10 Illegal (or Borderline) Marketing Ideas That Turned Out to Be Brilliant
In the world of marketing, innovation and creativity often defy the rules. Some companies have used borderline illegal ideas to gain huge competitive advantages. Here are 10 “illegal” or highly questionable marketing strategies that have proven incredibly effective.
1. Red Bull and the Lie That “Give You Wings”
Red Bull built its brand around the slogan “Red Bull gives you wings”, suggesting that the drink improved physical and mental performance. However, there was no scientific evidence of these benefits, and in 2014 the company was ordered to pay $13 million for false advertising. The stroke of genius? The fine generated free publicity, and instead of losing customers, Red Bull strengthened its status as an iconic brand.
2. Tesla and the sale of technology that does not yet exist
Tesla has sold the option “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) for years, promising customers a fully autonomous car. The problem? This technology does not yet exist. The current software is far from full autonomy, but customers have paid up front, funding Tesla’s research by signaling without the company having to raise outside funding.
3. Uber and the Secret Software to Fool the Police
Uber developed a software called Greyball, which was used to block the authorities in cities where Uber was banned. If an officer tried to book a car to frame Uber, the app would show ghost cars or prevent the booking. This strategy allowed Uber to expand in many cities before the authorities could stop it.
4. Facebook and the Cambridge Analytica Scandal
Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica to collect data from 87 million people without consent, using it to influence elections and political campaigns. Even though this generated a worldwide scandal, Facebook continued to grow and earn billions thanks to the extreme personalization of advertising.
5. Volkswagen and the Emissions Scam
Volkswagen installed secret software in its diesel engines that recognized when the car was being tested and modified the parameters to appear less polluting. This strategy allowed VW to sell millions of “eco” diesel cars, dominating the market until the Dieselgate scandal exploded.
6. McDonald’s and the Monopoly Fraud
In the 1990s, McDonald’s launched the Monopoly promotion, where customers could win prizes by collecting game pieces. But the winning pieces were stolen by an insider, who sold them illegally. Despite the scandal, McDonald’s did not lose customers, and Monopoly is still one of the most successful promotions today.
7. Nike and Scarcity Marketing with Air Jordans
Nike deliberately under-produced Air Jordans, leading to store brawls and miles-long lines. By creating the illusion of scarcity, it made Air Jordans even more desirable, fueling the now billion-dollar resale market.
8. Gucci and Balenciaga Destroy Their Products to Keep Prices High
When Gucci and Balenciaga have too many unsold products, instead of putting them on sale they burn or destroy them. This maintains the brand’s perception of luxury and rarity, preventing the products from becoming “too affordable.”
9. TikTok Tricked Virality to Attract Users
In the early years, TikTok artificially boosted some users’ videos, causing them to go viral even if they weren’t particularly interesting. This made people believe that they could become famous easily, making them addicted to the platform. Today TikTok is the most used social network among young people and has surpassed Instagram in terms of engagement.
10. Ryanair and Hidden Fees
Ryanair advertises flights at €9.99, but the final price includes extra fees for baggage, online check-in and even credit card payments. This strategy attracts customers with ridiculous prices, knowing that they will end up paying more. Today, Ryanair is the largest low-cost airline in Europe.
Conclusion
These examples show that in marketing, it’s not just the product that matters, but also how you sell it (or manipulate the system to win). Some of these strategies have been ethically questionable or even illegal, but they have still had a huge impact on the success of brands.
Which of these ideas surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
