🧠 The Crazy-Funny-Cool Theory: How To Leverage Deep Psychology To Your Benefit

Hey there, 

Welcome back to the 32nd edition of Brandish, 

Your guide to crafting an iconic brand. 

Today we’re going to be learning the science behind deviating from the norm, 

And how to leverage consumer psychology to make your brand feel like the coolest kid on the block. 

You ready? 

I sure am. 

So throw on your cool kid slippers, 

Grab your Brez, 

And let’s do it. 

The Crazy-Funny-Cool Theory 

Before you start wondering - Yes, the “Crazy-Funny-Cool Theory” is a real study that was conducted to measure ‘Divergent reactions to unusual product designs’. 

The goal of this (and why it’s important to you) is to understand the WHY and HOW behind consumer perceptions of whether a product is ‘cool’ or just ‘funny’. 

As a brand expert you’re already aware of the fact that products/brands that can stand out in any way have a better chance of being remembered, 

But there is a very fine line between what’s perceived as cool and urges the consumer to action, 

Vs what’s just funny, and overall tends to just push the consumer away from your brand. 

“Diverging from the norm” always comes with risk…

BUT by having a deep understanding of the science behind it, 

You can (almost) bend that risk to your advantage. 

I’m Cool, Baby 

“Cool” people and products tend to separate themselves in a way that’s positively received by the general audience. 

Of course everyone has their own opinions, 

A cool brand is well received by ‘almost’ everyone. 

Let’s take Harley Davidson as an example: 

Ignoring the fact that they've become more of a meme lately 

(Sorry Harley riders)

Their ENTIRE brand image was built around being rebellious, different, and quite literally separating themselves from every societal norm. 

Or even better - Apple.

Think about it, 

When the first iPhone entered the market, their strategy was entirely focused on “thinking different” and standing out from the crowd. 

The Fine Line Between Humor And Coolness

Obviously for both of these, your product/brand needs to ‘diverge from the norm’. 

The balancing act here is doing it in such a way that makes sense to your consumer. 

Based on the initial findings of the study, 

They found that products that deviate in a way that doesn’t make sense to the brand is perceived as funny, 

While products that deviate in a way that does is perceived as cool. 

Simple, right? 

Sort of. 

Here’s a visual breakdown that helps to make sense of it:

If your consumer can’t make sense of the deviation, they don’t find it as appropriate. 

If they don’t find it appropriate, 

They’re not inspired to take any sort of action towards it. 

So - don’t do that. 

The Super Serious Experiments To Find Coolness 

Now, these researchers ran 4 different experiments with a wide variety of products to find the EXACT difference between what’s perceived as funny, 

And what’s perceived as cool. 

For the sake of length I won’t include them all here, but if you want to give this study and in-depth read, 

Click HERE. 

How Can I Be Cool?

The clear point here is that you want to be different in a way that won’t make your brand look like the weird kid,

But, like most of everything in the world of branding, 

It’s easier said than done. 

You need to deviate from the norm in a way that makes sense to YOUR consumer - not the general public. 

This starts by having the basics down: In-depth audience understanding, consumer psychology knowledge, etc. 

The Individual Level

Find the specific angle you want to target that’s in line with what your product can do for your consumer:

• Can your product raise their social status?

• Can it take someone that’s originally an ‘outsider’ and give them a group (or cause) to rally behind? (Think Harley Davidson)

• Can it raise their health, self esteem, etc?

See the common theme?

It’s almost no different than your other tactics - find a way to present how you can IMPROVE their lives, 

While also creating your own unique trends, causes, or values to rally behind. 

The Societal Level

From a much larger perspective, this desire to be “cool” can motivate people to change a certain culture for the better - From broad social norms to kitchenware. 

This study found that product designs and “the pursuit of coolness” has the power to help shape social and culture norms. 

Kind of insane right?

That’s a Wrap

If you didn’t already realize, the decisions you make with your branding and designs carry a LOT of weight. 

What you can create could shift social norms, create new, improved cultures within your audience, and shift the world as a whole for the better. 

As comical as it may be, understanding how to walk the line between “funny” and “cool” can open up a lot of new possibilities for your brand, 

All you need to do is find that angle, and lean everything into it. 

I hope you liked this week’s newsletter, and I definitely hope you learned something new. 

I know I did. 

Until next time, 

Ankit