the kind of weird that sticks
Brought to you by The Art Of Positioning Podcast
In July 2019, Forever 21 faced heavy backlash after including free Atkins diet bars in customers' online orders.
While the company stated these bars were included in all orders regardless of size, many plus-size customers perceived it as insensitive and thought they were being called fat.
This caused criticism on social media, with some customers expressing that receiving a diet bar alongside their clothing was offensive and potentially triggering for individuals with eating disorders.
So, while the idea of mixing two unrelated industries (in this case, fashion and nutrition/weight loss) should have intrigued customers, it flopped hard.
And that is because Forever 21 missed an important factor: context.
Generally, it’s important to give context in brand partnerships, but especially when you’re combining different industries/concepts, because you don’t want your audience assuming the worst.
This is why the recent SURREAL partnership is something I consider the BEST COMBO EVER.
Because to them, it wasn’t just a meme-able moment; it was actually a sharp brand strategy move rooted in:
Customer journey overlap
Shared emotional outcomes
A desire to create distinction in a sea of sameness
Read on to find out why this could be the next best thing on your bucket list–I assure you, it’s pleasurable.
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In one corner: a high-protein adult cereal brand. In the other: a sex toy brand.
Put them together and you get one of the weirdest, wildest brand moments of the year and one of the smartest, too.
Why does a wild collab like this actually work?
📸: SurrealXLovehoney via IG
Because it’s not just weird.
It’s weird with context, and that’s where they just hit the spot. 😉
Here’s what Surreal x Lovehoney got right:
It tapped into nostalgia as the major context (remember getting toys in cereal?).
It stayed true to both brands’ tones (fun, cheeky, adult-ish).
It created a shared emotional payoff: joy, mischief, and an “omg that’s clever” reaction.
And most importantly, it complemented the customer journey in a very clear and unexpected way.
Relevance, timing, and emotional resonance all make it strategic, buttt…don’t worry, you don’t have to team up with a spicy toy brand.
You just have to start thinking across categories:
What’s something that isn’t “you” but could complement what you do?
This is positioning through playful contrast.
And yes, your service brand can absolutely do this too.
Here’s how.
Badass Tip
🦘 Marketing
Contrast for contrast’s sake is gimmicky. Collaborations work best when they trigger familiarity and delight, like Surreal and Lovehoney did with cereal toys for adults. Tap into what already exists emotionally in your audience’s life.
What this looks like in practice:
Map out your client's journey and identify one emotional moment they experience before needing your service (e.g., stress, hope, decision paralysis).
Ask: What’s a non-obvious product or service they already engage with in that moment?
Reach out to a brand in that space and co-create a campaign or toolkit.
Also, aim for a collab that is potentially long-term.
🦘 Sales
Package your offers around complementary experiences, not just deliverables. Unexpected pairings work when they make life easier for your client or help them visualize success earlier. Don’t send people elsewhere. Partner up and handle it together.
What this looks like in practice:
Review your most frequently referred-out services (legal, tech setup, hiring).
Approach one partner about bundling or cross-promoting a joint service path. Like how I’m partnering with team-building facilitators and conflict-resolution experts for businesses!
Frame your service not as “another thing to manage” but as a smoother route through their existing challenge.
🦘 Customer service
Your service may be serious (or generally considered incredibly boring), but your brand experience doesn’t have to feel that way. Add something unexpected but emotionally aligned at the right moment.
What this looks like in practice:
Identify one dry, procedural moment in your customer experience (e.g., invoice sent, contract signed, mid-project update).
Introduce a small, thoughtful surprise that relates to your brand tone.
Tie it to something nostalgic, clever, or sensory like Surreal’s toy memory trigger.
🦘 HR
Your brand is only as consistent as the people behind it. Strategic contrast can’t be executed unless your team knows how to recognize what fits and what’s just flashy.
What this looks like in practice:
Get your team’s buy-in; ask, what’s an unexpected industry we could partner with that supports our clients emotionally or logistically?
Train your team to filter ideas through three lenses: Does it support our message? Is it emotionally relevant? Can it last beyond the hype?
📝 When done right, brand contrast doesn't confuse—it amplifies so you reach new audiences, stand out in saturated markets, and stay true to your brand while keeping it fresh. So what’s your version of cereal + smex toys?
When you find the right tension, your brand doesn’t just stand out, it sticks in the memory of your audience.
