Who Decided This Was Boring?”
What if “boring” industries aren’t boring at all? I reveal how Disruptive Awe turns industrial marketing into something people feel.
Hi, I’m John Kowalski. Those who know me, “It’s good to see you,” and for new folks, “It’s nice to meet you!”
For the last few decades, I’ve lived deep in the trenches of B2B marketing — the kind most people never see, let alone romanticize. Automotive parts & pieces. Trash cans. Industrial testing equipment. Coatings. Office furniture. Fulvic minerals. Concrete cutting tools. The kind of work where creativity (typically) is supposed to take a back seat to data, compliance, and “just get it out the door.”
And yet, it’s here — in the world of industrial manufacturing — that I’ve found something powerful: Disruptive Awe.
Not the kind you find in cathedrals or mountain ranges. The kind that happens when a customer suddenly feels
something about a product they never thought twice about. When a technical truth meets emotional storytelling and stops people mid-scroll.
That’s what this Substack is about. Disruptive Awe — the idea that even in the most regulated, technical, or “boring” industries, marketers have the power to shake up perception. To make the unsexy unforgettable.
Over the next year, I’ll be sharing:
Stories from behind the curtain of real B2B reinventions
Excerpts from my upcoming book Disruptive Awe: Making the Unsexy Unforgettable
Visual frameworks that turn strategy into something you can feel
And maybe even a few “secret Disruptive Awe” experiments for subscribers only
This isn’t a newsletter about being louder. It’s about being braver.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between logic and creativity or wondered if your industry is just too dry to inspire, welcome. You’re my people.
Let’s prove that Disruptive Awe belongs everywhere.
— John Kowalski
B2B Marketing Veteran | Disruptive Awe Architect
(P.S. Stay tuned for my next post: “What is Disruptive Awe?”)