When California Pizza Kitchen dropped its new “look” a few weeks ago—sleek chrome logo, rave-style videos, slogans like “DEVOUR THE DOUBTERS”—I had one reaction:

“Wait… is this real?”

Turns out, it wasn’t.
The whole thing was a stunt to celebrate their 40th anniversary. A fake rebrand. A self-aware parody of the exact kind of aggressive, hype-driven branding we see every day now.

And it worked.

The fake campaign generated 21 million impressions, tons of online confusion, and a flood of comments ranging from “What the hell is happening?” to “Lowkey… I kind of love it?”

California Pizza Kitchen wasn’t trying to become a Liquid Death or a Duolingo.
They were making fun of brands like Liquid Death and Duolingo.
And still managed to get the same kind of buzz.

We’re officially in the era of what Fast Company calls Oddvertising.

And if you’re a founder or creative trying to build a brand in this cultural moment, you need to understand what that means—and how to navigate it without losing your soul.

So, what is Oddvertising?

“Oddvertising” is what happens when a brand fully commits to the weird, the absurd, the chaotic.

Think:

• Nutter Butter’s deeply unexplainable TikToks
• Duolingo’s owl twerking its way into the Super Bowl
• Pop-Tarts building a mascot just so they could toast and eat him live on TV

At first glance, it feels like madness.
But it’s not random. It’s strategic. And honestly? Kind of brilliant.

Because in a world where everyone is vying for attention, weird is what gets people to stop scrolling.

And it’s not just Gen Z who’s responding to it.
Humor, irreverence, and absurdity are a palate cleanser in a world that feels heavy all the time.

But here’s the thing most people miss:

The weird only works when there’s a why behind it.

California Pizza Kitchen’s campaign wasn’t just chaos for chaos’s sake.
They knew people had nostalgic love for the brand—but it had faded from top of mind.

So instead of rebranding entirely, they faked a rebrand.
They made fun of the idea of a midlife crisis… by having one.
It was disruptive, self-aware, and most importantly—rooted in their actual story.

Same goes for Duolingo.
They didn’t build the twerking owl brand overnight.
They built years of rapport with their community by leaning into the jokes people already made about them.

Oddvertising only works when:

• You know your audience deeply
• You understand what they’re already saying about you
• You’re brave enough to play along—but smart enough to know the line

So, what does this mean for small brands?

You might be thinking,
“But Pik, I don’t have a team of writers or a $10K meme budget.”

Exactly. And you don’t need one.

Because here’s the real opportunity:
The best brands in 2025 aren’t the most polished. They’re the ones with personality.
They’re the ones that feel human. Bold. Unboring.

And small brands actually have the advantage.
You can be closer to your audience. You can be more agile. You don’t need 10 stakeholders to approve a TikTok.

If you're building a brand today, here’s what I’d take from all this:

1. Weird isn’t the point. Resonance is.

Don’t chase absurdity unless it connects with your audience and your brand voice.

2. Humor builds trust.

You don’t need to be a comedian—but showing you don’t take yourself too seriously? That’s magnetic.

3. Self-awareness is powerful.

CPK leaned into their nostalgia and owned their “midlife crisis.” That’s what made it work.

4. Oddvertising isn’t just for big brands.

You can do your own version—start with your people. What inside jokes or references already exist in your brand world?

5. When in doubt, be the brand that makes people feel something.

Curiosity. Delight. Laughter. Cringe (the good kind). Anything but apathy.

Final thoughts from your neighborhood branding strategist

Not every brand should toast its mascot or fake a rebrand.
But every brand should ask:

Are we playing it too safe?

Because in 2025, safe doesn’t cut through.
Pretty isn’t memorable.
And beige? Beige is background noise.

People want personality.
They want brands that make them laugh, pause, or say, “Okay, that was unexpected.”

So no, you don’t need to rebrand your business as an underground nightclub.
But if you’re not creating moments that feel bold and true to you...
You might be missing the point entirely.

Here are 5 bold-but-doable ideas you can try:

1. Share a fake launch post

Concept: Start with something outrageous. Catch attention. Then bring it back to the point.

Example Post:

🚨 NEW OFFER JUST DROPPED 🚨
Starting May 1st, I’m launching Brand Brave Bootcamp: 4AM Edition.
That’s right — we’ll do your strategy, design, and launch content while sleep-deprived and slightly delusional.
Because that’s what building a brand feels like, right?

…Okay, not really.
But if branding’s been keeping you up at night, we made something that won’t.
DM me “BOLD” and I’ll send you the details.

2. Name the elephant in the room

Concept: Be the one who names the boring, awkward, or overdone stuff people are tired of.

Example Post:

Let’s be real.
Most rebrands in 2024 look the same.
Beige. Curvy serif fonts. Earth-tone palettes.

We don’t need more brands that look like oat milk.
We need edge. Energy. Personality.
The goal isn’t to be pretty—it’s to be unforgettable.

3. Turn your quirks into content

Concept: Use a tiny personal quirk to make your brand more human and relatable.

Example Post:

My clients know two things about me:

1. I design bold brands.
   
2. I always type “brianstorm” instead of “brainstorm.”
   

So now it’s a thing.
We don’t brainstorm here—we brianstorm.
A little off. A little chaotic. But full of clarity and magic.
Just like your brand should be.

4. Reintroduce your brand with unexpected energy

Concept: When you return from a break, don’t apologize. Make it a moment.

Example Post:

👋 It’s been a minute.
No, I wasn’t “realigning my brand.”
I was building. Refining.
And now? We’re back.

More bold. More clear. More dangerously on-brand.
Welcome to the new Design Angel.
(You’ve been warned.)

5. Make one post 10% too weird

Concept: Step slightly outside your usual tone. See who leans in.

Example Post:

Branding is like dating.
At first, you just want to look cute.
But eventually, you have to talk about values. Vision.
And your weird obsession with mid-2000s fonts and oddly specific memes.

Otherwise? It’s just vibes.
And vibes don’t convert.

Show your depth. Show your weirdness. Show you.