissonance Works
We’re wired for resolution. When something feels “off,” we don’t let it slide; we lean in. Our brains can’t resist closing the loop. That pull is what gives the resolution its power.
- Curiosity ignites. Friction makes people ask: What’s happening here? Where does this go?
- Emotion rises. Tension raises the stakes. Readers don’t just process information—they feel it.
- The memory sticks. Smooth messages blur. The jolt of dissonance lingers.
Think about the last story, ad, or article you couldn’t stop reading. It wasn’t because it was safe. It was because there was a conflict you needed to see resolved.
Industry Examples of Friction Done Right
There are a number of very “out there” campaigns that you may think of as creating friction. Apple’s 1984 video stands out as something that people remember, but it isn’t friction and dissonance in the way that I’m describing here.
Friction is “normal” marketing that feels like it fits but then smuggles in friction as an element. It’s elegant in the way it’s done.
Apple’s “Get a Mac” Campaign
This is textbook dissonance. Apple didn’t just show off features, it staged a conflict. Justin Long’s cool, laid-back Mac vs. John Hodgman’s clunky, awkward PC. The ads were playful, but they made the choice visceral. It wasn’t harmony—it was a duel. And viewers didn’t just laugh, they picked a side. That tension made the message unforgettable.
Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” Campaign
Dove leaned into an uncomfortable truth: women often see themselves more critically than others do. The campaign showed FBI-trained sketch artists drawing women as they described themselves—and then again as strangers described them. The dissonance between the two sketches was jarring. That tension drove the emotional punch, making the campaign one of the most shared of its time. The friction was the story.
Both examples prove the point: dissonance doesn’t repel; it compels.
What This Means for Marketing
We live in an attention economy. Every feed, every inbox, every channel is saturated with “nice” content. Safe content. Harmonious content. And all of it blends together.
If you want to stand out, you have to embrace the subtle power of dissonance.
