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Marketing Became Cowardly and Predictable
Boldness Sold More Before Algorithms Dominated Everything
In 1980, while we hadn’t yet dreamed of Instagram or TikTok, an advertising campaign in Australia was breaking every limit of what was possible — and profitable.
The “Get Wrecked on Keppel” campaign would give your startup’s legal department nightmares. Imagine pitching in a brainstorming meeting: “Let’s photograph semi-nude people, suggest casual romantic encounters, and promote drink-filled parties.” The corporate ethics committee would have a collective meltdown.
But the numbers?
The numbers were extraordinary. A thousand daily visitors. A marketing budget of one million dollars annually — a value that would be worth significantly more today, considering inflation.
The return on investment? Stratospheric.
The conversion rate? Astronomical.
The promotional material was a masterpiece of direct marketing. While today you spend hours optimizing copy for SEO, they wrote without filters: “Bring sunscreen for areas that rarely see the sun.” Suggestions to “strengthen your wrists” before the trip were as explicit as they were effective.