Not Every Opportunity Is Worth Taking

If you’re leading a company, you’ve probably already heard phrases like:

“You absolutely need to leverage the potential of social media.”

“AI is becoming essential—you need to use it in your communication.”

“Your CEO should be active on LinkedIn, it’s very trendy.”

“You should invest in outdoor advertising, it will position your brand as a reference.”

So many ideas, trends, and communication tools at your disposal… but how do you navigate all of this?

Opportunity vs. Brand DNA

Let’s take a concrete example. Imagine an exclusive, private investors’ club launching onto the market. It accepts only three new members per month after a highly rigorous selection process and provides access to very selective investment opportunities.

Its brand is premium and refined. Its tone is highly professional. Its personality embodies expertise, intelligent investing, and wisdom.

Now imagine that this same business is approached by a TikTok-focused agency presenting a viral trend that could significantly help the Club attract new members.

The agency’s concept? Going out into the streets to interview random people in order to generate a high volume of human-centered videos with strong viral potential. They plan to ask a broad panel of people questions such as:

“How much money do you have in your savings account?” → Talking about money almost always generates engagement.

“What’s the biggest amount you’ve ever lost or made in a single day?” → Shocking revelations, guaranteed interaction.

“Have you ever had a totally revolutionary startup idea? If so, tell us.” → The crazier the ideas, the more comments they’ll generate.

On paper, the idea looks excellent and promising. There’s a strong chance that, if repeated consistently, it could become a powerful source of viral content for the Club.

The Club could publish regularly, generate visibility, and potentially attract new members. “So where’s the catch?” you might ask.

In the brand’s DNA.

If this Club is built on scarcity, exclusivity, and a highly selective approach, this marketing action would go completely against its brand DNA.

The brand would then be perceived as popular, entertaining, close to the masses, and accessible—the exact opposite of what it wants to project to its current and future members.

On paper, the opportunity is strong. But it’s not aligned with the brand.

Now imagine the exact same video concept applied to a new digital bank positioned as young, fun, and accessible, targeting 20–30-year-olds. In that case? A brilliant move—because it’s perfectly aligned with the brand.

Never confuse opportunity with strategy

Here’s a truth few agencies take the time to tell you.

Not every opportunity is worth taking.
Not every trend is worth following.
Not every tool is worth using.

Not because they’re ineffective. But because they’re not designed for your brand.

For years, in our industry, communication has been sold as a series of levers to activate: one more social network, one more format, one more trend. The problem? When you stack opportunities on top of each other, you eventually dilute what makes a brand strong: its coherence.

A strong brand doesn’t try to be everywhere. It tries to be right. Right in its tone. Right in its messaging. Right in the actions it chooses—and especially in the ones it refuses.

DNA before visibility

Before launching any marketing action, one question should always be asked:

“If this works extremely well… is this really the image we want to reinforce?”

If the answer is vague, hesitant, or uncomfortable, then it’s probably not an opportunity at all.

A good marketing strategy isn’t about chasing visibility.

It’s about building a brand that can endure, that is recognized and chosen for what it truly is—not for what it imitates.

Over time, we’ve understood something essential: the role of a branding agency isn’t to sell trendy ideas. It’s to protect a brand’s coherence—even when the temptation is strong.

Sometimes, the best recommendation isn’t “do it.”
It’s “don’t.”

Because an aligned brand will always go further than an opportunistic one.

DARE is a branding and consulting agency based in Switzerland, in Forel (Lavaux). Since 2018, we have been supporting brands in their launch or refresh through an approach rooted in entrepreneurship, collective intelligence, and real-world feedback.

At DARE, every project truly matters. That is why we only take on one project per month. More information www.madebydare.com.


Thank you for reading DARE Inside ! Subscribe here for free to receive new posts.