Embrace Weird Ads In 2024

🧠 Embrace the Weird: How Small Businesses Can Supercharge Their Marketing πŸ§Ÿβ€β™‚οΈ

August 28, 2024β€’4 min read

Listen up, you marketing maniacs! While you've been busy trying to crack the code of the next viral TikTok dance, some of the most successful brands out there have been schooling you in the art of keeping it stupidly simple and embracing their weird.

So, let's dive headfirst into this pool of marketing genius and emerge as the beautiful, weird creatures we were meant to be!

Let's start with a recent example of weird. This past week, one of the members of my BAM Mastermind was comfortable getting weird in an industry not known for "out of the box" advertising. See what I did there?

In a series of unconventionally weird ads, Stoltz Memorials is using song lyrics to sell headstones. That is unheard of in this industry.

This campaign looks to soften a very difficult conversation with mild humor.

While this campaign will generate positive buzz and potential PR opportunities, it will also generate negative feedback from the haters. Need I remind you that Howard Stern built a career off of his haters. They too can be a pivotal part of your marketing.

A gravestone in a tranquil, sunlit cemetery with the inscription 'Everybody must get stoned' etched clearly on its polished black surface. The gravestone is surrounded by green grass and out-of-focus gravestones in the background, creating a peaceful and reflective atmosphere. In the bottom left corner, there is the logo of 'Stoltz Memorials,' featuring stylized lettering and a gravestone icon. A QR code is placed in the bottom right corner of the image, offering a modern element in the traditional setting.A gravestone in a serene, sunlit cemetery with the inscription 'We Will Rock You' etched prominently on its polished black surface. The gravestone is surrounded by lush green grass and blurred gravestones in the background, indicating a peaceful, reflective setting. In the bottom left corner, the logo of 'Stoltz Memorials' is visible, featuring stylized lettering and a gravestone icon. A QR code is placed in the bottom right corner of the image, providing a modern touch to the otherwise traditional scene.

1. Rip Off the Band-Aid: Let Your Strategy Streak Naked Through Town πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

Remember when we all thought being subtle was cool? Well, brands like Old Spice and Dollar Shave Club just pantsed that idea in front of the whole school.

Old Spice went full-frontal with their "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. They didn't just hint at being manly - they straight-up said, "Hey ladies, your dude stinks. Our stuff will make him smell like a chiseled god riding backwards on a horse." It was so in-your-face, it was impossible to ignore.


Dollar Shave Club? They dropkicked subtlety out the window with their launch video. "Our blades are f***ing great" wasn't a whisper - it was a primal scream in a world of polite razor ads. They put their entire strategy on blast: cheap razors, no BS, delivered to your door.

How to weird-ify your biz: Stop hiding your strategy like it's your grandma's secret cookie recipe. If you're the quirkiest accounting firm in town, shout it from the rooftops! "We make numbers fun, or at least less soul-crushing!" Bam! Strategy exposed, minds blown.

2. Plant Your Flag: Claim That Hill Before Someone Else Does 🚩

The most memorable brands don't sit around twiddling their thumbs, waiting to see if their unique angle will catch on. They grab that uniqueness, plant it firmly in the public's brain, and when competitors try to copy? Too late, suckers!

How to stake your claim: Got something unique about your business? A secret sauce that makes your customers' wallets do the cha-cha? Don't wait for your competitors to notice. Shout it out loud and proud! "Our software is so intuitive, a blind person can use it... blindfolded!" Own it, baby!

3. Cut the Crap: Get to the Point Faster Than a Cheetah on Red Bull ⚑

In a world where attention spans are shorter than a goldfish's memory, successful brands go for the jugular with concise, punchy messaging. No long-winded explanations, no beating around the bush. Just... pow!

How to keep it snappy: Ditch the corporate mumbo-jumbo and get to the meat of your message. Your Instagram caption should hit harder than a double espresso shot. Your billboard should make people's heads spin faster than a cat chasing a laser pointer. "Our burgers are so good, we convert vegans." Mic drop.

The Grand Finale 🎭

Look, small business owners, here's the deal: The most successful brands out there just gave us all permission to get weird, get loud, and get noticed. It's time to stop playing it safe and start playing it smart. Be obvious, be first, and for the love of all that is holy, be brief!

Remember, in the jungle of marketing, it's not about being the biggest animal. It's about being the one that makes the most noiseβ€”or the weirdest noise.

So go ahead, let your freak flag fly! Show your strategy, claim your territory, and keep it snappier than a crocodile's jaws.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you better!), is to inject a dose of weird into your marketing strategy. Be so obvious it hurts, be so first it makes your competitors cry, and be so brief it leaves your audience wanting more.

Now go forth and conquer, you beautiful marketing monsters! πŸ§Ÿβ€β™‚οΈπŸ’₯πŸš€


Ready to go from snooze-fest to can't-look-away? BAM's your secret weapon.

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(Spoiler alert: If you're allergic to success or afraid of world domination, look away now.) Still reading? Congratulations, you've just taken your first step towards marketing immortality.

BAM: Because mediocrity is for mortals, and you're ready to be a legend. πŸ§Ÿβ€β™‚οΈπŸš€πŸ’ͺ

Dropped on his head at birth, Spanky claims to be brain-damaged. Oh, he also says he was also oxygen-deprived. If that’s what explains his creative brain… so be it. His brain must be broken, he has 5 kids and ADD.

Spanky started his creative career in NYC and quickly rose to the top of the broadcast creative industry. From DJ to Production Assitant, Production Director, and Creative Director, he’s played a huge part in re-branding and resurrecting many brands over the last three decades; like the NBA, ESPN, MLB, Indy 500, and household brands like Frito-Lay, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, M&M Mars, and many more. 

Spanky's unique approach to creative and fun, yet memorable branding, sets him apart in the industry. He' is brain-damaged, after all.

Ken Moskowitz

Dropped on his head at birth, Spanky claims to be brain-damaged. Oh, he also says he was also oxygen-deprived. If that’s what explains his creative brain… so be it. His brain must be broken, he has 5 kids and ADD. Spanky started his creative career in NYC and quickly rose to the top of the broadcast creative industry. From DJ to Production Assitant, Production Director, and Creative Director, he’s played a huge part in re-branding and resurrecting many brands over the last three decades; like the NBA, ESPN, MLB, Indy 500, and household brands like Frito-Lay, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, M&M Mars, and many more. Spanky's unique approach to creative and fun, yet memorable branding, sets him apart in the industry. He' is brain-damaged, after all.

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