Be Stupid!

« Be smart » or “Don’t be stupid”. This is what our teachers and parents tell us everytime! That is why the famous jeans brand Diesel chose to call one of its campaigns “Be Stupid”.

This “Be Stupid” campaign was created in 2010 for the new collection of the famous brand Diesel. This campaign illustrates a new strategy based on the irony and provocation with the slogan “Be Stupid”. The brand chose this slogan to incite people to take some risks in their lives.

In this campaign, Diesel uses the word “Smart”. This word is present as a metaphor. Being smart can be reassuring but we all know that the world where we are living is not reassuring (natural catastrophe, economic crisis, etc…). According to Diesel, being stupid and careless is the best way to stop thinking of the world, of the future etc…. This campaign has a real message.

This advertising campaign is really creative and dared. It corresponds to the Diesel image. The goal of these ads is not really to sell jeans but to create a “brand culture”. This campaign is not that stupid!

This is Diesel “stupid” philosophy: “Like balloons, we are filled with hopes and dreams. But. Over time a single sentence creeps into our lives. Don’t be stupid. It’s the crusher of possibility. The world is full of smart people. Doing all kind of smart things… That’s smart. Well, we’re with stupid. Stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret free life. Smart may have the brains…but stupid has the balls. The smart might recognize things for how they are. The stupid see things for how they could be. Smart critiques. Stupid creates. The fact is if we didn’t have stupid thoughts wed have no interesting thoughts at all. Smart may have the plans… but stupid has the stories. Smart may have the authority but stupid has one hell of a hangover. It’s not smart to take risks… It’s stupid. To be stupid is to be brave. The stupid isn’t afraid to fail. The stupid know there are worse things than failure… like not even trying. Smart had one good idea, and that idea was stupid. You can’t outsmart stupid. So don’t even try. Remember only stupid can be truly brilliant.” (Diesel).

Here some examples of the “Be Stupid” ads: