What The Summer I Turned Pretty Teaches Us About Polarizing for Profit

If you’re old enough to be getting routine mammograms but still watch teen dramas, you already know that The Summer I Turned Pretty is back today.

Cue the beachy love triangles, wistful Taylor Swift needle drops, and TikTok debates over who Belly should end up with. There is no debate for the book girlies.

Anyways, the first two episodes of Season 3 are now live on Prime.

Is this relevant to your business? Honestly… maybe not. But it is a masterclass in something most brands are too timid to touch: polarization.

Here’s the secret: We love stories that force us to pick sides.

• Twilight wasn’t just about vampires… it was Team Edward or Team Jacob.

• One Tree Hill made you declare yourself Team Peyton or Team Brooke.

• The Summer I Turned Pretty? Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah.

It’s so powerful that the allure even enters closets: this summer, American Eagle dropped Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah tees. (I’m old enough to remember Team Kristin and Team LC tees, and Gen Z just collectively checked out.)

When you pick a side, you feel emotionally invested. You have to keep watching (or buying, or posting) to see how it ends.

This dynamic works for 3 big reasons…

It creates tension. It sparks conversation. It makes the audience feel personally involved.

Harvard Business Review calls this “strategic polarization.” Brands that dare to stand for something (and against something else) attract stronger loyalty, deeper word-of-mouth, and more committed communities.

Your brand doesn’t need a teenage love triangle, but it could probably use a little more of this energy:

• A strong opinion that not everyone agrees with.

• A line in the sand about what you believe.

• A clear perspective that helps your audience decide if they’re “in.”

The middle of the road is comfortable, but it’s forgettable. The edges (where you risk turning some people off) are where the magic (and the loyalty) happens.

A killer soundtrack never hurts either.

Xo, The Salesgirls

P.S. Last summer, we covered The Summer I Turned Pretty’s brilliant re-watch campaign that kept the hype alive even when new episodes were delayed. Worth revisiting.