slides from my talk at Leade.rs (Paris, April 2007)

1. Branding for
Startups and Sith Lords
Take A Walk On The Dark Side
@DaveMcClure @500Startups 500.co
#LeadersParis April 2017

2. WARNING:
REALLY.
BAD. COLORS.
AND. FONTS.
COMIC SANS BITCHES!

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

4. More Great Shit.
Psychology + Comics

5. [ Start + Heart ]
Startups are about PASSION.

6. NEGATIVE Emotion Examples
Fear, Anger, Sadness,
Pain, Pathetic, Pariah

7. POSITIVE Emotion Examples
Humor, Sex, Power,
Daredevils, Babies & Kittens

8. 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.

9. 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)

10. 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]

11. Stand 4 SOMEthing.
(or stand 4 NO-thing)
CHANGE.
POWER. BEY!
PEACE.

12. 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]

13. 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.

14. picture > words.
• 1 awesome picture.
• 3 powerful words.
• 30 sec music or video.
• Less is more.
note: these slides are not less.

15. 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!)

16. 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]