Lauren Ackerman, Web Content Specialist
Dollar Shave Club was the first one I remember. In 2012, just a year after they launched the brand, they uploaded a video titled “Our Blades Are F***ing Great.” And while they pulled their punch with bleeps and asterisks, it still had some shock value. And it worked! The brazen video got shared millions of times, and the video prompted 12,000 orders in a two-day period.
I mean, they didn’t JUST drop the F-bomb. It was also funny and was produced just cheaply enough to be charming while having a good sense of fun. Today, it’s still the most popular video on their YouTube channel, with over 25 million views and only a tiny fraction of dislikes. It earned several awards, most notably AdAge’s “Best Out-of-Nowhere Video Campaign” at the Viral Video Awards.
You don’t need to make a video to grab people’s attention, a quick post will do the trick, like this ad for Thoroughbreds (below) that made an appearance in my Instagram feed. This time, it’s an indie film featuring bored, rich teenage girls thinking of murder. In this case, the salty language matches the flirting-with-danger edginess of the trailer. And it got my attention, so it worked!
By far, the most over-the-top example is this Kickstarter campaign, with (by my count) 10 f**ks and 12 s***s. Maybe they just really, really like cursing. I understand. I too, like cursing. But the sheer volume feels forced. While it’s a fine video, it reaches for but doesn’t quite attain the same sense of cheeky fun that the Dollar Shave Club video had. But, I get it – a startup’s got to get noticed, right?
This mostly seems to be a small crowdfunding, startup or indie phenomenon, but there’s already one big flashing sign of mainstream proliferation:
International agency, Wieden Kennedy, created a campaign for online dating site, OK Cupid, redefining the acronym DTF (“Down To F***”) in various playful ways, like “Down To Finish My Enchiladas” “Down to Flea Market” “Down to Fall Head Over Heels.”
So what’s so alluring to these brands about the F-bomb? Perhaps it’s advertising’s attempt to sound more human – a natural evolution into speaking the way that people do day-to-day. Perhaps it’s the quickest way to say, “This ISN’T your Grandma Betty’s brand.” Or maybe they think that the F-train is some kind of magic ticket to San Millennial Valley.
TAKEAWAY
Given that it’s just edging into mainstream, this trend feels like it’s gaining rather than losing steam. One thing is clear: brands are making bold moves, so those that don’t are going to get lost in the crowd. If you’re not ready to start swearing like a sailor, take heart, there is an important underlying message here: Strive to talk like your customer, not like an advertiser.
P.S. Was Dollar Shave Club the first to the party or was it someone else? If you are in the know, comment below or shoot me an email at laurena@jschmid.com.
Tags: ad trends, ads that say f*ck, Ads with cursing, Brand Campaign, Lauren Ackerman, video marketing