Purple Cow

A “Purple Cow” refers to a concept popularized by Seth Godin in his book titled “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.” The idea behind the Purple Cow is to create something truly unique, remarkable, and noticeable in the marketplace. It challenges the traditional marketing strategy of creating safe, similar products and instead advocates for the development of something that stands out so distinctly that it can’t help but capture attention, much like a hypothetical purple cow would stand out among a herd of ordinary cows.

In the context of business and marketing, a Purple Cow represents a product, service, or idea that is so different and innovative that it breaks through the clutter of traditional offerings and grabs the attention of consumers and the market. It’s about differentiation and creating something truly noteworthy. The Purple Cow concept is a metaphor for any business’s need to innovate and be remarkable to succeed in a crowded and competitive market.

Creating a “Purple Cow” in your business or venture involves developing something truly remarkable and noteworthy that stands out in a crowded market. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your own Purple Cow:

1. Identify Unique Opportunities: Analyze your market, competitors, and customer needs to find gaps or opportunities for something new.

2. Leverage Your Strengths: Utilize your strengths, capabilities, and resources to create something hard for competitors to replicate.

3. Innovate and Experiment: Foster innovation and try out unconventional or risky ideas, aiming for remarkable, not just slightly better.

4. Focus on Remarkability: Aim to create something not just different, but genuinely remarkable, like a unique product, service, or marketing approach.

5. Get Customer Insights: Understand customer needs and preferences to develop deeply resonating solutions.

6. Test and Get Feedback: Pilot your concept with a select customer group and refine it based on their feedback.

7. Build a Story Around It: Craft a compelling story for your offering to create emotional connections and memorability.

8. Bold and Consistent Branding: Ensure your branding strongly reflects the uniqueness of your offering.

9. Leverage Social Proof: Use customer testimonials and social media buzz to build credibility and showcase your impact.

10. Continuously Evolve: Keep updating and adapting your offering in line with market trends and customer preferences.

VRIN Model

Value Net Model (Brandenburger and Nalebuff)

Resource-Based View (RBV)