There’s a trend I’ve been quietly watching unfold over the past few years, and if I’m honest, it’s the very thing that’s made me step away from marketing and social media for long stretches at a time.
It’s what I call cringe marketing—the manipulative, overly familiar, emotional bait that’s being passed off as “authentic connection.” But let’s be real: it’s not connection. It’s strategy. Carefully calculated, emotionally charged strategy designed to get you to buy, follow, click, and ultimately, conform.
You’ve seen it.
They slide into your feed or your inbox and call you “love,” “fam,” or “friend,” as if they’re your bestie, your cousin, or your soul sister. But they don’t know you. They flatter you with generic compliments, then swiftly pivot into fear, telling you why you’re not enough, why your energy is blocked, or why your future is doomed unless you act now.
And of course… they have the solution.
(Special price today only. You’re lucky. You’re chosen. You just have to “say yes.”)
It’s gross. It’s disempowering. It’s manipulative.
And as an empath, it makes my skin crawl.
Then there are the podcasters who end every episode with a chirpy “I love you.” Um—what? You don’t know me. Stop pretending this is intimacy. That kind of blanket, performative affection isn’t connection. It’s marketing psychology. It’s meant to trigger bonding so you keep coming back.
Even worse are the multi-day “free” transformation events that trap you in a virtual fishbowl of pressure and manufactured hype. You’re a captive audience being emotionally pumped up, then systematically broken down until you’re desperate for the big-ticket program they just so happen to be offering. It’s a well-oiled machine of manipulation dressed up as motivation.
Let’s call it what it is: fish-in-a-barrel energy. Shiny. Loud. Slick. And entirely disconnected from soul.
This is why I had to pause and step back. Because I refuse to participate in that energy. I refuse to build a business by poking at your pain and pretending to be your savior. That’s not love. That’s not service. That’s performance.
Let’s be clear: I’m not against marketing. I’m not against making offers. We all deserve to make a living sharing our gifts. But there’s a big difference between inviting someone into your work and pressuring them to buy into your identity as their only hope.
I’m not going to scare you into action.
I’m not going to flatter you to win your trust.
I’m not going to call you “love” or “fam” to create fake intimacy.
Those are the oldest manipulation tricks in the book—used heavily in multi-level marketing and hype-heavy coaching circles. I can smell it a mile away. And honestly? It’s insulting.
Here’s what I will do:
I’ll share what I’ve created.
If it helps, wonderful.
If it’s not for you, that’s okay too.
No pressure. No performance. No fear bait.
We need to talk about this. Because too many people—especially sensitive, intuitive, open-hearted people—are being swept into emotional sales funnels where boundaries are blurred and truth is replaced with tactics. And it’s exhausting.
You are allowed to have boundaries around what you consume.
You are allowed to question what’s being sold to you—especially when it’s dressed up in spiritual language or dripping in fake love.
You are allowed to walk away when something feels off, even if everyone else seems to be buying in.
The good news? Spirit is showing me more and more entrepreneurs who really do care. Who lead with integrity. Who are here to serve, not manipulate. And I’m finding my way back into the world of visibility because I know I’m one of them.
I’m here to respect your intelligence, honor your intuition, and trust your timing.
You don’t need to be rescued.
You don’t need to be scared into change.
And you don’t need someone telling you they love you at the end of every podcast episode like a transactional lullaby.
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Reclaim your power. Guard your energy. And let’s bring authenticity and simplicity back to the way we do business.
Because respect matters. Consent matters. And you deserve to feel safe and seen, not sold to.
With actual, non-performative care,
Charlene
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