For CopyCon 2022 we created CopyDeck, a set of cards featuring copywriting tactics and techniques. CopyDeck is a handy way to flip through a directory of well-established copywriting tools.
But the content on the card is just a brief description of the tactic; we always intended to expand on CopyDeck with more detail on how to use the tactic, examples of the tactic at work, and why the tactic is effective.
So in our new blog series, we’re unpacking these copywriting tactics to uncover why it works and how you can use it.
Next up:
“Zig when others zag”
What it is
“Zig when others zag” is a creative and strategic copywriting tactic rooted in deliberate differentiation. It means intentionally choosing a path opposite to what everyone else in your industry is doing. This might mean taking a different path regarding tone, message, visual style, or positioning.
- In marketing terms, this tactic challenges category norms in order to stand out in crowded markets.
- The tactic appears in campaigns that flip expectations, question industry assumptions, or present a contrarian viewpoint.
- Also known as: counter-positioning, category disruption, creative inversion, or anti-marketing (when the approach intentionally rejects typical advertising tropes).
Why it works
Humans notice what breaks patterns. This tactic exploits several psychological principles:
- Distinctiveness bias: Our brains are wired to remember the thing that’s different from the rest.
- Curiosity drive: When a message goes against expectations, it triggers “information gap” curiosity—we want to know why it’s different.
- Heuristic disruption: People often skim on autopilot; zagging interrupts that autopilot and draws attention.
- Credibility through independence: Brands that challenge norms can appear more confident, independent, and authentic.
- Positioning advantage: Being perceived as the “alternative to X” helps customers sort and evaluate choices more easily.
In essence, this tactic helps your audience notice you, reconsider the category, and feel aligned with a brand that dares to think differently.
When to use it
This tactic can be effective in different marketing contexts:
- Stage:
- Awareness: Perfect for grabbing attention in cluttered markets.
- Consideration: Useful when prospects can’t spot meaningful differences between brands.
- Collateral:
- Ads and campaigns, landing pages, brand manifestos, packaging, pitch decks, and social ads.
- Challenges:
- When customers see all competitors as “the same.”
- When your category is saturated with clichés.
- When you have a genuine strategic or philosophical difference worth highlighting.
When not to use it
- If your market is driven primarily by trust, safety, or conformity (e.g., medical, legal, or compliance-heavy sectors).
- If your “zag” becomes gimmicky or untrue. Differentiation only works when it’s supported by substance.
Examples of the tactic in use
1. Levi’s “When the World Zigs, Zag” (Barbara Noakes)
The original inspiration: Levi’s embraced nonconformity when competitors were pushing polished, idealised fashion. Their ads celebrated outsiders and originals, making the brand synonymous with authenticity.
Why it works: It framed Levi’s as the choice for people who define themselves on their own terms.
2. Avis – “We Try Harder”
While Hertz bragged about being #1, Avis leaned into being #2 and flipped the narrative entirely.
Why it works: It subverts the norm that “market leader = better” and reframes second place as hungrier, more attentive, and more customer-focused.
3. Oatly – Anti-marketing Style Packaging
In a sea of polished, sleek dairy and alt-dairy packaging, Oatly introduced messy handwritten-style cartons covered with quirky commentary.
Why it works: It disrupts design norms and signals transparency, humour, and challenger status.
4. Dollar Shave Club – “Our Blades Are F’ing Great”**
The brand zagged by using irreverence and brutal honesty in a category full of hyper-serious, feature-dense razor ads.
Why it works: The contrast made them instantly memorable and positioned them as the down-to-earth alternative.
Pro Tip / Variation
Go beyond “opposite of industry” and instead zag against customer expectations.
Sometimes the real power isn’t in contradicting competitors; it’s in contradicting what customers assume the category should say.
For example:
- A luxury brand emphasising simplicity instead of opulence.
- A fitness brand rejecting transformation narratives and promoting consistency over perfection.
- A B2B SaaS tool admitting its limitations, and winning trust through honesty.
Try it yourself
Exercise:
Choose a page of your website (or a current campaign) and list three things your competitors consistently say or show. Then write a version of your message that contradicts or inverts each point.
Prompts:
- “What if we did the opposite?”
- “What industry truth is actually false?”
- “What customer assumption needs challenging?”
Try drafting 2-3 alternative headlines that zig where others zag.
Evidence for this tactic
Several strands of behavioural and marketing research support the effectiveness of contrast and counter-category messaging:
1. Distinctiveness and memory
Research in cognitive psychology shows that distinctive stimuli are more likely to be noticed and remembered. This phenomenon is known as the Von Restorff effect. Messages that diverge dramatically from the norm gain disproportionate attention.
Explore: Von Restorff effect
2. Schema violation
Studies on schema theory (e.g., Bartlett, 1932; subsequent schema-violation research) show that when expectations are disrupted, individuals process information more deeply. A “zag” disrupts the industry script and encourages cognitive engagement.
Explore: Schema incongruent advertising
3. Contrast effect in marketing
Marketing science emphasizes contrast as a key driver of brand positioning (How Brands Grow, Byron Sharp). Brands that clearly distinguish themselves grow faster because distinctiveness makes them easier to recall and easier to choose.
Explore: The significance of being different and distinctive
4. Counter-positioning in business strategy
Hamilton Helmer’s 7 Powers framework identifies counter-positioning (doing something incumbents can’t or won’t do) as a powerful strategic advantage. It attracts attention and forces the market to reconsider norms.
Explore: Counterpositioning
5. Curiosity and information-gap theory
Loewenstein’s curiosity research shows that when people encounter unexpected or counterintuitive information, they feel compelled to resolve the gap between what they expected and what they see. A zag creates that gap.
Explore: The Psychology of Curiosity (pdf)
AI disclosure
This article was written in collaboration with ChatGPT. We provided the base content and a template, ChatGPT provided a first draft, and we edited the article and checked all claims and assertions before publication.