Break one rule today.

Why break a rule?

• Because breaking rhythm is what gets you noticed.

So break a rule. Shake it up.

Have a little fun with it.

Most education brands play it safe. Polite tone. Promises of “personalized learning.”

Duolingo burned that playbook. They turned a green owl into a chaos agent, trolled their own users on TikTok, and leaned into humor so aggressively that a language app became a cultural meme.

They didn’t do it to be cute. They did it to commit.

By rebelling against boring “ed-tech polish,” they created a lane only they could own.

That’s what rebellion really is; the discipline to reject safe options and sharpen what makes you impossible to ignore.

Sit with:

What’s the “boring playbook” in my industry I need to burn?

Where could humor, tone, or behavior give me an edge?

If I stopped playing polite, what would my brand sound like?

How did it feel to break a rule today? Let’s talk

Ian Adams, Founder the little red sofa

Before founding the little red sofa, I led strategy and creative for brands like Jeep, HSBC, and Unilever at top global agencies and in-house teams across 8 countries. Now I work with founders to turn brand clarity into sustainable growth.