‘If you don’t like dark roast, this isn’t the coffee for you’: How exclusionary ads can win over the right customers

By openly saying, ‘This isn’t for you,’ brands signal focus and specificity. That helps the right customers feel a stronger connection.

By: Jaclyn L. Tanenbaum, Florida International University and Karen Anne Wallach, University of Alabama in Huntsville, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 6, 2026

Words: 936

Last Updated: 3 days, 10 hours ago

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By Jaclyn L. Tanenbaum, Florida International University and Karen Anne Wallach, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Imagine you are searching for a new mattress online and find something surprising. The retailer displays an ad featuring a “Mattress Comfort Scale” running from 1 (soft) to 10 (firm), followed by the message that if your firmness preference is at either end, this mattress is not for you. Wait … what? A retailer telling someone not to buy its …

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