Here’s a question: When was the last time you found inspiration in a place where it didn’t belong?
The thing about marketing is that it’s everywhere—woven into every business, hobby, and even the mundane moments we barely notice. But here’s the catch: if you only look for inspiration in marketing blogs, case studies, and your competitors’ Instagram feeds, you’ll only get what everyone else is doing.
To create something extraordinary, you need to think tangentially.
Why Tangents Matter
A tangent is, by definition, a deviation. It’s the moment you veer off the expected path and stumble into uncharted territory. This is where breakthroughs happen. Tangential thinking isn’t about being distracted—it’s about making connections no one else sees.
Want proof? Let’s talk about how:
- A beekeeper’s efficiency system inspired Amazon’s inventory management.
- A cheesemaker’s patience influenced the slow-batch storytelling of craft breweries.
- A comedian’s timing redefined a SaaS brand’s email strategy.
The best ideas often come from the strangest places. You just have to be willing to wander.
Lesson One: Borrow Like an Artist
Let’s steal a page from the world of indie filmmakers. Budget constraints force them to innovate—turning cardboard into set pieces, creating drama with just a shadow. What if your next campaign didn’t rely on a bloated ad spend but on the raw creativity of limitation?
Challenge: Spend an afternoon reading about an industry wildly unrelated to yours. What’s their biggest challenge? Their cleverest workaround? How could you reframe it for your audience?
Lesson Two: Hobbies Are Market Research
Your next great campaign might come from your guilty pleasure. Love baking? Think about the ritual of it—how every step adds to the anticipation. How could your marketing mimic that sensory build-up?
Into rock climbing? Consider the thrill of the climb, the tension of the challenge. What’s the “summit” your audience craves?
Action Step: Write down three things you’re obsessed with outside of work. Now brainstorm how each could inspire your messaging, product design, or customer experience.
Lesson Three: The Power of Lateral Moves
Tangential thinking isn’t just brainstorming; it’s strategy. It’s asking: What does my customer care about when they’re not looking at my product?
Example: A yoga apparel company studied the tech habits of their audience. The result? They partnered with a meditation app for co-branded campaigns. Their sales increased 20%—and it had nothing to do with yoga pants.
Tangential Question: What industries share your audience but aren’t your competition? How could you partner with them to create something unexpected?
The Tangent Payoff: Curiosity is Currency
Here’s the big idea: Curiosity isn’t just a trait; it’s a competitive advantage. When you follow tangents—when you let yourself get pulled into unrelated worlds—you discover new patterns, new solutions, new ways to connect.
Final Word: Walk the Tangent
The Marketing Tangent is a mindset. It’s permission to wander, to explore, to question why something works over there—and how it might work here. Because sometimes, the straight line isn’t the shortest path to brilliance.
So go ahead: follow the tangent. Genius might be hiding just around the curve.
