What We Learned from the "Pants on the Ground" Guy.
As a teenager, Larry Platt marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Reverend Hosea Williams, in Savannah. He was beaten by Alabama's police officers during the Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Mongomery. He worked with peaceful protest organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Non-Violent Cooordinating Committee. He is a hero and veteran of the Civil Rights movement. And in less than four minutes on American Idol, Platt changed his legacy. Once remembered as a survivor of racial abuse, attack dogs and fire hoses, he is now destined to be "that dude who sang that 'Pants on the Ground' song."
If you didn't see Mr. Platt's performance on American Idol in January, you can click here to check it out.
Unlikely as it seems, Platt has taught us some business lessons, perhaps without even knowing it.
1. Keep it Simple.
Don't over-complicate your idea. A simple, clear message is easier to communicate. While Platt's delivery was perfect for getting exposure, what he wanted to communicate was too complex for the medium. Instead of taking away a message about respect and empowerment, viewers took away a message about appearing foolish, with your pants on the ground.
2. Patents and copyrights may be a good idea.
Perhaps Platt couldn't have seen the way his song would explode across the Internet. If he could have guessed that he'd have (as I'm writing this) almost six million hits on YouTube, maybe he'd have taken steps to legally protect the song. As with any idea, if you want to make money from it you'll need to be able to prove that you own it. So get those copyrights and patents.
3. Plan your launch.
If you're considering some kind of guerilla publicity launch, with a lot of exposure for a little investment, take a few moments to consider this: What if it works? What if your launch exceeds expectations? What then? Platt may have done himself a disservice by failing to anticipate the popular interest his performance would generate, since he was unprepared to immediately convert that interest into dollars. If you want to generate attention, know what you're going to do when you have it.
4. Know your audience, and keep it relevant.
If you have something to sell, whether it's a product, a service, or a message, you need to put it in front of an audience that cares. It's why breaks in sports events are populated by ads for cars, beer, and Disney vacations. Platt ran into two problems here. The first is that he spectacularly underestimated the power of the three and a half minute clip of his performance. Secondly, his message (ostensibly about Gen Y young adults failing to honor the promise of their parents who lived through the Civil Rights movement), was in completely the wrong forum. Instead of talking to young idealists with a hunger for social change, he spoke mainly to bored 30-somethings who catch the show between dinner and putting the kids to bed.
5. A single idea will only go so far.
The meme that people caught onto here was about "looking like a fool with your pants on the ground." Good and catchy, but not the meme Platt intended the audience to take away, I'd bet. And when he had the audience in his hand ... nothing. There was no follow up, no "hey, now the camera's on me" civics lesson. Instead Platt turned into Elmer, a spaniel I had in my 20s, who loved to leap into a field teeming with rabbits -- but once he was there, he had no idea what to do next. Have a plan. Don't be Elmer.
6. Have an exit strategy.
It's now two months since his performance on American Idol, and while the meme is still circulating, it exists completely independently of Platt. Somewhere along the line he lost control of it. In fact, he's currently being sued by American King Music, who are trying to recover production expenses for recording a full length version of his song. But mostly, that lawsuit seems to be about American King Music trying to claim part-ownership of the song and its lucrative distribution rights.
In a bid to stay involved, Platt may have lost his best chance at building capital for his next venture. At the very least, figure out how protect your assets and reputation, and how to move on to the next thing if your current business fails.
7. Consider your legacy.
I've been wrong before, and I'm pretty sure I will be again ... but not about this. Larry Platt will forever be the "Pants on the Ground" guy, immortalized on YouTube until the Internet is replaced by group-think and transdimensional thought-sharing. It really won't matter that he was involved in one of the most significant movements for social change in history, nor that he met two of that movement's most revered leaders, or that September 4th was proclaimed Larry Platt Day in Georgia long before Mr. Platt stepped into Simon Cowell's auditions. He's the "Pants on the Ground" guy. Forever.
If you're considering doing some headline-grabbing publicity stunt, get a second opinion. Ask how this new thing will enhance your existing reputation. If the risk of looking like a fool, going all-in with everything people know and think about you, is a risk you're prepared to take, the rewards might be great. I just can't name anyone who's done that successfully.
8. Have an advisory board.
If the only thing they do is keep you focused on the things that help you to not make these mistakes, then their input is invaluable. Usually an advisory board is made up of people who have been there and done that, but a couple of good friends who will be honest with you when they don't think you've thought things through might be all you need.
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