---
id: "quote-alls-fair"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ The Benefits of Going Negative"]
tags: ["tone", "social-norms"]
related: ["concept-prosocial-teasing", "contrarian-negative-messaging-works"]
speaker: "Abhishek Borah, Johannes Berendt, Sebastian Uhrich and Gavin Kilduff"
speakers: ["Abhishek Borah", "Johannes Berendt", "Sebastian Uhrich", "Gavin Kilduff"]
sources: ["tail2"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-tail2"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-tail-124-good-rivalry-brand"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/08/a-good-rivalry-can-elevate-your-brand"
sourceTitle: "A Good Rivalry Can Elevate Your Brand"
---
# All's Fair in Love and War

> "The shared history between rivals creates a context where 'all's fair in love and war' applies, mitigating the typical downsides of negative messaging."

— [[entity-abhishek-borah|Borah]], [[entity-johannes-berendt|Berendt]], [[entity-sebastian-uhrich|Uhrich]] & [[entity-gavin-kilduff|Kilduff]]

Captures the 'shared-history-as-shield' logic that underlies [[contrarian-negative-messaging-works]] and licenses [[concept-prosocial-teasing]]: because rivals are *expected* to spar, the usual skepticism toward negative advertising is suspended.