It’s a pattern as old as commerce itself. First, people mock the idea. Then, they get angry about it. Finally, they pretend they were supporters all along. If you’ve ever looked at a massive brand or a disruptive technology and wondered how something so universally "disliked" managed to take over the world, you’re looking at the they hate but they broke through phenomenon.
Humans are wired to resist change. We like our comforts and our established workflows. When someone comes along and says, "The way you’ve been doing this for twenty years is actually slow and expensive," it feels like an attack. It’s personal.
The Psychology of Why We Root Against the New
Why does this happen? Honestly, it’s mostly about ego and cognitive dissonance. When a new product or person enters the market and challenges the status quo, it forces us to admit that the old way—the way we might have invested time or money into—is becoming obsolete. That hurts.
Take the original iPhone launch in 2007. If you go back and read the forums from that era, the vitriol was intense. Tech enthusiasts hated that it didn't have a physical keyboard. They mocked the battery life. They called it a "toy" for people who didn't understand real computing. Yet, Apple broke through because they realized something the critics didn't: convenience and interface fluidity matter more to the general public than a tactile QWERTY board.
Resistance often masks fear. We see it in the "they hate but they broke through" cycle every time a new social media platform launches. Remember when TikTok was "just for kids dancing" and "cringe"? The collective internet spent two years making fun of it. Now, it’s the primary search engine for Gen Z and the most significant threat to Google’s ad revenue. The breakthrough happened because the platform leaned into the hate, refined its algorithm, and made itself undeniable.
When "They Hate But They Broke Through" Becomes a Business Strategy
Negative sentiment isn't always a sign of failure. In many cases, it’s a leading indicator of a massive shift. If no one is talking about your product, you’re dead in the water. But if people are actively complaining? You’ve touched a nerve. You’ve identified a friction point in the culture.
Look at Ryanair in Europe. People love to complain about the seats, the fees for printing a boarding pass, and the lack of legroom. The CEO, Michael O’Leary, practically invited the hate for years, leaning into the "no-frills" identity. By being the brand people "hate," they solidified their position as the cheapest option. They broke through the legacy carrier market not by being liked, but by being useful and omnipresent. They understood that a traveler's desire to save $100 usually outweighs their desire for a complimentary bag of peanuts.
This dynamic shows up in the "ugly fashion" trend too. Brands like Crocs or Birkenstock spent decades being the punchline of jokes. They were the ultimate "they hate but they broke through" examples. By refusing to change their core design to fit fleeting aesthetic trends, they eventually became symbols of authenticity. Now, they collaborate with high-fashion houses like Balenciaga. The hate was actually their greatest marketing asset because it created high brand recognition.
The Role of Persistence in the Breakthrough Phase
You can’t just be hated; you have to be right. That’s the nuance most people miss. If you’re selling a bad product that people hate, you just fail. To break through, the core value proposition must be so strong that it eventually silences the critics.
Consider the "Moneyball" era of baseball. Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics were loathed by traditional scouts. The old guard hated the idea that math could replace "gut feeling" and "the look" of a player. They ridiculed the strategy in newspapers and on sports talk radio. But the Athletics broke through because the data worked. They won games with a fraction of the budget of the Yankees. Eventually, the hate turned into a blueprint that every single MLB team uses today.
Real-World Examples of the Breakthrough Cycle
- Tesla and EV Adoption: Early on, car enthusiasts hated the lack of engine noise. The media focused on every fire and every delay. Tesla broke through by making the car a status symbol first and an eco-friendly vehicle second.
- Abstract Expressionism: In the art world, Jackson Pollock was famously mocked as "Jack the Dripper." Critics said a child could do it. He broke through because his work captured the chaotic energy of post-war America in a way traditional portraiture couldn't.
- The Netflix Pivot: When Reed Hastings decided to split the DVD-by-mail business from the streaming side (the Qwikster debacle), the backlash was so severe the stock price cratered. People hated the change. Netflix broke through because they were right about the future of internet speeds.
Navigating the "Valley of Hate"
If you are currently building something and facing resistance, you have to distinguish between "constructive hate" and "status-quo hate." Constructive hate tells you your UI is broken or your price is too high. Status-quo hate tells you that "this isn't how things are done."
Ignore the latter.
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The "they hate but they broke through" journey requires a thick skin and a long-term horizon. Most people quit during the loudest period of criticism. They mistake the noise for a market signal. But if your metrics are growing while the comments sections are screaming, you’re likely on the verge of a breakthrough.
Data often tells a different story than social media sentiment. A brand might have a "negative" reputation on X (formerly Twitter) but see 20% month-over-month revenue growth. This happens because the people who hate the product aren't the target audience, but their complaining is providing free reach to the people who are the target audience.
Actionable Steps for Breaking Through
Survival in a hostile market isn't about winning an argument; it's about outlasting the noise.
- Audit the Criticism: Separate complaints about functionality from complaints about philosophy. Fix the functionality; double down on the philosophy.
- Focus on the Silent Majority: For every loud hater, there are often a hundred quiet users who find value in what you’re doing. Talk to them.
- Use Polarizing Marketing: If you know a segment of the population will never like you, use that. Lean into what makes you different. It creates loyalty among your actual fans.
- Measure Outcome, Not Sentiment: Public opinion is a trailing indicator. User retention and recurring revenue are leading indicators. Trust the numbers over the "vibes."
- Prepare for the Pivot to Acceptance: Once you break through, the same people who hated you will claim they were "early adopters." Don't be petty. Welcome them in and scale.
The path to massive success is rarely paved with universal praise. It’s usually messy, loud, and full of people telling you why you’re wrong. Breaking through isn't about making everyone happy; it’s about being so effective that their unhappiness eventually becomes irrelevant. If you’re being hated for the right reasons, you’re probably closer to the finish line than you think.
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