StockDweebs insults the wealthy and the nerdy. It’s an equal opportunity brand.
Diesel’s Be Stupid ad campaign is one of the best of all time. It insulted an entire generation, reveled in the stupidity of young people, and invited them to wear Diesel clothing as a badge of dishonor. Most marketers would be horrified. But the Diesel marketing team are not most marketers. The campaign was a massive, global success. And, certainly not without controversy. But if no one hates you, does anyone remember you?
Diesel’s Be Stupid campaign. One of the best, and most insulting, ever.
I want to be clear. When I talk about hating on something, I'm NOT talking about civil discourse, public behavior, political speech, or the way we treat our fellow humans. I’m speaking only of branding.
That said, we certainly advocate for being self-deprecating. Great marketing turns negatives into positives. If you can take what is typically seen as a drawback and flaunt it as a badge of honor, well then more power to you. Avis proudly declaring, "We're number 2" Pepsi embracing the degrading “Is Pepsi OK?” And Guinness lamenting it takes 119 seconds to pour the damn beer. Embracing stupidity, though insulting to some, was genius.
When we started working with a new financial client, how to insult the audience quickly became part of the project. The company is called StockDweebs, an investment advisory that helps people build stock portfolios for short and long-term growth.
StockDweebs is named for those dweebs so often picked-on in high school. The outsiders, the geeks, the nerds: They weren’t cool, couldn’t play sports. They embraced science and mathematics. And these days, those former sad sacks run the world. For our client, founder Eric Choe, nothing is insulting about being a dweeb.
StockDweebs logo and brand was designed by Division of Labor, specifically Creative Director Faruk Sagcan.
Dweebs follow the numbers, look for patterns, and quietly find the hidden stock gems, then stand ready to pounce. So we created a brand that mocks traditional indicators of social status. "Dweebs don’t join country clubs, they buy them." And revels in wealth in an over-the-top way; "Rich people are shallow and materialistic. But you'll get used to it."
We built a site that serves as the center for the brand where Eric and his team post their picks, track each stock, and subscribers can join, follow the team’s advice and build their own portfolios.
We designed the brand to be brash and unapologetic. With a bold color scheme and copy dripping with "dweeb" attitude. We even added a glossary of Dweeb terminology so users can learn the difference between a Big Fat Dweeb, a Dweeb-and-a-half, and Elon Dweeb.
As proof of our dedication to Eric and his picks, we set aside a certain amount of the fee to buy his picks. So, far, this exercise has paid off. Eric's picks are up overall in big chunks.
So here’s to the dweebs, and socially inept. Here's to embracing your flaws, and turning deficits into strengths. Stay tuned for more from StockDweebs shortly.
One last wonderfully insulting image from Benetton. Just imagine the complain letters. Great brands are never ignored.
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The Small Agency Blog is produced by Division of Labor; a top San Francisco ad agency and digital marketing firm that’s been named Small Agency of the Year twice by Ad Age. The award-winning creative shop services clients on a retainer or project basis. They also offer brand consulting services and hourly engagements for startups and smaller brands. Click here for a free consultation.