Saturday, August 04, 2012

Million dollars in 6 months. Anyone interested?


Here is a million dollar idea for anyone willing to take the heat.  All I want is a cut J.

Oddly, it came to me in a very complicated dream that had a ton of very bizarre pieces to it.  But that is a story for another time. 

At one point in the dream, I was at the fridge getting some beverages to put out for a party that was about to start.  I noticed an item that grabbed by attention.  It was a six-pack of baby blue colored juice boxes, shaped like beer cans, called “Baby Beer.”  Looking closer, I saw that it was a non-alcoholic rice milk shake. 

What a fantastic idea I thought.  It would help kids feel like they are part of the party.  We know they are always trying to copy the adults.  This way they could do it in a way that was spill-resistant (the juice box), age-appropriate (non-alcoholic), uniquely branded (baby blue color), and could have a variety of tastes (the idea doesn’t really hinge on what is inside – could be juice too). 

But here is why it would work for an entrepreneur with no skills, no distribution, no branding expertise, and no capital to invest.  What is the first thing that would happen if rumors got out of this product?  First, MADD would have a conniption.  They would protest in every newspaper, TV, talk radio, blog, Twitter, Facebook . . .   And then the “Oh get over yourselves” crowd would counter with a “Drink Baby Beer” day.  They would create their own campaign on talk radio, TV, etc.  And all of the “Fair and Balanced” media would have one on one debates and hype the controversy to boost their ratings. 

So all of sudden you would have free publicity, incredible brand awareness, skyrocketing demand, and a product that is simple enough you could outsource production and distribution so you could meet this demand without initial investment. 

Then you have to be ready for the fall.  Since this is really a silly idea, you know as soon as the controversy subsides the demand would as well.  But you would be ready for it.  So as soon as it starts, you immediately halt production, sell your leftover inventory at 30% off to the Dollar Store, take your profits and run.  By getting out quick, you could avoid losing all the profits that you made on the upswing.  I figure $2 million net in 6-months.

Then here it gets better.  Wait a year and do it again with something slightly different but just as controversial.  The advocacy groups would be watching you like a hawk, so it would immediately hit the media again.  “Here he goes again!!!  What a jerk!!”  “Here he goes again!!  What an American Hero.”  Jerk/Hero/Jerk/Hero.  Six months later another $2 million and 18 month vacation.  I figure you probably have 4 or 5 cycles before society gets bored of you.