How to Test Your Marketing - Part 2: Is Your Message Worth Repeating?
Great marketing spreads organically because people want to talk about it. If your campaign isn’t interesting, emotional, or surprising, it won’t get shared.
This is the second in a series on my 10 heuristics of marketing—core principles that will help you judge and evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. These heuristics will help you determine whether your message will resonate, stand out, get noticed, and drive engagement. If you apply them correctly, you’ll create marketing that truly connects with your audience.
Principal 2: Is It Worthy of Repeating?
Great marketing doesn’t just grab attention—it gets talked about. If your campaign isn’t interesting, emotional, or surprising, it won’t get shared, and if it’s not being shared, it’s not working as well as it could.
Word-of-mouth (WOM) remains the most powerful form of marketing. Studies from Nielsen confirm that consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other medium, and McKinsey reports that advocacy is 50x more likely to trigger a purchase. That means the true success of your marketing isn’t just in clicks or impressions—it’s in conversations.
If people aren’t talking about your marketing, it’s time to reassess. Here’s how to make your message worth repeating.
1. Think Beyond Metrics—Is Anyone Talking About It?
We’ve all been conditioned to chase metrics—likes, shares, impressions—but metrics can be misleading. Clicks don’t always translate to sales, and virality doesn’t always equal revenue. Instead, ask yourself:
Would someone tell a friend about this?
Does it spark an emotional reaction?
Would I personally share this if I saw it?
Example: Think about Super Bowl commercials—they get talked about not because they hit an arbitrary engagement goal, but because they’re funny, emotional, or unexpected. A great ad starts a conversation, not just a sales pitch.
Action Step:
Before launching your next campaign, test it with someone unfamiliar with your brand. Ask:
“Would you share this with a friend?”
“What stands out to you?”
“What would you say to describe it in one sentence?”
If the answers are vague or unenthusiastic, refine your message until it’s something worth talking about.
2. Tap Into Human Psychology—Use Emotion to Drive Engagement
People don’t share features, they share feelings. If your marketing isn’t tapping into an emotional response, it won’t get passed along.
Make Them Laugh – Humor is one of the most shareable emotions. Brands like Old Spice (with their absurdly funny ads) and Wendy’s (with their witty social media roasting) have mastered this.
Trigger Nostalgia – Familiarity breeds comfort and connection. That’s why brands constantly bring back ’90s throwbacks and cultural references in their marketing.
Create Surprise & Shock – People share things that challenge their expectations. Think about Dove’s Real Beauty campaign—flipping beauty standards on their head created a massive discussion.
Example: Nike’s "Find Your Greatness" campaign didn’t just sell shoes—it made people feel empowered. When marketing creates an emotional experience, it becomes worth repeating.
Action Step:
Go through your last marketing campaign and ask:
What emotion does this trigger?
Does it make someone feel something strongly enough to share?
If it’s neutral, it’s forgettable. Find the feeling and amplify it.
3. Use Cultural & Social Triggers
People engage with content that feels relevant to their lives. The best marketing taps into culture, trends, and shared experiences.
Leverage Trends – When brands align with cultural moments, they feel more connected to their audience.
Example: Oreo’s “Dunk in the Dark” tweet during the Super Bowl blackout—it was simple, relevant, and spread like wildfire.
Make It Relatable – People love content that reflects their real-world experiences.
Example: Spotify’s “Wrapped” campaign taps into personal listening habits and gives users a reason to share their own story—making it viral every year.
Be Part of the Group – When your brand mirrors the voice of your audience, it feels like a part of their community.
Example: Brands like Liquid Death have built a cult following by embracing humor, irreverence, and anti-corporate branding that resonates with their target audience.
Action Step:
Look at current trends or cultural conversations in your industry and ask:
How can we add to the conversation in a meaningful way?
Does our brand feel like an insider or an outsider in our audience’s world?
Being timely and relevant makes it easier for people to share your message.
4. Tell a Story People Can Repeat
People don’t just remember stories—they retell them. If your marketing tells a compelling story, it’s far more likely to spread.
Example:
Airbnb doesn’t just market vacation rentals—it tells stories of belonging. Their campaign “Belong Anywhere” didn’t focus on beds or pricing; it highlighted real travelers’ experiences of feeling at home in a new place.
Example:
Dollar Shave Club’s launch video didn’t just explain their service—it told a hilarious, relatable story about overpriced razors and how they were changing the game. It became an instant viral hit.
Action Step:
For your next campaign, use this simple storytelling framework:
“Our customers come to us feeling [struggle or pain point]. Through [your solution], they experience [the shift or journey]. Now, they [describe their transformed state or outcome].”
If your story is easy to remember and repeat, your audience will do the marketing for you.
Final Thoughts: Make Your Marketing Worth Talking About
The best marketing doesn’t just sit on a screen—it gets shared, discussed, and repeated. If your campaigns aren’t sparking conversations, they aren’t reaching their full potential.
1. Would someone tell a friend about your campaign?
2. Does it tap into emotion—humor, nostalgia, surprise?
3. Is it culturally relevant and timely?
4. Does it tell a compelling story that people can remember?
If the answer to any of these is no, it’s time to refine your marketing until it’s worth repeating.
Your Next Move:
Look at your last campaign or piece of content and run it through this test. If it’s missing emotion, cultural relevance, or a compelling story, rework it.
Marketing that’s talked about is marketing that works. Make yours count.
Missed Part 1? Read Part 1 of the series here
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