The Danger of Pleasing Everyone: How Universal Appeal Leads to Indifference

In freelancing and creative work, there's often a tempting belief that universal appeal is the key to success. The idea of reaching a broad audience is enticing—more eyes on your work means more opportunities, right? But in reality, this pursuit often leads to work that’s watered down and easily overlooked.

Instead of striving for universal appeal, let’s explore why focusing on what truly matters can create deeper connections and more meaningful success.

🌀 The Myth of Universal Appeal

We've all heard the phrase, "You can't please everyone." Yet, in the creative industry, there's often immense pressure to do just that.

Clients may push for designs that "appeal to everyone," or freelancers might feel compelled to create work that offends no one. This mindset, while well-intentioned, is flawed. Truly great work often polarises, evoking strong reactions—both positive and negative. By trying to appeal to everyone, we risk creating work that appeals to no one.

⚖️ The Bland Middle Ground

When we aim for universal appeal, we end up in a creative no man's land:

1. Loss of Distinctiveness: Unique elements that could make your work stand out are often smoothed away.
2. Lack of Emotional Connection: Generalising loses the ability to forge deep connections.
3. Diminished Impact: Work that tries to speak to everyone often ends up whispering to no one.
4. Increased Competition: The more generic your work, the more competition you face.
5. Creative Stagnation: Playing it safe stifles innovation and personal growth.

🚀 The Power of Polarisation

Counterintuitively, polarising work can be more successful than work seeking universal approval:

1. Passionate Advocates: Bold work may not please everyone, but those who connect with it often become passionate advocates.
2. Memorable Impressions: Polarising work leaves an impression. Being forgettable is worse than being disliked.
3. Clearer Identity: Taking a stand with your work develops a clearer creative identity.
4. Niche Expertise: Focusing on a specific style or audience allows you to develop expertise.
5. Authentic Expression: Creating work true to your vision leads to more fulfilling creative experiences.

🧭 Finding Your True North

To steer clear of universal appeal:

1. Define Your Audience: Clearly define your ideal audience.
2. Embrace Your Unique Voice: Lean into what makes your style unique.
3. Set Bold Goals: Create something that will be someone's favourite.
4. Study Polarising Success: Learn from successful polarising work in your field.
5. Seek Specific Feedback: Ask, "Does this resonate deeply with our target audience?"

🛤️ The Middle Ground Fallacy

Avoiding universal appeal doesn’t mean being controversial just for attention. There’s a difference between making bold choices in service of your vision and creating shock value. The goal is to create work that speaks authentically to your intended audience, even if it doesn’t resonate with everyone.

🎯 Embracing the Power of Specificity

In a world that often pushes for broad appeal, there's remarkable power in embracing specificity. By focusing on work that resonates with a particular audience or authentically expresses your vision, you open the door to several benefits:

1. Deeper Connections: When people feel something was created for them, they form stronger connections.
2. Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Specific, polarising work is more likely to be shared organically.
3. Professional Satisfaction: Creating work that reflects your vision is more satisfying.
4. Long-Term Success: Unique voices often stand the test of time.

✨ Charting Your Own Course

The goal of your creative work shouldn’t be to avoid criticism or please everyone. Instead, aim to create work that matters—work that speaks to the right people in a meaningful way.

Dare to be specific. Dare to have a point of view. Dare to create work that some might not like—because in doing so, you open the door to creating work that others will love.

The path away from universal appeal isn’t always easy. It requires courage, conviction, and a willingness to stand behind your creative choices. But it’s on this path that you’ll find your most impactful work, your most appreciative audience, and ultimately, your most rewarding creative journey.

So, the next time you feel the pull towards making something that "everyone will like," pause and ask yourself: Who is this really for? What do I really want to say?

Thank you for reading! Remember, your creative journey is uniquely yours, and the choices you make today can set the stage for your most impactful work yet.

Until next time, keep creating with purpose and passion.
—Gary