The Rise of Proactive Ignorance

Let’s face it: the world feels like it’s teetering on the edge, and our collective response? A big, resounding “meh.”

Welcome to the era of proactive ignorance, where consumers, overwhelmed by a barrage of societal issues, choose to disengage as a form of self-preservation.

Remember when staying informed meant catching the evening news? Now, we’re drowning in a 24/7 news cycle, with notifications pinging us about everything from global pandemics to celebrity mishaps. It’s too much. People are hitting the “off” button, muting notifications, and opting out.

In fact, a recent study found that 77% of media experts agree that eroding consumer trust in social media platforms is negatively impacting brand engagement.

Doomscrolling Fatigue: You Can’t Escape the Chaos

Take a five-minute scroll through TikTok and you’ll see why we’re all collectively checking out. Your own personalised algorithm of doom will serve up political chaos, environmental disasters, overconsumption guilt, wellness gurus preaching unattainable daily routines, and why you’re living your life all wrong. Just when you start feeling overwhelmed, a cute cat video offers a momentary dopamine hit - before you’re thrown into a “day in the life” vlog of a 23-year-old billionaire, effortlessly gliding through a morning routine that somehow includes meditation, cold plunges 50g of protein and closing a business deal before 7am.

We used to be able to close the front door and escape the world. Now, it follows us everywhere - pushed straight to our phones, unfiltered and inescapable.

It’s exhausting. And when people feel overwhelmed, they disengage.

Brands Are Hitting the Snooze Button

Consumers aren’t the only ones retreating - brands are stepping back, too.

Remember when every brand had a grand purpose, a societal mission and an activist stance? That wave is now crashing hard, replaced by a return to old-school, profit-driven capitalism.

BP: A Brand in Retreat

BP once positioned itself as a leader in green energy, making big commitments to renewables. Now? They’ve slammed on the brakes, shifting billions back into oil and gas. Their CEO admitted BP went “too far, too fast” in trying to transition away from fossil fuels.

The message? Sustainability is great… until it’s not as profitable.

And BP is not alone. Major corporations that once shouted about social impact are quietly scaling back their sustainability messaging and ESG commitments. The pendulum is swinging back to profit-first priorities and marketers are caught in the cross hairs.

So, here we are. Consumers are tuning out. Brands are playing it safe. And marketers? We have a choice.

Do we retreat too - going full sales-mode and hoping for the best? Or do we take the risk, lean into emotional connection and create work that forces people to feel something?

The easy route? Revert to transactional, product-first marketing.

The brave route? Make bold, emotional work that matters.

At Kastner, we believe this isn’t the time for brands to retreat - it’s time to connect differently.

And that’s where Polarising Creativity comes in.

In a world numbed by constant media saturation, emotion-led, polarising creative has the power to cut through apathy, reignite engagement, and make people feel again.

Brands That Refuse to Retreat

While some brands are backing away from bold messaging, others are doubling down - embracing risk, challenging norms and using polarising creativity to spark real emotional connections.

Oatly: Challenging Dairy Norms

Oatly, the Swedish oat milk company, has consistently utilised bold advertising to challenge traditional dairy consumption. Their campaigns often feature provocative slogans like “Milk, but made for humans” directly questioning the dairy industry’s practices. In response, the Swedish dairy lobby sued Oatly, leading the company to publish the lawsuit text, which inadvertently boosted their sales. This confrontational approach has solidified Oatly’s position as a rebellious and innovative brand in the plant-based market.

If we look beyond the food and beverage industry, we can take inspiration from brands in other sectors that are refusing to play it safe, proving that bold, purpose-driven creativity isn’t just effective, it’s essential for staying relevant.

Patagonia: Turning Tax into Activism

Instead of pocketing their $10 million tax cut, Patagonia gave it away to environmental causes, proving they weren’t just a “green” brand in marketing - they actually meant it.

Some customers loved them for it. Others rolled their eyes. But no one ignored it. It reinforced Patagonia’s hardcore brand loyalty and positioned them as a company that puts values over profits.

Nike: Dream Crazy, “So Win,” and The Power of Risk

Nike has built its brand on taking bold, unapologetic stance and its “Dream Crazy” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick was a perfect example. With the tagline “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”, Nike sparked boycotts, outraged critics and saw sales soar by 31% - proving that divisive creativity, when rooted in real cultural moments, pays off.

And they didn’t stop there.

During the 2025 Super Bowl, Nike doubled down on polarising creativity with its “So Win” campaign - a defiant, empowering message for women in sport. The ad, narrated by musician Doechii, featured female athletes like Caitlin Clark, Sha’Carri Richardson and A’ja Wilson, with the tagline:

“Whatever you do, you can’t win - so win.”

The ad took direct aim at society’s double standards, challenging the gaslighting that tells women they’re either too strong, too weak, too confident, too humble - never just right. In today’s politically charged climate, this was a statement.

Some called it empowering. Others, including high-profile critics, slammed it as outdated “patriarchy propaganda” and questioned Nike’s consistency on gender debates in sport. But here’s the thing - it got people talking.

That’s the power of polarising creativity.

Nike doesn’t aim for universal approval. They pick a side, take a stand and spark conversations that keep them culturally relevant.

A Mindset Shift for the Brave Marketer

If you want your brand to thrive in an era where consumers are disengaged and brands are retreating, it’s not about playing it safe, it’s about playing for keeps. The brands that stay relevant are those that are unafraid to take a stance, tell stories that hit a nerve and create work that people can’t ignore. Forget perfect, forget neutral and aim for real. Emotion is the last frontier of true brand differentiation. If you’re not making your audience think, react, or talk, then you’re just adding to the noise.

This means embracing the uncomfortable. It means accepting that backlash isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign of impact. Nike took the heat. Patagonia faced criticism. But both built stronger, more loyal followings because they stood for something.

The real risk isn’t polarising your audience. The real risk is being forgettable (you can read more about that in our next blog!).

So, as other brands retreat into safe, transactional marketing, the question is - are you bold enough to take the path less travelled?

Join the Conversation

Want to explore how polarising creativity can transform your brand’s approach?

Join us for our upcoming webinar, The Empathy Revolution for Brands, where industry leaders will delve into the art and science of emotion-driven campaigns, with a focus on the Food and Beverage industry.

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