Are You Prepared For The Loud Minority?
Photo by Dillon Kydd on Unsplash
I’d planned to write this newsletter before the Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle discourse exploded. But, it’s a perfect example of the 90-10-1 rule in action:
90% lurk.
10% engage occasionally.
1% are extremely active, and shape the narrative.
Not because they’re representative, but because they care more and push harder.
In American Eagle’s case, maybe the lesson is to take that 1% with a grain of salt. Outside of marketers and marketing pundits, most people seem unbothered.
(FWIW, I am not a fan of the ad.)
But, if your work touches policy, infrastructure, or the public domain, the lesson is often the opposite. You can’t afford to ignore them.
Even in the world of CPG brands, once a sticky narrative takes hold, it’s damn near impossible to put the genie back in the bottle. Google “margarine and plastic” if you want to see it in action. One of the oldest and stickiest myths around.
Here’s what often happens:
Messaging tests well in a traditional research setting, and you plan out your approach. It hits the public square and everything seems okay... then, the 1% pounce. They flood the comments, write op-eds, dominate town halls. Suddenly, your carefully crafted narrative unravels.
Traditional research ignores the 1%. Which is entirely out of step with how narratives evolve, and opinions are formed, in today's world.
If you want to do research that helps you get ahead of that curve, your approach needs to change. So, instead of running another focus group or survey to inform your messaging, try:
Conflict groups: Get people on both sides of an issue in a room together. Let the sparks fly and learn from where the conversation goes. These are difficult and high stakes to moderate, but they reveal the true wedge issues fast.
Netnography: Go where the loud 1% live online. Study their language, memes, arguments, and mobilizing tactics. This isn’t just monitoring, it’s decoding the cultural playbook. There’s already terabytes of data waiting for you.
Cultural Cartography & Scenario Planning: Map how similar narratives spiraled in the past. Who gained traction? What backlash emerged? Use that to stress test your strategy before it hits the real world.
As American Eagle has shown us, the 90-10-1 rule runs both ways. The loud minority isn’t a something to manage after launch. They’re a signal to design for, right from the start.