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Welcome to Double Taps
Hey fam, it’s Dino. Happy Friday!
If you are reading this in your email inbox, you can now identify UFO’s
This weeks edition of Double Taps only has two topics, but those topics are CRAZYYYYY
In Today’s Issue:
Coinbase’s Success (and immediate failure) of a Super Bowl Ad
Kanye West Goin Through It… Brilliantly
The Good, The Bad, and The QR Code
What Happened
If you watched the Super Bowl, you might have also been confused at the color changing QR code that stayed on our screen for 58 seconds. My phone was dead, but everyone I was with immediately pulled out their phones and scanned it.
It was a link to a Coinbase landing page. The best part was how they gave us the satisfaction of seeing the box bounce peerrrrfectly into the corner right at the very end. Was it satisfying? Yes.
Did I scream with delight and pump my fists in the air? Maybe.
I’ll be honest, it was lit, and it definitely got some amazing feedback from everyone online… but the story doesn’t stop there.
About a week later, the CEO of Coinbase wrote up a twitter thread explaining how the ad came to be. When I first read it, I was like, “dang that’s chill.”
It was a great thread, however, when sharing how they came up with inspiration for the ad, Brian added this:
If only Brian could comprehend the twitter-sized can of worms he had just opened. Within the same day, we saw this response:
and
zinga.
Not the best look, but let’s dive into it.
Why It Happened
First off, the ad worked. Let’s just get that out of the way. Within minutes of the ad airing, Coinbase’s servers crashed and by the end of the night it had jumped from #186 to #2 on the app store, gaining over 20 million clicks on the qr code.
This worked for a few reasons.
Super Bowl ads usually have big name actors, professionally written scripts, and HUGE production costs. The simplicity of a blank screen and a qr code left everyone watching with nothing to consume. Instead of crafting the “perfect” commercial, Coinbase led with a singular call to action and let everyone else come to a conclusion on their own.
I, personally, LOVE this form of advertising. The use of curiosity and mystery to pique interest gets my blood pumping and I think giving the end user all the control helps make them feel more comfortable making the decision to download.
On the topic Brian (who hasn’t tweeted since), I think this was a communication blunder. Most likely, the CEO of a company is going to let his marketing team handle the majority of the decisions and probably had little involvement. I could easily see him writing this while not knowing all of the details.
That being said, c’mon dude. At least have your CMO proofread the thread before you send it. But hey, it’s only twitter I guess…
Make It Happen
Coinbase definitely took over our feed from their Super Bowl ad in more ways than one. Not only was it’s shelf life nearly DOUBLED after airing, but it also was a huge success for the crypto exchange. Here’s some lessons we can learn:
Any Publicity is Good Publicity
Similar to most prank YouTubers, we all know the point isn’t to be liked, it’s to be known. Sometimes, a little controversy (although with some negative consequences) still can get people talking about you.
I’m not saying you should go steal the Declaration of Independence just to be famous, but instead, don’t let the fear of being disliked keep you from pursuing your dreams.
Simplicity and Intrigue Win
Maybe instead of drafting up a perfectly crafted explanation of why someone should pick YOU to work with, try and create mystery with a blank page and simple signup. Use no explanation.
Or maybe just say “it’s Lit” on your LinkedIn page. Find a way to use little to no words and pique the interest of your ideal clients.
Nostalgia Can Woo Anybody
EVERYONE has had moments where the DVD player logo would bounce around their screen and they waited with held breath to see if it would touch the corner.
Find ways to introduce a VHS or 90s theme into your content. Gen Z kids think it’s “antique” and it will bring familiarity with the older generations.
Yeezy Szn Approachin’
What Happened
DURING THE SUPER BOWL Kanye West was on a rampage on his Instagram.
For lack of better terms, he was very upset at Pete Davidson for the comedians current dating relationship with Kim Kardashian West.
In multiple chaotic Instagram posts, our boy Ye wrote in all caps how frustrated he was with Pete (nicknaming him “Skete”)
Throughout the entire night, all I could think of was Kanye. Even though Matthew Stafford was winning his first Super Bowl (can I get a Go Dawgs), I continued to periodically check Instagram to see if Kanye had posted again.
During the most watched event of the year, Kanye was able to capture the attention of millions.
Why It Happened
There are two ways to go viral:
Pay for it with ads.
Make something people can’t help but talk about.
Kanye has shown he is a master of the latter. Although this was a strange (and often uncomfortable) look into his personal life, it was a topic that instantly became a meme.
You ever look at something and say to yourself,
“Oh yeah. That’s gonna be a meme.”
Cuz I did. In that moment I knew Ye’s Instagram posts would become ingrained into meme culture immediately.
And it did. Here’s my favorite from the night:
Like we said earlier, “Bad publicity is good publicity.” Kanye was able to thrust himself into the limelight through guerilla social media tactics and become top of mind.
Whether this was his genuine, real self poking through (with some concerned for his mental health) or if it was all staged and planned out, we may never know.
What I DO know is that days after his Instagram rampage, Kanye announced he would be launching his own music streaming platform, Stem Player, and it would be the only way to listen to his new album (Donda 2).
He also dropped this new device to coincide with the new platform, The Stem Player. It looks like a mix between a bluetooth speaker and a DJ mixing table.
Could this have all been a ploy to just promote his new album and the Stem Player? Possibly. If it was, mad props.
Make It Happen
Although Kanye is a bit controversial, here’s a few things we can learn:
False Attention
Instead of looking to promote or sell a product, try and gain some hype in another way. In turn, people will give you their eyeballs which you can redirect to their attention to your main goal.
Think of starting a meme page or creating edgy Tik Toks which might gain some initial attention.
Include your information on your page that could guide people to your service offering/product.
TYPE IN ALL CAPS
THIS WILL MAKE YOUR CONTENT STAND OUT AND IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE YOU ARE YELLING AT EVERYONE
Wrap Up
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Double Taps.
Let me know your thoughts by joining the discord.
Can’t wait to see you all in a few weeks!
Also
<3 Dino
Kanye is one of the most fascinating people on the planet