What can you learn from Dumb Starbucks?

What can you learn about branding from a business consultant who advises a gas station owner to offer a giant rebate that can only be redeemed on a remote mountaintop?

Actually quite a bit. Nathan Fielder, the star of Nathan for You on Comedy Central, recently opened Dumb Starbucks, a parody version of Starbucks in the Los Feliz neighborhood of LA, complete with very Starbuck’s-like decor and menu, and coffee and pastries from Vons down the street—hard to tell the difference, right? Well, the lines ran around the block. Everybody knows what Starbucks is like. Nobody knew what it would be like in a Dumb Starbucks.

The story hit all the national media. And Nathan Fielder showed up on Youtube as the very earnest CEO and Founder of Dumb Starbucks “a very new coffee experience in Los Angeles, California.”

“Many of you probably know me as a comedian,” he intones, “but this is not a bit or a joke. This is a real business that I plan to get rich from.”

What can you learn about your own brand from Nathan Fielder?

Number 1. You don’t always have to take yourself so seriously. People like to laugh. They like to try new things. They like to tell funny stories. Give them something to talk about.

Number 2. If you do something unexpected or outrageous, people will pay attention to you. It’s one thing to talk about how you’re different. It’s something else to do different.

Number 3. Ambiguity can be your friend. Fielder’s public persona is very sincere and nerdy. But he is using it to deliver a ridiculous message. There is a combination at work here that is very original and appealing.

Number 4. Don’t be afraid to play David to a Goliath. There are creative ways to slipstream off other brands. Starbucks is in a very interesting position here. Under-react and their lawyers will go bonkers. Over-react and everyone will be down on Starbucks for going after a little guy.

Fielder made a calculated risk here. Starbucks response was very measured. They didn’t want to be the bad guys even though they have to protect the billions they’ve invested in their brand. Here somebody comes along and knocks them off and there’s basically nothing they can do about it. Because it really was a parody, even if it didn’t meet the legal test. Nathan Fielder had no intention of competing with Starbucks, he merely wanted to feed off their fame—do a little brand building of his own at their expense.

Not such a dumb idea if you ask me.