Did you get a letter from someone who was offended by your latest TV spot? Did someone send you an email saying you suck? Do you have a group of angry folks boycotting your brand?

You should be smiling. Having someone hate you lets you know you're doing a good job of branding.

We all know our goal should be to evoke an emotional reaction in the consumer. But many marketers get so hung up on trying to evoke positive reactions that they pander to every possible audience that has a checkbook.

When you put a stake in the ground and say "this is who I am," you are also saying "this is who I'm not." Identity is all about creating parameters, drawing lines among the wealth of possible attributes out there, shaping what your brand values and what it doesn't. So when you get a hostile member of society that takes time out of his busy day to let you know about it, be glad—you're conveying a definite sense of brand self.

So What?

You might be thinking: How does that help my bottom line? The people who hate my brand aren't buying.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rick Nobles is president of Two West Inc. Reach him at rickn@twowest.com.