He is a polarising figure, but whatever your view, Piers Morgan is a masterclass in how to own the conversation. He has courted outrage for three decades, cultivated influence, and remained impossible to ignore, argues Ian Maskell, Founder, P E C O R I N O, and former VP Global Marketing, Unilever.

From the Daily Mirror to CNN, Good Morning Britain, and now TalkTV and social media. In an age where attention is the most valuable currency, Morgan shows that controversy, consistency and conviction are ultimate brand assets.

Morgan’s defining skill is his ability to generate headlines - every day, on his own terms. Whether interviewing a Prime Minister, walking off a live set, or sparring on X (formerly Twitter), he dominates the agenda. Like Trump’s relentless visibility and Farage’s knack for engineered outrage, Morgan understands a simple truth: silence is death in the attention economy. Brands that play too safe fade into irrelevance. To be remembered, you must provoke a reaction, admiration, anger or laughter, it doesn’t matter which.

When ITV dropped him after the Meghan Markle storm, Morgan didn’t retreat; he relaunched Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV and YouTube, where he commands 4.2 million subscribers and millions of views - daily. The lesson for marketers is clear: control your channels. Don’t only rely on paid media or third-party platforms. Build your own audience, your own database, your own channel.

Morgan’s independence gives him creative control and immunity from ‘cancel culture.’ The same is true for brands who own their customer relationships - they pivot faster, speak bolder and take risks others can’t. Gymshark, Liquid Death and Patagonia are three very different brands that prove the power of owning platform, audience and message.

Morgan’s messaging is always blunt, emotional, and clear. No jargon. No hedging. Whether defending free speech or slamming hypocrisy, his position is unambiguous. Like Farage’s “pub-simple” slogans and Trump’s repetitive soundbites, Morgan understands the value of clarity over nuance. Brands often overcomplicate, burying their truth in multi-layered strategy & vacuous brand books. Morgan demonstrates that conviction, not complexity, wins attention.

He also thrives on tension. Morgan picks cultural flashpoints - royal drama, woke politics, celebrity hypocrisy - and amplifies them - deliberatly. Conflict drives engagement, which fuels the algorithm. For brands, this doesn’t mean courting scandal, but it does mean embracing friction. Define your opposition - waste, inequality, or convention - and take it on. A cause needs an antagonist. Patagonia has Big Oil. Oatly has Big Dairy. Morgan has Meghan Markle.

Piers Morgan is not universally liked and that’s the point. He stands for something, even when it costs him. His persona is messy, flawed and real. Consumers trust conviction over perfection. Brands that dare to speak with unfiltered honesty, accepting that not everyone will agree - earn deeper loyalty from those who do. Look at Ben & Jerry’s, who don’t even get along with their owners at Unilever – their consumers love them for it!

Across decades, the Morgan message hasn’t changed: free speech, accountability, fearless opinion. Repetition builds recognition; recognition builds brand. Most brands get bored and abandon their message too soon. Morgan, like Trump and Farage, proves the power of persistence & consistency.

You don’t have to like Piers Morgan, but if your brand wants to matter in 2025 - a world addicted to noise and novelty - take a page from his playbook: speak up, stay in the fight, and never apologise for having a point of view.

Ian will be writing a regular column for MAD//Insight throughout the year.