Stop Chasing Popularity. Start Building Relevance
Changing things up a little with this Saturday Signal
Let me hit you with a hard truth:
If you're building for likes, you're building for collapse.
The world doesn’t need more noise.
It needs brands with resonance—brands built on relevance, not popularity.
Because popularity is rented. Relevance is owned
Let's get into it, shall we?
3 Reasons Popular Brands Still Fail
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1. They Confuse Vanity with Value
Followers. Impressions. Reach.
They look good on a pitch deck, but they don’t build legacy.
The metrics that matter?
Retention
Referrals
Revenue
87% of startups fail. Not because they weren't seen, but because they weren't trusted.
2. They Fake Authenticity
You can’t manufacture what must be lived.
Real authenticity doesn’t come from slogans. It comes from truth. The uncomfortable kind. The “we were afraid to say this out loud” kind.
Here’s the paradox: the moment you try to look authentic, you’ve already lost it.
3. They Pivot Themselves into Obscurity
Strong brands:
Say what they believe.
Serve who they serve.
Stay the course.
They don’t shape-shift for every trend or persona. They filter everything through clarity:
If your clarity doesn’t offend someone, it’s not clear enough.
Case Study: Liquid Death
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Relevance > Popularity
Liquid Death sells water in tallboy cans with metal-band energy.
It sounds like a gimmick. But it’s one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the U.S.
Why?
They chose a subculture (alt/humor-driven Gen Z and millennials)
They stayed unapologetically weird
They turned their truth into a movement
They’re not trying to please everyone. They’re being deeply relevant to the right people.
How to Build a Brand That Lasts
Here’s the Relevance Framework we use inside Conquer OS:
Truth Mining
Dig up your real story. Say what others won’t.Audience Focusing
Narrow your niche until it feels uncomfortable.Tension Mapping
Find the gap between what people want and what they get.Narrative Crafting
Build a simple, spreadable story around your truth.Consistency Systems
Make rituals and habits that reinforce who you are every day.
This is how you earn relevance. Popularity becomes a byproduct.
Want to Build a Brand People Don’t Just Follow, But Believe In?
Then stop chasing the algorithm. Start crafting your truth.
Book a free 20-minute Relevance Audit and we’ll uncover where your brand is misaligned.
Because the brands that matter tomorrow are being built with relevance today.
"People may forget what you posted. But they won't forget how you made them feel.
Or the problem you actually solved."
Stay relevant,
