Editor’s note: This article was first published in January 2012, when Tú sí que vales was Spain’s equivalent of America’s Got Talent and Risto Mejide was described as the country’s most critical judge; references to the show reflect that time.
While browsing the web I came across a video of a contestant on America’s Got Talent. Let’s say it would be the equivalent of the Spanish show Tú sí que vales. The author of the blog Pensamientos Ágiles offers an excellent reflection on what this contestant can teach us about business, because as you will see in the video, the contestant is not physically attractive and cannot dance, and yet he made it through to the next round.
How can this happen in a competition where hundreds of candidates are rejected, candidates who I am absolutely sure do much better than this contestant? The answer is simple: inexplicably, he managed to win over the audience in less than five seconds. He gave off strength, and even knowing he is not the best, he feels passion for what he does. He knows he is not attractive, but he projected confidence. All these factors helped him achieve something few people manage: to connect with the audience quickly and unanimously.
Martín, from Pensamientos Ágiles, is right (Ser brillantemente terrible, “Being brilliantly terrible”): sometimes consumers are not looking for the best product, but to meet a human need, which is to have fun. A simple but fun product can win the battle against a formal, professional product that does not amuse us, does not entertain us, that feels cold.
We can also learn something else, and that is the importance of location, or market. This contestant succeeded in the United States, but if he had entered the Spanish version, Tú sí que vales, would he have got past Risto Mejide? Perhaps Spain’s most critical judge would not have found him very funny, or… perhaps he would. I don’t think we will ever know. Here is the video.
See also: Luck is a skill you can learn: Richard Wiseman
Featured image: Elekes Andor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
.jpg){kind=link}