Branding for Startups and Sith Lords

Take A Walk On The Dark Side

@DaveMcClure @500Startups 500.co #LeadersParis April 2017

WARNING:

REALLY. BAD. COLORS. AND. FONTS.

COMIC SANS BITCHES!

Read Geoffrey Miller.Sex + Evolution + Consumer Marketing = Awesome

More Great Shit. Psychology + Comics

[ Start + Heart ]

Startups are about PASSION.

NEGATIVE Emotion ExamplesFear, Anger, Sadness, Pain, Pathetic, Pariah

POSITIVE Emotion ExamplesHumor, Sex, Power,

Daredevils, Babies & Kittens

WTF is BRAND?

• Tell a STORY, Build a Storytelling Culture • SINGLE element: Color, Animal, Number, Word • UNIQUE Position relative to Competition • Embrace NEGATIVE/Shameful Positioning (when necessary)

• (Know When to Get Back to WORK)

Brand (def): a name, term, design, symbol that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

Be Different.

• Take Risk Early. (U Have Nothing 2 Lose). • Playing it Safe = Death. • Pissing People Off is OK. (in fact, #WINNING) • Love *or* Hate = GOOD (both are STRONG signal)

• U Can’t Build Brand around INDIFFERENCE. • “Niche 2 WIN” (see blog post)

Stand 4 SOME-thing, or Stand 4 NO-thing.

• Be ICONIC. • SINGLE word or emotion. • Don’t be afraid 2b HATED. • Don’t be afraid 2b SHAMED. • Aim for the Moon! [but land on the Roof]

Stand 4 SOMEthing.(or stand 4 NO-thing)

CHANGE.

POWER. BEY!

PEACE.

Tap Into Humanity

• Fear: What u run from • Sex: Who we love, lust 4 • Power: Ability 2 Control Ur World • Family: Find Ur Tribe. • Anger: Fight 4 Ur Right [2 Party]

Be a Hero… or a Villain (pro tip: Villians have more fun :)

• Who do u LOVE, Admire, Want 2 B? • Who do u HATE, Despise, [secretly] jealous? • Whatever u are ATTRACTED to… • Just Don’t Be BORING. • Again: Indifference = Death.

picture > words.

• 1 awesome picture. • 3 powerful words. • 30 sec music or video.

• Less is more.

note: these slides are not less.

When It Works, Double Down.• If someone LOVES u, it’s working. • If someone HATES u, it’s working. • Once u get signal, try iteration, repetition. • Once u get repetition, try variation. • Good artists COPY; great artists STEAL…

(from themSELVES!)

Always Be Yourself — but be your [SUPER] Self

• Start from the Heart. • Be YOUrself. Be Authentic. Be Comfortable. • But: the MOST AWESOME, PASSIONATE u. • Find a feeling or emotion u can sustain • [sometimes even weakness can be ok]