PAINT THE CLOWN
ENGAGES: LAUGHTER (& judgement)
Part 1: Show us the leader and why they're ridiculous
Part 2: Help us understand why you're the more sensible alternative.
Examples: Apple's "Apple vs. PC", Wendy's "Where's the Beef" &"pieces is pieces", Nissan Leaf's "Gas Powered Everything"
You've innovated something new and amazing.the world deserves your ideas and products. But the marketplace is dominated by the old guard. your way might be better, but how do you get enough exposure for the world to discover you?
It'd be nice if you could simply show us your ideas, products, and why they're better. But your competitors spend a lot of time and money polishing their image. We all know their image and likely use their products. Criticize a product we use and it's like you're criticizing us!
Instead, what if you can help us laugh? We love laughing! We love those who make us laugh even more.
If you can just get us to laugh at your competitor, you've got gold. You know better than to criticize directly, so you turn the competitor into a joke, one we can all enjoy. As we laugh, their image is made clownish, garish and caricatured. Our laughter paints the clown. The louder we laugh, the more clownish they appear.
Remember Wendy's classic commercial, "Where's the Beef"? Three little old ladies stare at a giant sandwich. The first two talk about the simply humongous bun. Then they lift the bun to reveal an itsy burger. The third lady shouts out, "Where's the Beef?!?" And in that instant, McDonalds is covered in paint. We're left laughing cause we've all experienced Big Mac's enormous bun and mediocre beef.
Notice the ad never directly criticizes McDonalds, their name's not even mentioned. Now the ad is no longer criticizing we who've eaten there. We get to laugh along with Wendy's, realizing we've all been victim to these tiny burgers.
Then the most important part, Wendy's takes a moment to remind us of their value, polishing their image for us all to see. "At Wendy's you get more beef and less bun." Once you Paint the Clown upon the leader, you've got to demonstrate why your better. This is key. And since we're already on your side, laughing along with you, we're more likely to believe it.
Do you have a competitor who's bigger and stronger than you? Are you working to gain traction for a new idea no one seems to understand? You can't tear your competitors down with much ease. But every giant has that chink in their armor. Show us how to laugh at them and we'll enjoy helping you to Paint the Clown.