The Art of Anti-Storytelling in Branding: How Zendesk Stole The Software Adoption Show

There’s never a bad time to tell a good story.

Who said that? I don’t know. I want to believe it’s me, but I’m not sure.

What I’m absolutely sure of is that Zendesk nailed it with their “ALTERNATIVE” IDGAF branding campaign. It was wild, unapologetic, and effective. Zendesk Alternative reinvented customer support service against all odds and marketing gods.

In the Name of the Father, Zendesk Anti-Story Was More Powerful Than Antimatter

First things first, there’s honor among cyber-thieves. I have to give credit when and where credit is due to the author of the article who cherry-picked the examples of genius brand storytelling. Zendesk was one of those examples for a damn good reason:

Instead of creating a video to tell the story of Zendesk, they crafted an entertaining video about Zendesk Alternative. Which happens to be a fictional indie rock band, frustrated that a customer support company ‘stole’ their band name, yet admitting their need for Zendesk’s services to keep their careers going.

You have to see it - zendeskalternative dot com to believe it, and play the video to love it.

What were they thinking? Well, how should I put it not to rub the customer support army the wrong way?

That’s one of the industries we all can’t function without, and yet, we don’t appreciate it enough.

How to tell a story about a game-changing software that in all honesty, we aren’t too enthusiastic to listen to in the first place? By telling an anti-story. That’s how. For a company that “was started in a Copenhagen loft by three friends who used an old kitchen door as a desk,” there was no other way.

The transcript is the story for itself:

-So how'd you guys get started?

-Me and Rowdy started the band in ‘94 in Seattle called Zendesk

-What kind of band are you guys?

-Alternative man.

-So what's this album about?

-Email support. Some guys stole our name for his computer company

-What kind of company?

-A big customer support software. Benjie shut up and because he shows up with a bunch of money now I am doing a customer service concept album.

-Well, Eric is a student of zen and in this process, he's being asked a question. Everything he believes about the freedom of the soul and the truth of expression. But to make all of this happen we need Zendesk. Well, the other Zendesk.

-Look, everybody knows we had the name first…

Look, we all know that “anti-sell” is the best sales tactic. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Yeah, Cristopher Nolan’s “Inception” and “don't think about elephants” scene:

It works every time. Let me try it. Do Not Read, Like, and Share This Story!

A Three-Minute Long Story Worth Three Billion Dollars

Yup, that’s the value of Zendek’s total assets, give it or take. It used to be a public company for quite some time, but then “in June 2022, it was announced that Zendesk would be acquired by a consortium of private-equity firms led by Permira and Hellman & Friedman in an all-cash deal worth $10.2 billion.”

So, this was my story about one hell of an anti-storytelling that worked like a charm for software branding. And, be kind to and patient with the customer support guys because you never know. This can easily be not your next but only job available in the midst of the current tech layoffs storm.

What about AI customer support? Well, that’s another story to be told some other time.

Don’t think about elephants. Just don’t.