And neither did the hundreds of millions (approx) that bought tickets.

On Tuesday in the States, there was a historic Mega Millions $1.5 billion jackpot — the second-biggest grand prize in U.S. lottery history.

At its sales peak, as many as 12,700 tickets were sold per minute.

We even bought a couple here in our New York office. KIDDING, we bought 80.

Because, of course we did — who wouldn’t? The reward is so high that you take the risk. And the risk was this: $2 in exchange for a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of winning a bazzilion dollars.

You’re 400 times more likely to be hit by lightning.

Yet, we do it. We do it for the moment just before we lose when we imagine what it would be like if we didn’t. It’s human nature.

Why, then, aren’t we willing to take more risks as marketers, as storytellers, as brands? It’s wired into our DNA, but when it comes to trying something that pushes boundaries, that might not work, we often shy away. It’s because we don’t want to be the person or the brand who got it wrong. The Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad of our industry, if you will.

But we know our audiences. As social media marketers, it’s our job to know them like we know our friends & family. It’s our job to understand what they believe in, engage with and share. So often when stories or ideas seem risky to others in your organization, ask yourself this: do you know your audience? Does it align with what they believe or how they behave? Is it true to what your brand stands for - even if it’s a different way of expressing it?

If you can answer yes to these questions, make the damn thing. Tell the Story. Try it out.

I can personally guarantee you have a much, much higher chance of winning big than 1 in 302,575,350.

And neither did the hundreds of millions (approx) that bought tickets.

On Tuesday in the States, there was a historic Mega Millions $1.5 billion jackpot — the second-biggest grand prize in U.S. lottery history.

At its sales peak, as many as 12,700 tickets were sold per minute.

We even bought a couple here in our New York office. KIDDING, we bought 80.

Because, of course we did — who wouldn’t? The reward is so high that you take the risk. And the risk was this: $2 in exchange for a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of winning a bazzilion dollars.

You’re 400 times more likely to be hit by lightning.

Yet, we do it. We do it for the moment just before we lose when we imagine what it would be like if we didn’t. It’s human nature.

Why, then, aren’t we willing to take more risks as marketers, as storytellers, as brands? It’s wired into our DNA, but when it comes to trying something that pushes boundaries, that might not work, we often shy away. It’s because we don’t want to be the person or the brand who got it wrong. The Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad of our industry, if you will.

But we know our audiences. As social media marketers, it’s our job to know them like we know our friends & family. It’s our job to understand what they believe in, engage with and share. So often when stories or ideas seem risky to others in your organization, ask yourself this: do you know your audience? Does it align with what they believe or how they behave? Is it true to what your brand stands for - even if it’s a different way of expressing it?

If you can answer yes to these questions, make the damn thing. Tell the Story. Try it out.

I can personally guarantee you have a much, much higher chance of winning big than 1 in 302,575,350.

And neither did the hundreds of millions (approx) that bought tickets.

On Tuesday in the States, there was a historic Mega Millions $1.5 billion jackpot — the second-biggest grand prize in U.S. lottery history.

At its sales peak, as many as 12,700 tickets were sold per minute.

We even bought a couple here in our New York office. KIDDING, we bought 80.

Because, of course we did — who wouldn’t? The reward is so high that you take the risk. And the risk was this: $2 in exchange for a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of winning a bazzilion dollars.

You’re 400 times more likely to be hit by lightning.

Yet, we do it. We do it for the moment just before we lose when we imagine what it would be like if we didn’t. It’s human nature.

Why, then, aren’t we willing to take more risks as marketers, as storytellers, as brands? It’s wired into our DNA, but when it comes to trying something that pushes boundaries, that might not work, we often shy away. It’s because we don’t want to be the person or the brand who got it wrong. The Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad of our industry, if you will.

But we know our audiences. As social media marketers, it’s our job to know them like we know our friends & family. It’s our job to understand what they believe in, engage with and share. So often when stories or ideas seem risky to others in your organization, ask yourself this: do you know your audience? Does it align with what they believe or how they behave? Is it true to what your brand stands for - even if it’s a different way of expressing it?

If you can answer yes to these questions, make the damn thing. Tell the Story. Try it out.

I can personally guarantee you have a much, much higher chance of winning big than 1 in 302,575,350.