Paul Graham characterizes marketing strategies designed to intentionally anger people for attention as a tactic of "scammers." He argues that such approaches reveal a lack of long-term focus and earnest engineering, predicting that companies relying on these gimmicks will never become truly massive.
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A marketing campaign using a "missing PO" subject line to create urgency backfired when it angered a CEO. This direct, negative feedback immediately revealed the brand risk associated with FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) tactics, leading to their discontinuation.
Brands jumping on viral memes may see a temporary spike in views, but it's a hollow victory. Consumers remember the trend itself, not the brand's participation in it. This common social media tactic fails to build brand equity or impact the bottom line.
Oxford naming "rage bait" its word of the year signifies that intentionally provoking anger for online engagement is no longer a fringe tactic but a recognized, mainstream strategy. This reflects a maturation of the attention economy, where emotional manipulation has become a codified tool for content creators and digital marketers.
Contrary to fears of a "circular economy," YC founder Paul Graham advises that selling to other startups is optimal. They are smarter, less bureaucratic, and more representative of future trends. A product that succeeds with this discerning group is well-positioned for broader market success.
A/B testing on platforms like YouTube reveals a clear trend: the more incendiary and negative the language in titles and headlines, the more clicks they generate. This profit incentive drives the proliferation of outrage-based content, with inflammatory headlines reportedly up 140%.
Gamma's AI launch succeeded not just because of the product, but because they intentionally crafted a "spicy" and provocative tweet designed to spark debate. This drew engagement from influential figures like Paul Graham, massively amplifying their reach beyond what a standard announcement could achieve.
The IVF company Nucleus ran a subway campaign with provocative slogans like 'Have your best baby' to deliberately anger a segment of the population. This 'rage bait' strategy manufactures virality in controversial industries, leveraging negative reactions to gain widespread attention that would otherwise be difficult to achieve.
A brand that tries to please everyone is memorable to no one. To build a truly strong brand, you must be willing to be disliked by some. Intentionally defining who your customer is *not* and creating polarizing content sharpens your identity, fostering a passionate community among those who love what you stand for.
The 20th-century broadcast economy monetized aspiration and sex appeal to sell products. Today's algorithm-driven digital economy has discovered that rage is a far more potent and profitable tool for capturing attention and maximizing engagement.
A specific VC playbook: post a screenshot of text with a punchy, controversial headline. The headline drives viral distribution and outrage, while the nuanced text attracts knowledgeable individuals who then send better ideas and relevant startups, effectively turning social media into an inbound deal-flow engine.
