There’s an old marketing dream that still haunts some business marketers: the “universal message.” One slogan, one product, one ad that works for everyone. But mass appeal, when you look closer, often means nobody feels anything deeply.

Real brand growth doesn’t come from trying to reach everyone. It comes from resonating so powerfully with someone that they can’t ignore you.

Harley-Davidson never tried to please commuters. Glossier didn’t pitch skincare to your uncle. Liquid Death doesn’t sell water to make you hydrated—it sells it to make you interesting.

The goal isn’t to avoid offending. It’s to avoid blending.

Mass appeal feels safe, but it’s an illusion. In trying to please everyone, brands become bland, forgettable. But the moment a brand dares to pick a side—an aesthetic, a tone, a tribe—they spark conversation. And loyalty. And love.

You don’t need to be for everyone. You just need to be deeply for someone.