When it comes to the world of branding, playing it safe rarely makes headlines. The 10 marketing risks we explore below show how daring, sometimes reckless, decisions helped brands cut through the noise and win big. Whether a campaign sparked controversy, leaned into self‑deprecation, or flipped industry norms on their heads, each gamble paid off in ways that reshaped the brand’s story.
10 Nike Took a Knee With Colin Kaepernick
In 2018, Nike rolled out one of its most polarizing campaigns by putting former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick front and center. The spot featured his portrait alongside the stark message, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Nike aired it during NFL season, fully aware it could inflame fans, conservatives, and even some of its own athlete partners. The immediate backlash was fierce—videos of shoes being set ablaze flooded social feeds, and #BoycottNike trended for days.
Yet the move wasn’t a shot in the dark. Internal research revealed that Nike’s core audience—young, urban, socially‑aware consumers—viewed Kaepernick as a hero, not a liability. The result? Sales jumped 31% over the opening weekend, social engagement shattered previous records, and the stock surged to an all‑time high within two months. Kaepernick became a long‑term ambassador alongside LeBron James and Serena Williams. The campaign snagged an Emmy, a Cannes Lion, and rewrote the playbook for brands taking a stand without self‑destructing.
9 Old Spice Got Weird—and It Worked
Old Spice had long been associated with older generations, and by the late 2000s it was fading into obscurity against rivals like Axe. Enter the 2010 “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” spot starring Isaiah Mustafa, a surreal, over‑the‑top ad that featured shirt‑less moments, teleporting showers, diamonds spilling from his hands, and a final gallop on a horse. It was a radical departure for a brand that hadn’t felt cool in decades.
The clip exploded online, racking up millions of views in just three days. The real masterstroke came next: Old Spice launched a massive real‑time response campaign, delivering more than 180 personalized video replies from Mustafa to fans on Twitter and Reddit—including shout‑outs to Ellen DeGeneres, Digg users, and even a marriage proposal. The internet went wild, sales of the body wash doubled, and Old Spice vaulted to become America’s #1 men’s grooming line.
8 Burger King Told Customers to Eat at McDonald’s
Amid the economic turmoil of the 2020 pandemic, Burger King UK posted a startling tweet that simply read, “Order from McDonald’s.” The message continued, urging people to support any fast‑food chain—KFC, Subway, Domino’s, Five Guys, or even independent eateries—because they all needed a lifeline. This wasn’t a gimmick; it was a heartfelt call for solidarity as thousands of hospitality workers faced furloughs and layoffs.
For a brand famous for trolling its rivals, especially McDonald’s, this was a bold pivot. Instead of brand‑centric bragging, Burger King chose empathy. The tweet went viral, earning praise for its maturity and community spirit. Global news outlets highlighted the move, and sentiment toward Burger King surged across demographics. The campaign reinforced the brand’s image as both flavorful and compassionate, while shining a spotlight on an industry on the brink.
7 Volvo Let a Truck Drive Over Jean‑Claude Van Damme
In 2013, Volvo Trucks wanted to showcase its new precision‑steering tech, but rather than a dry demo they hired Jean‑Claude Van Damme to perform an epic split between two moving semi‑trucks. The stunt, filmed at sunrise, saw the trucks drift backward down an empty runway while Van Damme held the split, with no visible safety harness. The risk was palpable—one slip could have turned the campaign into a disaster.
The gamble paid off instantly. The video amassed over 100 million views within days, sparking countless parody videos and a wave of social‑media challenges. Volvo Truck sales in key markets rose more than 30%, and the brand earned prestigious awards across the advertising world. The campaign elevated Volvo’s image beyond rugged machinery, positioning it as a maker of sleek, precise equipment, while giving Van Damme a pop‑culture resurgence.
6 Liquid Death Sold Water Like It Was Beer
When Liquid Death hit the market in 2019, it presented canned mountain water with a heavy‑metal aesthetic—gothic skulls, bold slogans like “Murder Your Thirst,” and ads that featured water‑boarding (with water), faux infomercials starring possessed children, and cans being exorcised. Critics dismissed it as style over substance, and many retailers hesitated to stock the product.
Nevertheless, the brand carved a niche for “water for people who hate health branding.” Punk bands, MMA fighters, tattoo artists, and skaters embraced it, and the company even offered a tongue‑in‑cheek “sell your soul” contract on its site. By 2023, Liquid Death was valued at over $700 million, stocked in Whole Foods, 7‑Eleven, and Target, and backed by celebrity investors like Tony Hawk and Wiz Khalifa—all while selling plain water in tall cans with no alcohol, caffeine, or sugar, just attitude.
5 Apple’s 1984 Ad Nearly Didn’t Air
Apple’s iconic “1984” Super Bowl commercial, directed by Ridley Scott, cost nearly $1 million to produce—a massive budget at the time. The minute‑long spot depicted a dystopian, Orwellian world being shattered by a hammer‑throwing rebel, symbolizing the upcoming Macintosh launch. When Apple’s board saw the finished ad, they were terrified, deeming it too strange, confusing, and abstract for a tech product, and wanted to pull the plug and sell back the airtime.
Steve Jobs and marketing chief Lee Clow pushed forward regardless. The ad aired just once during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII in 1984. That single airing sparked endless replay on news outlets, hailed as revolutionary. The Macintosh launch two days later was a massive success. The ad is now celebrated as one of the greatest commercials ever, preserved in the Museum of Modern Art. Had the board won, Apple might never have been linked with rebellion and creativity.
4 Patagonia Told You Not to Buy Their Jacket
On Black Friday 2011, Patagonia placed a full‑page ad in the New York Times with the headline, “Don’t Buy This Jacket.” Below was a photo of their best‑selling fleece, accompanied by copy urging readers to consider the environmental cost of producing even one “eco‑friendly” product. The ad wasn’t promoting a sale; it was calling out the culture of over‑consumption, including Patagonia’s role in it.
The move could have killed holiday sales or painted Patagonia as self‑righteous. Instead, it boosted credibility with eco‑conscious shoppers, driving brand trust sky‑high. Sales rose over 30% the following year, and Patagonia doubled down with initiatives like Worn Wear (a resale marketplace), lifetime guarantees, and a pledge to donate all profits to environmental causes. In 2022, its founder transferred ownership of the entire company to a climate trust, aligning the brand’s messaging with radical corporate action and proving that authenticity can be a powerful marketing engine.
3 Carlsberg Admitted Its Beer Wasn’t the Best
Carlsberg’s famous tagline—“Probably the best beer in the world”—had long been a staple across Europe. By the late 2010s, however, cost‑cutting had eroded quality, sales in the UK were slipping, and younger drinkers saw the brand as outdated. The company took a daring step: a campaign that opened with “Probably not the best beer in the world,” openly admitting the product had declined.
The ads highlighted angry tweets, low ratings, and harsh taste‑test results, then unveiled a new brewing process with better ingredients and a smoother finish. Carlsberg even released videos of staff reading customer insults aloud. The honesty sparked massive attention, and within months sales and brand sentiment rose, especially among younger consumers who appreciated the candid reset. A follow‑up campaign kept the cheeky tone with “New Carlsberg Pilsner: Rebrewed From Head to Hop.”
2 Reddit Spent Its Entire Super Bowl Budget on a 5‑Second Ad
Super Bowl spots are the holy grail of brand exposure, typically featuring humor or celebrity cameos. In 2021, Reddit flipped the script, spending its whole ad budget on a five‑second glitch‑style commercial that mimicked a broadcast error. The screen flashed to a block of text referencing the recent GameStop saga, Reddit’s community power, and the idea that “underdogs can accomplish just about anything.” Most viewers missed it live.
But the internet didn’t. Users rewound, paused, and screenshotted the ad, flooding social media. Reddit trended on Twitter, news outlets dissected the message, and platform engagement spiked. The $1 million, blink‑and‑you‑miss‑it gamble turned into tens of millions of dollars in earned media, reinforcing Reddit’s identity as a chaotic, community‑driven disruptor.
1 Domino’s Admitted Their Pizza Was Terrible—and Customers Loved It
By 2009, Domino’s was in trouble. Years of poor reviews, taste‑test failures, and internet ridicule cemented a reputation for pizza that “tastes like cardboard.” Instead of quietly tweaking the recipe, Domino’s made the boldest move possible: publicly admitting their pizza sucked. The “Pizza Turnaround” campaign featured real employees reading harsh customer feedback on camera—comments like “worst pizza I ever had” and “the crust tastes like microwaved Styrofoam.” The company then documented a full recipe overhaul, rebuilding sauce, dough, and cheese from scratch.
Most brands shy away from any public self‑criticism, let alone making it the centerpiece of a campaign. Domino’s risked alienating loyal customers and drawing more attention to its flaws. Yet the gamble paid off: the new pizza earned better reviews, the campaign was praised for its honesty, and Domino’s stock price tripled over the next few years. Embracing a “work‑in‑progress” image, the brand won back lapsed customers by showing it was listening. The case is now taught in MBA and advertising courses as a masterclass in turning self‑awareness into success.
10 Marketing Risks That Paid Off
These ten daring moves prove that taking a calculated risk can transform a brand’s fortunes. From controversial statements to self‑deprecating humor, each example shows how boldness, authenticity, and a willingness to break the rules can lead to massive payoff.