Brussels Bubble: This blog post is a decoy!

You clicked on this because you were curious. Maybe confused. Maybe suspicious. Maybe just intrigued enough to wonder: what’s the trick?

And that’s the point.

This blog post is a decoy, but not in the way you think. It’s not clickbait. 

It’s a reflection on how attention works in the Brussels Bubble and why surprise, ambiguity and curiosity are underrated tools in a world built on predictability.

Let’s be honest: most Brussels communications follow a formula. A headline that signals policy relevance. A subheading that references a directive or regulation. A body text that walks the reader through context, impact and recommendations. It’s clean, it’s credible, it’s … expected.

But what if you want to be remembered?

The attention economy, Bubble edition

In Brussels, attention is a scarce resource. Everyone’s inbox is overflowing. Everyone’s calendar is booked. Everyone’s scanning, not reading. Whether you’re a trade association, a startup or a policy team inside the European Commission, the challenge isn’t just what you say, it’s how you get people to notice.

And that’s where the art of the decoy comes in.

A decoy isn’t deception. It’s design. It’s the deliberate use of surprise, contrast or ambiguity to interrupt the scroll, spark curiosity and invite engagement. It’s the difference between “Policy update on the AI Act” and “What Brussels isn’t saying about AI (yet).”

One is informative. The other is magnetic.

Why surprise works in Brussels

Brussels is built on process. That’s a strength, it creates stability, transparency and accountability. But it also creates sameness. The language of the Bubble is cautious, calibrated and often… expected.

Surprise cuts through that.

It doesn’t mean being provocative for the sake of it. It means introducing tension, contrast or unexpected framing that makes the reader pause. It’s the moment someone says, “Wait, what?” and then leans in.

In a world of PDFs, position papers and policy briefs, surprise is a strategic differentiator.

Curiosity as a communications strategy

Curiosity is the engine of engagement. It’s what drives someone to open your newsletter, attend your event, or read past the first paragraph of your blog. And yet, most Brussels messaging assumes the audience is already interested.

That’s a risky assumption.

Instead, smart communicators design for curiosity. They ask:

• What’s the unexpected angle?

• What’s the unanswered question?

• What’s the tension or contradiction that needs resolving?

Curiosity doesn’t require controversy. It requires incompleteness, the sense that something is missing, and the reader needs to keep going to find it.

The anatomy of a strategic decoy

Let’s break it down. A good decoy in Brussels communications has three key elements:

1. A headline that disrupts expectations

Think: “This blog post is a decoy.” It’s not about AI, ESG or trilogues, at least not directly. It’s a signal that something different is happening. That alone earns attention.

Other examples:

• “We didn’t attend the consultation … here’s why”

• “The most important EU regulation you’ve never heard of”

• “What Brussels can learn from jazz”

Each one creates a gap between expectation and reality and that gap pulls the reader in.

2. A narrative pivot

Once you’ve hooked the reader, you flip the script. You reveal the real topic, the deeper insight, the unexpected relevance. The pivot is where trust is built, it shows that the surprise wasn’t a gimmick, it was a gateway.

In this post, the pivot is: this isn’t a decoy to mislead, it’s a decoy to explore how attention works.

3. A payoff that delivers value

Surprise without substance is just noise. A strategic decoy ends with clarity, insight and utility. It gives the reader something they didn’t expect, and didn’t know they needed.

That’s what makes it memorable.

Where this works in the Bubble

You don’t need to be a creative agency to use surprise and curiosity. Here’s where strategic decoys can thrive in Brussels:

🗞️ Newsletters

Instead of “September policy updates,” try “Three things that changed while you were on holiday.” It’s warmer, more human and more likely to be opened.

📣 Event invitations

Instead of “Workshop on CSRD implementation,” try “What sustainability reporting will look like in 2027.” It shifts from process to possibility.

📄 Position papers

Even PDFs can be surprising. A bold title, a provocative opening paragraph, a visual metaphor, these elements can make your document stand out in a sea of sameness.

💬 Social media

Brussels Twitter (sorry, X) is full of acronyms and announcements. A post that starts with “We were wrong about the Data Act” will get more engagement than “Our latest analysis of the Data Act.”

But don’t overdo it!

Surprise is powerful, but it’s not a substitute for substance. In Brussels, credibility is currency. If your decoy feels manipulative, misleading or off-topic, it will backfire.

The goal isn’t to trick your audience. It’s to invite them into a deeper conversation, one they didn’t expect, but are glad they joined.

Think of it as a Trojan horse for insight. The exterior catches the eye. The interior delivers the goods.

Final thought: design for curiosity

“This blog post is a decoy” wasn’t a lie. It was a signal. A wink. A doorway.

In the Brussels Bubble, where attention is fleeting and formats are fixed, the ability to surprise thoughtfully, strategically and respectfully is a superpower. It’s how you get noticed. It’s how you get remembered. And it’s how you turn passive readers into active participants.

So the next time you write a headline, draft a tweet or name a webinar, ask yourself: is this expected? Or is this intriguing?

Because in Brussels, as everywhere, curiosity is the beginning of influence.

About the author

Frederique Depraetere is a native English and Dutch speaker with a UK/US education and background. He is a seasoned global marketing leader with over 20 years of experience driving growth across technology, SaaS and innovation sectors. As a fractional CMO/CCO, he supports startups, scale-ups and biotech companies as well as established companies, advocacy groups and NGOs in shaping strategy, building brands and accelerating results. His international expertise spans fast-moving markets and high-stakes communications, helping ambitious teams turn ideas into impact.