According to the world of online dating, coming across as an arse to some can make others love you more. If having haters makes those who like you like you all the more, does the same psychology apply to our relationships with brands? And does it actually pay for a brand to rub part of its audience up the wrong way?

In a bid to boost sales for Valentine's Day, American Apparel’s NYC SoHo branch adorned its mannequins with faux pubic hair, unmissable behind sheer panties. The message:au naturelis best. But is it anything more than a PR stunt?

Digitisation is helping brands and their customers communicate, forming narratives and relationships. Whether it's Netflix taking its viewers to prom, orAnchorman's Ron Burgundy reading the regional news, brands are manifesting in the real world, disguised as human beings.

Sex sells – and so does controversy. But with a new focus on audience involvement, musicians and film-makers alike are handing their incendiary wares over to a participatory online culture for dissection and regurgitation.