The Wicked Truth About Fear-Based Marketing

I finally watched Wicked: For Good with my son the other day. And the day after, he asked me “How come Madame Morrible told people that Elphaba wanted to kill them when it wasn’t true?”

​I told him that sometimes people try to gain power by scaring people. They try to get people to do mean or wrong things by scaring them.

And as I said this to him, I couldn’t help but think about how common marketing tactics are rooted in the same kind of fear-mongering.

If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable or even grossed out by marketing, it’s because you were experiencing harm. Once I realized this and understood this about marketing, I realized I did not want to participate in this kind of marketing–and that there had to be another way.

Because if you think about it, intentionally creating FOMO is messed up. It makes our bodies anxious. It’s stressful. It pushes people to make decisions from a place of scarcity instead of sovereignty.

And it’s so normalized that we don’t even question it anymore.

But fear-based marketing doesn’t build trust. It doesn’t build relationships. And for most purpose-driven entrepreneurs, it doesn't even feel good in our bodies to use.

So what if your marketing didn’t rely on scaring people into action? What if your messaging invited people in rather than cornering them? What if your copy created safety, clarity, and possibility, instead of urgency, panic, or shame?

That’s the kind of marketing I believe in. The kind rooted in:

✨ Agency: so your audience feels like they’re choosing, not being coerced.
✨Clarity: so people understand the value without being manipulated.
✨Respect: so your clients feel seen, not pressured.
✨Relationship: because long-term trust will always outperform short-term panic.

Because when we market this way, people don’t buy out of fear…they buy because it genuinely feels aligned. They buy because they want to, not because they’re afraid not to. They buy because your message resonates, not because your countdown timer is yelling at them.

And that, to me, is the opposite of Madame Morrible’s messaging. It’s the opposite of manipulation. It’s marketing that actually honors people. If you’re committed to building a business without fear-mongering or pressure tactics, you’re not alone.

And the good news? Ethical, emotionally safe, values-driven marketing works–and studies have shown that it works better. Because trust is the real conversion tool.

If your launches and messaging are riddled with tactics like fear and scarcity, shame, manipulative emotional triggers, or social pressure—and it doesn’t feel good or aligned—let’s change that.

Book a Magic Hour strategy session with me so we can root out the harm in your messaging and create a values‑driven messaging strategy that honors consent, agency, and real relationship.

Stay curious, Culture Changer!
​🎈Justine

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Red Balloon Station is a creative hub for storytelling and brand messaging, dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-driven Women of Color entrepreneurs and creatives. Through strategy, storytelling, and sales, we’re here to help you harness your own words and stories, forging meaningful connections with your dream audience and making a lasting impact on people, the planet, and culture.


Justine Wentzell-Chang is an Eldest Daughter of Immigrants, Mother, Activist, and your Station Master/Chief Word Witch at Red Balloon Station bringing you strategic messaging and story-centered, conscious copywriting services. 

With a law degree and over a decade of experience making & writing movies that sell globally, I learned a thing or two about writing stories that sell. Now I’m here to give you a spoonful of strategy and conviction to make your words convert...in the most unforgettable way!

Your story deserves to be told—by you. For too long, others have controlled the narrative, distorting the brilliance, resilience, and impact of Women of Color. But we’re here to change that, because you’re not just building a brand; you’re shaping culture, challenging the status quo, and creating a ripple effect of empathy, equity, and positive change. My job? To make sure your messaging reflects that power—clearly, confidently, and with staying power.