This document introduces the concept of "WTFism" as a growing movement in art, entertainment, and advertising. WTFism refers to content that evokes a "WTF?!" reaction and encourages sharing, as it eschews traditional evaluations of quality in favor of viral potential. Examples are given of viral videos and marketing campaigns that succeeded through their unexpected nature. The document argues that WTFism content is more likely to break through "media clutter" because it behaves as if clutter doesn't exist and compels emotional engagement from viewers.

1. Dude,
You
Gotta
See
This!

2. WTFism :
Evading the Expected
in Art, Entertainment,
and Advertising

3. James
Mccrae
03.23.11

4. GET
READY

5. GET
READY
to see or listen to
something unexpected

6. GET
READY
to share it with
your friends

7. GET
READY

8. GET
READY
to forget the
difference between
GOOD AND BAD

9. GET
READY
to forget the
difference between
REAL AND FAKE

10. GET
READY
to forget the
difference between
SMART AND STUPID

11. GET
READY

12. GET
READY
because it’s
already happening

13. GET
READY
because it’s
already happening
EVERY SINGLE DAY

14. WTF
are you talking about?

15. EXACTLY

16. These days, the most
online buzz, comments,
“likes,” and share value
are generated by making
people stop and say...

17. WTF?!

18. WTF?!
Dude, you
gotta see this!

19. Welcome to
the era of
WTFism

20. WTFism is:
A growing movement
in art, entertainment
and advertising.

21. WTFism is:
anything that is
so funny

22. WTFism is:
anything that is
so stupid

23. WTFism is:
any thing that is
so extreme

24. WTFism is:
anything that is
so... anything

25. WTFism
anything that is
so... anything
that you want
to share it

26. Logic goes out
the window

27. Traditional
evaluations of
good and bad
don’t apply

28. Only one
questions
matters:

29. Only one
questions
matters:
Is it worth
sharing?

30. Rebecca Black’s song “Friday” received
17 million YouTube hits in one week, driven
mostly from Facebook and Twitter traffic.
People allegedly dislike the song but still
share it based on WTF factor.

31. Dee & Ricky have made millions on WTF
fashion ideas like Lego jewelry and Starter
jacket luggage. Their success has led to
partnerships with Marc Jacobs, Violette,
G-Shock and more.

32. Snickers launched a WTF campaign in 2006
by replacing their logo with nonsensical copy
vaguely related to eating. The campaign
earned a lot of press and inspired multiple
parodies.

33. German philosopher
Friedrich Nietzsche
proposed in 1886 that
society was moving
into an era “beyond
good and evil.”

34. He thought traditional
evaluations of good
and bad were outdated
and based on societal
frameworks that no
longer existed.

35. He wanted people to
evaluate things by
NEW, DEMOCRATIC
standards

36. WTFism
is beyond critical
good and evil

37. WTFism
is beyond critical
good and evil
There is no “right way”
or “wrong way” -only
connection

38. WTFism
leaves it up to you
to determine value

39. Before, we trusted
“experts”
“Expert
opinion”

40. Now, everyone decides

41. Now, everyone decides
(and so do their friends)

42. Something truly original
will spread regardless
of craftsmanship, logic
or intellectualism

43. The history of the Internet proves that
original absurdity generates viral content

44. Most agencies,
entertainers and
artists refuse to
take these proven
results seriously.

45. “That won’t work for
us. We don’t want to
confuse people.”
-Bill Naysayer

46. But WTFism
works because it
doesn’t compete
against media clutter

47. But WTFism
works because it
doesn’t compete
against media clutter
It doesn’t even try to

48. It behaves as if
clutter doesn’t
even exist

49. It sets the terms of
the conversation,
and transcends
everything else

50. “Consumers are hard
to reach because they
ignore you.”
-Seth Godin

51. No one ignores
WTFism

52. They may love it, hate
it, laugh at it, like it
but pretend not to,
write mean comments
about it, or not even
understand it.

53. But they talk
about it

54. But they talk
about it
And they share it

55. “Human beings are far
more likely to communicate
ideas and information with
others when they are
emotionally engaged.”
-Maki, doshdosh.com

56. Following a template
won't get people
talking

57. Following a template
won't get people
talking
Being different will

60. If it’s not
WTF ...

61. If it’s not
WTF ...
It’s
DUH!

62. T hank
you

63. Share this
presentation

64. Please visit
NoBrandLikeHome.com
Follow me
@NoBrandLikeHome