One post about grown adults taking PTO to play Grand Theft Auto turned into nearly 4 million views and more than 14,000 comments. But the real story isn’t GTA. It’s what happens when you introduce the right tension into the right conversation.

In this episode, I break down the psychology behind the GTA and PTO debate, why people felt compelled to pick a side, how the comments became part of the content, and why disagreement can create enormous organic distribution.

This is the thinking behind RAGEVERTISING: finding real tensions people already care about and framing them in a way that makes the audience want to participate. Not manufacturing outrage. Not trolling for impressions. Amplify the tension. Don’t manufacture the truth.

I also break down what brands should do when attention starts surging, from joining the conversation and creating follow-up content to driving website traffic, capturing leads, retargeting engaged audiences and ultimately turning attention into business outcomes.

Because 4 million views by themselves aren’t the strategy.

Attention is the opening. What you do with it is the opportunity.

Learn more about RAGEVERTISING:
https://ragevertising.com/

See the original GTA/PTO posts:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BtcQLKN3N/

Threads:
https://www.threads.com/@carlosgil83/post/DcrBMxkDiTI

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/carlosgilonline_im-about-to-piss-off-every-grown-man-with-activity-7499819906364841984-uMvj

#RAGEVERTISING #RageBait #Marketing #SocialMediaMarketing #GTA #GrandTheftAuto #ContentMarketing #ViralMarketing #CarlosGil

What started as a $7 rotisserie chicken turned into over 2 million organic views across Threads, Facebook, and TikTok… and eventually triggered a corporate memo at a billion-dollar company.

In this episode, I introduce the concept of Bad Marketing — the idea that some of the most criticized posts on social media are often the ones generating the most attention, engagement, and organic reach for brands.

For years marketers have been told to create polished content, follow best practices, and avoid controversy. But the reality of the internet is different. The content that spreads fastest is often real, relatable, and framed in a way that interrupts the scroll.

In this episode I break down:

• what Bad Marketing actually means
• why “rage bait” style posts often go viral
• how user-generated content benefits brands
• why pattern-interrupt storytelling spreads on social media
• how a simple Publix chicken post turned into a real-world corporate reaction

This story is also a reminder that marketing today doesn’t require big budgets or expensive production. Sometimes all it takes is a smart observation, the right caption, and the courage to hit publish.

Original Threads post referenced in the episode:
https://www.threads.com/@carlosgil83/post/DW_c5JkjhFK

Subscribe to the Bad Marketing Newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/bad-marketing-7448085448096268288/

Connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosgilonline/

In this episode I introduce the concept of Bad Marketing — the idea that some of the most criticized posts on social media are often the ones generating the most attention and organic reach for brands.

For years marketers have been told to create polished content, follow best practices, and avoid controversy. But in reality, the internet often rewards something very different: real, relatable moments that interrupt the scroll and spark conversation.

In this episode I break down:

• what “Bad Marketing” actually is
• why pattern-interrupt content spreads online
• how user-generated content benefits brands
• why everyday observations often outperform polished marketing campaigns

I also share real examples of posts that generated millions of views and explain how attention on social media can translate into brand exposure, follower growth, and even new business opportunities.

Subscribe to the Bad Marketing Newsletter:
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/bad-marketing-7448085448096268288/

Connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosgilonline/