Welcome to Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai. Have you ever wondered why some brands, trends, or products become massive successes while ot...Show more
Episodes
#17: Annoying Ads—The Dumbest Campaigns That Won Your Attention and Made Millions
Most people try to make their marketing polished, clever, or inspirational. But in the end, clarity beats creativity every time. In fact, some of the ...
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#16: Airbnb—The Brilliant Strategy Behind Their New Messaging Campaign
If your marketing isn’t working, it’s probably because you’re not talking about the right problem. Most businesses struggle to identify the most compe...
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#15: Morning Routines—The NEW Way To Create A Morning Routine In 2025
If you followed every piece of advice out there about your ideal morning routine, you'd probably spend eight hours every day doing mindfulness excerci...
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#14: Simplicity—Why a “Less Is More” Approach Can Make Anything More Effective
Most businesses, brands, and even thought leaders make the same mistake: they overcomplicate things. The more complex something is, the harder it is f...
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#13: Marriage—The Truth About What Makes Love Work Long-Term (ft. Johnnyswim)
Relationships can be beautiful, but they’re also complicated. From the outside, it’s easy to assume great marriages happen by luck or chemistry. But t...
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#12: Nostalgia—The Hidden Force That Makes Brands Feel Iconic
Nostalgia is a powerful force. You hear an old song or catch a familiar scent, and instantly, you’re transported back in time. But our brains don’t ju...
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#11: Starbucks—The Brand that Changed How the World Drinks Coffee
If someone told you in the ’90s that people would happily pay $5 for a cup of coffee, you probably would’ve laughed. Before Starbucks, coffee was just...
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#10: Reality TV—Why We're Obsessed with Chaos (And What It's Actually Doing to Our Brains!)
Reality TV is everywhere, and whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny it’s addictive. Millions of people tune in daily to binge-watch strangers...
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#9: Michelin Star—How a Tire Company Created the Most Prestigious Award in Food
The Michelin Star is a restaurant rating system so powerful that a single star can launch careers, change cities, and even break chefs. So what makes ...
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#8: Amazon—The Crazy Business Strategies that Rewired Our Brains and Changed Shopping Forever
Amazon didn’t just change how the world shops—it rewired our brains. Suddenly, driving to a store for light bulbs feels like a huge chore. Need cat fo...
#17: Annoying Ads—The Dumbest Campaigns That Won Your Attention and Made Millions
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Description
Most people try to make their marketing polished, clever, or inspirational. But in the end, clarity beats creativity every time. In fact, some of the most “annoying” ads in history made hundreds of millions of dollars simply because they were impossible to ignore. They weren’t beautiful, they weren’t clever, but they were unforgettable. So why do so many businesses avoid this approach? Because we assume our customers want sophistication, when what they really need is a message that’s crystal clear and easy to remember. If your ad gets ignored, it doesn’t matter how gorgeous it is.
In this week’s episode, hosts Donald Miller and Kyle Reed discuss the genius behind annoying marketing campaigns like HeadOn, Chia Pet, and the George Foreman Grill. You’ll learn why these seemingly ridiculous ads worked, how they used repetition and simplicity to dominate attention, and what you can take away to sharpen your own message. Tune in to learn how to make your marketing stick no matter how simple (or obnoxious) it may seem.
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Episodes
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#17: Annoying Ads—The Dumbest Campaigns That Won Your Attention and Made Millions