Turn Insults Into Ads, Crocs' Cultural Takeover, Short Films vs. Short-Form

Edition 97

Author

Luru Labs
December 01, 2025

Hello there,

Hey there! Hope you're having a great week. This week we're exploring how brands can weaponize criticism with a 27% CTR boost, the genius behind Crocs turning "ugly" into a $4 billion empire, why some brands are rejecting short-form video for cinematic storytelling, and the startling truth about AI models becoming the influencers of the future.

Let's jump in!

Turn Insults Into Ads: The 27% CTR Boost

Duke University research reveals that brands reappropriating mild, unjustified insults see 27% higher click-through rates than those denying criticism. When an electronics store called "an out-of-date, birdbrain of a store" owned the insult in their ads, engagement soared. The psychology behind why confidence and humor trump defensiveness could transform how you handle negative feedback and turn critics into customers.

Turn insults you get into ads

Owning and reusing insults against your brand (e.g. a critique of your staff uniforms) can increase ad click-through rates by up to 27%.

app.sciencesays.com/p/turn-insults-you-get-into-ads

How Crocs Turned "Ugly" Into a $4B Cultural Icon

Crocs mastered turning polarizing design into a strength through strategic celebrity collabs, nostalgia marketing, and authentic engagement. Their Le Sserafim K-pop partnership generated 4,000+ fan messages, while Taylor Swift album tie-ins drove Facebook's biggest engagement spike. The breakdown reveals how selecting genuine brand fans, creating FOMO with limited drops, and embedding into cultural moments built a billion-dollar business that younger consumers see as both comfort and status.

Inside Crocs marketing: What they do differently on social media (and why it works)

Take a closer look at Crocs' marketing strategy on social, what tactics make it so effective and the key takeaways for your social strategy.

sproutsocial.com/insights/crocs-marketing

The Short Film Rebellion: Brands Going Cinematic

While everyone obsesses over 15-second TikToks, United Airlines, Cash App, and Gushers are creating 2-4 minute cinematic films. United's Hallmark collaboration and Cash App's Timothée Chalamet theater placement signal a counter-movement to disposable content. The creative directors behind this trend explain why longer storytelling with actual beginnings, middles, and ends creates deeper emotional connections—and why going Hollywood isn't always easy or guaranteed to pay off.

An ‘antidote’ to short-form video: Why some brands are leaning into short films

Advertisers are taking cinematic liberties with longer lengths and Hollywood-style direction in their campaigns—but the approach comes with some risk.

www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2025/11/17/an-antidote-to-short-form-video-why-some-brands-are-leaning-into-short-films

AI Models Are the Influencers of the Future

Analysis of 1.5 million ChatGPT conversations reveals 49% of messages are asking for advice, not completing tasks. People treat AI like trusted advisors—70% use it for product recommendations and 64% buy based on those recommendations. The eight-message average mirrors influencer consultations, not searches. AI models form distinct opinions about brands, and the shift from gaming SEO algorithms to earning AI trust changes everything about how marketing works.

AI Models Are Becoming Influencers - Unusual - AI Brand Marketing

Unusual helps brands understand--and change--the way that AI models talk about them. Hypergrowth companies are using Unusual to scale their inbound from AI by 40% per month.

www.unusual.ai/blog/ai-models-are-the-influencers-of-the-future


That's the wrap for this week! What strikes us about all these stories is how they challenge the obvious playbook—whether it's embracing criticism instead of fighting it, doubling down on "ugly" when everyone says change, going long when the world screams short, or recognizing AI as an influencer when we're still focused on traditional channels.

Catch you next week!

Team ‘Luru