Let Your Haters Sell For You
The smartest ads don’t just brag, they weaponize their enemies. This subway ad for a Bible app looks like a brutal one-star review: black background, row of empty stars, and a big fat “Zero stars. Would not recommend. – Satan.” That’s not a testimonial… it’s a villain-monia. And it makes the product instantly clear, funny, and desirable to the right person.
Turning a Bad Review Into a Perfect Pitch
By framing the message as a hostile review from the ultimate “hater,” the ad instantly communicates who the product is for and what side you’re on. If Satan hates this app, good Christians know they’ll probably love it. No features. No tech specs. Just one sharp joke that flips negativity into social proof and identity.
How to Let Your Haters Sell For You
- Pick a clear “enemy” your audience already dislikes or distrusts.
- Write the ad as a negative review, complaint, or warning from that enemy.
- Make the subtext obvious: if they hate it, your ideal customer will love it.
- Keep the visual super simple so the joke and positioning land in one glance.
Other Ways Brands Flip Haters Into Sales
Liquid Death runs ads quoting critics who call it “dumb water in a tallboy can,” then uses that exact insult as proof that it’s more fun than boring bottled water.
Oatly prints angry letters from dairy lobbyists on its packaging to signal that traditional milk producers hate how much market share it is stealing.
