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πŸ—“οΈ March 6, 2024

This example of how a Google Ad stands out is excellent


Source: Harry Dry

The Impact, Communication, Persuasion Model is so-so (it’s not very instructive.)

The post makes me think of something else – something I’m obsessed with – Category Blur.

I bastardize the term, but its the idea that from the inside of a category, every company thinks they are unique, but from an outsider perspective, they all blur together.

Most ads all blur together.

Probably because they are proofed by an insider who is looking at Google Ads, versus where the ad will be placed in context.

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πŸ—“οΈ March 5, 2024

I’ve been wondering what the deal is with these Amazon coupons – you’ve probably seen them.

Like this

One theory is that it thwarts online price scrapers.

If you are Walmart, you employ an army of bots to check Amazon’s prices and adjust your own to stay competitive. The theory being: Amazon misdirects them with coupons.

CNN Business has another theory: that added friction and expiring coupons makes more people checkout.

The effort seems a bit like the ikea effect, and the expiring coupon creates urgency.

There’s one more though. It’s Amazon Marketplace sellers who list coupons, and Amazon takes a cut when they are used.

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πŸ—“οΈ March 5, 2024

Soho Private Members Club is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went on an early blind date.

(Also, Jude Law’s kid was once hospitalized after finding and eating some floor-mdma.)

It’s an exclusive club for creatives. The Problem With Being Exclusive

But in 28 years, it’s never turned a profit (until now).

All it took was:

  • A series of buy outs
  • Open shit loads of properties
  • Triple admissions
  • Lift spend-per-member

In Gen-Z parlance. I’m obsessed with the status sell: it’s genius.

But there’s an issue:

  • Shareholders think “if you aren’t growing you are dying”.
  • But when your key product is keeping people out… you can’t

Ps. Will add this to Interesting Questions one day

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πŸ—“οΈ February 29, 2024

Today The Guardian published an article outlining a litany of stretched truths and outright BS deployed by woo-woo merchant Jay Shetty.

Every self-help guru needs a “thing” and Jay Shetty’s is all about being a monk in India (though he grew up in London).

The following line stood out to me:

Shetty’s success is largely predicated on this riches-to-rags-to-riches backstory.

If I wanted to be a self-help guru, I’d need a good (bullshit) backstory. Everyone does. When your product is your advice, you need a reason it works.

Most people reach for rags-to-riches.

But I’d never thought about the riches-to-rags-to-riches pipeline before (I’ve added it to my Bullshit backstory note).

BTW, the article contains a lot of well-checked mythbusting - it’s worth a read.

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2024/feb/29/jay-shetty-self-help-empire

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πŸ—“οΈ February 26, 2024

I was listening to this thing about a stage hypnotist in the 60s or 70s who married a Hollywood actress with the sole goal of divorcing her.

Being divorced from a famous actress gave him social proof and was sure to boost his credibility.

I’m not adding anything new to the field of marketing by saying authority sells, but this was a brazen, shitty move.

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πŸ—“οΈ February 24, 2024

I read this in The Guardian. It’s both a massive success for capitalism but a great sadness for humanity.

The average American woman hasΒ more lip productsΒ thanΒ close friends

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/15/lip-balm-chapstick-bad-for-you-addiction