In season one of HBO’s Succession, we find ourselves at the 80th birthday party of media mogul Logan Roy. His son, Kendall Roy, honors him with an unforgettably terrible rap. That is 'cringe'. Every time Michael Scott makes any type of speech — cringe. Fleabag — some pretty cringey moments there as well. Cringe is, at its heart, a visceral second-hand embarrassment. You want to look away, but you can’t. Cringe taps into the deep fear that maybe we aren’t as cool as we think we are, that maybe it will be us next time rapping at the birthday party. In our own work, how can we tap into the visceral power of cringe while avoiding the embarrassing aspects? We have to know the difference between bad cringe and good cringe.
Bad Cringe
Bad cringe is the cringe we know best. Bad cringe is inauthentic. It’s trying too hard. It’s a lack of self-awareness. It’s celebrities singing in their mansions as the pandemic unfolds. It’s a soda ad trying to solve all of society’s problems. It’s poking fun at competitor alternatives, in a way that doesn’t align with consumer values.
Bad cringe comes from a disconnect between how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. In these moments, we are not as smart, as cool, or as everyday a person as we think we are. How do we avoid bad cringe? We know our brand. We take a step back and think about how others would see the situation. We understand the trend or the moment before we leap into it.
Good Cringe
Good cringe has a wholesome quality. There is an uncalculated naiveté about it. As advertisers, we can find this good cringe and celebrate it. It’s easy to tear people down. Let’s build them up instead.
Sometimes cringe already exists, and its brands that can exalt the authenticity. It’s not always about making your own content, rather it’s celebrating those who aren’t afraid to get out there and show their full selves online.
When the Internet was dragging a South African couple that got engaged at a Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC South Africa leapt into action by offering to help with the wedding, and other brands like Audi and Lexus jumped in with offers of their own. A mean Internet moment became a wholesome one and good cringe prevailed.
If you want to make good cringe, don’t be afraid to lean into the nonsensical, like this TikTok from Nutter Butter. Not every piece of content needs a CTA or a purchase message to keep your brand top of mind and in the Internet’s favor. Or, take a page from the Internet itself and let them know you’re in on the joke, like the franchise Kum and Go. Good cringe is fearless.
Cringe Can Be Your Friend
If you want to embrace the power of good cringe, know what you’re jumping into. Know your tolerance for embarrassment. Don’t let your fear of cringe inhibit your creativity. Dive into the comment sections and learn how the Internet responds to brand communications. At the end of the day, cringe can find you at any moment, and it’s how you respond that can make or break your brand. If you are trying to make your brand more human, there is nothing more human than cringe. In this world of polished sameness, cringe can stand out, and one person’s cringe is another’s joyful celebration of life.
